House Approves HALT Fentanyl Act as Trump Intensifies Drug Trafficking Crackdown

A bipartisan bill aimed at permanently designating fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I controlled substances was approved by the House on February 6.

In a significant show of unity, 98 Democrats collaborated with nearly all Republicans—save for one—to pass the HALT Fentanyl Act by a vote of 312–108.

Initially, fentanyl-related substances were temporarily classified as Schedule I narcotics—the same classification as LSD, heroin, and ecstasy—in 2018 during the first term of the Trump administration. Although lawmakers have extended this classification multiple times, efforts to establish it permanently have so far been unsuccessful, and the current classification is set to expire on March 31.

This recent push to finalize the scheduling order coincides with the Trump administration’s intensified efforts to combat cross-border drug trafficking, which has significantly contributed to the distribution of illicit fentanyl across the nation.

In 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confiscated over 80 million counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, along with nearly 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder—enough to create more than 390 million lethal doses.

The repercussions of the fentanyl epidemic on American families have been devastating.

In 2023, more than 107,000 individuals succumbed to drug overdoses in the U.S., with illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids responsible for nearly 70% of these fatalities.

Fentanyl-related overdoses have emerged as the leading cause of death among U.S. citizens aged 18 to 45.

During a press conference on February 5, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) stated that the new legislation “empowers law enforcement to seize these dangerous substances and target their manufacturers and distributors to halt their distribution.”

He also highlighted that the bill complements the president’s initiatives earlier that week aimed at reducing the influx of illegal drugs from Mexico, Canada, and China.

Fueled by the threat of tariffs, President Donald Trump garnered pledges from both Mexico and Canada on February 3 to bolster resources and personnel at their border with the United States to mitigate illegal immigration and drug trafficking. In exchange, he postponed for 30 days the implementation of 25% tariffs he had imposed on imported goods from those countries.

A 10% tariff on goods imported from China—the primary supplier of precursor chemicals for illicit fentanyl entering the U.S.—went into effect on February 4.

The HALT Fentanyl Act now progresses to the Senate, where earlier iterations of the bill were halted under Democrat leadership.

With a new Republican majority, hopes are high for a different outcome this time. However, they face considerable challenges in the Senate, where a supermajority of 60 votes is required to pass legislation. The current split is 53–47, but the bipartisan backing the bill received in the House may bode well for its prospects in the Senate.