Barrasso, Lummis Vote to Stop Fentanyl Trafficking Across Borders

The U.S. Senate Friday passed a bill that is intended to help stop the stream of illicit fentanyl-related drugs across U.S. borders. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

The HALT Fentanyl Act passed by a vote of 84 to 16. U.S. Senator John Barrasso, Senate Majority Whip, and U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis, (both-WY)., praised the Senate passage of the legislation, which was introduced by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and co-sponsored by Senators Barrasso and Lummis.

According to a joint-media release from Senators Barrasso and Lummis, approximately 1.1 billion doses of fentanyl were seized at U.S. ports of entry between October 2023 to October 2024. Some fentanyl-related substances (FRS) fly under the radar of current regulations due to minor changes in their chemical composition – despite delivering the same deadly effects as traditional fentanyl. The HALT Fentanyl Act would classify fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as part of Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, which would establish that they have a high potential for abuse, have no recognized medical value, and are subject to certain regulations and criminal penalties. The legislation would also establish that crimes involving FRS are penalized according to the same quantity thresholds as those involving traditional fentanyl, and change existing regulations to allow improved research on controlled substances. The bill now heads to the House where a similar version was passed last month.