U.S. Senator Katie Britt Votes to Advance HALT Fentanyl Act from Senate Judiciary Committee

‘The era of allowing deadly fentanyl to flow into our country is over’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today voted to advance the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The HALT Fentanyl Act would permanently schedule fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act.The bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

“American families are counting on Congress to stop the flood of fentanyl into our nation and our communities. This bill takes the necessary steps of permanently placing fentanyl-related substances under Schedule 1 classification and ensuring that law enforcement officers have the tools necessary to actually end this epidemic,” said Senator Britt. “The era of allowing deadly fentanyl to flow into our country is over, and I will work tirelessly to get this bill to President Trump’s desk to save lives from this devastating poison.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), drug overdose deaths are the number one cause of deaths for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45, and nearly 70% of overdose deaths in 2022 were from fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.

Senator Britt recently participated in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “The Poisoning of America: Fentanyl, its Analogues, and the Need for Permanent Class Scheduling.” She heard from multiple witnesses, including Jamie Puerta, President of Victims of Illicit Drugs, and Bridgette Norring, both of whom have tragically lost loved ones to fentanyl.

During the hearing, Senator Britt spoke to her strong support of the HALT Fentanyl Act. “In my view, we need to be as bold as possible when it comes to taking steps to protecting American children and families from the scourge of fentanyl. That’s one of the reasons I am a co-sponsor of the HALT Fentanyl Act,” Senator Britt said.

After committing to the witnesses to elevate their testimonies, Senator Britt spoke on the Senate floor demanding action from Congress to stop the flow of these illicit drugs into our country. “Daniel and Devin’s stories — and what their families have been through — are nothing less than heartbreaking, and it exemplifies what we’re going through as a nation: A national nightmare,” she stated. “I’d like to thank [Jaime Puerta and Bridgette Norring] for sharing their stories and for the courage that they have shown in the face of gut-wrenching tragedy.”

“Our government has failed to prevent the flow of fentanyl into our country in far too many ways,” Senator Britt continued. “. . . as Chair of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, I will work to make sure the people tasked with protecting the public from this poison have the resources they need to help.” 

Senator Britt is also a cosponsor of Senator John Kennedy’s (R-La.) Fairness in Fentanyl Sentencing Act, which would change the quantity thresholds triggering mandatory minimum prison sentences for fentanyl distribution. It would also direct the U.S. Postal Service to increase its chemical screening and dedicate more personnel to the task of interdicting fentanyl and other illegal substances imported into our country. 

In today’s Senate Judiciary executive business meeting, Senator Britt also voted to advance the nominations of Todd Blanche to serve as Deputy Attorney General and Gail Slater to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division to the full Senate for consideration.

During their confirmation hearing, Senator Britt highlighted Attorney General Bondi’s memo that outlined the Department of Justice’s intent to end funding for sanctuary cities to the extent allowed by law and to take appropriate legal action to challenge the policies of sanctuary jurisdictions. “These sanctuary jurisdictions and their reckless policies undermine the safety of all Americans, and they have no business receiving taxpayer dollars and should be held accountable for their decisions to violate the law,” she said, thanking Blanche for his expected work on this issue alongside Attorney General Bondi.

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