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CIVIC HERALD
HR 27 · 119th Congress · HouseIn committee

HALT Fentanyl Act

In plain language: This legislation permanently classifies all chemical copies of fentanyl as Schedule I illegal drugs, exposing unauthorized makers and traffickers to strict federal bans and mandatory minimum prison sentences. At the same time, it speeds up the approval process for scientists and universities to legally research these substances for medical and public health purposes. Under these rules, qualified researchers face shorter government wait times, reduced paperwork across local lab facilities, and fewer licensing hurdles when creating small test samples.

Provisional: our plain-language summary, pending review.

Provisionalunreviewed: impact, provisions, stakeholders, summary
People affected—not determinable from the text provided
Fiscal magnitude—not determinable from the text provided
Reach65provisional · pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
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Issues

What this bill touches.

Sentencing & corrections−60Drugs & enforcement−60

The sign shows the bill's direction on each issue (+ toward, − away); the number is its magnitude. Color never encodes good or bad, and never party.

Who it affects

Who it helps · who it burdens.

Who it helps

  • scientific and medical researchersGain expedited DEA review timelines, single-registration coverage for multiple local sites, exemptions from repeated site inspections, and permission to synthesize or modify small quantities of substances for research without a separate manufacturer license (Sec. 3(a)–(f)).provisional
  • laboratory technicians and research staffCan handle and conduct research with controlled substances under a registered colleague's credential without applying or paying for their own separate federal registration (Sec. 3(b)(1)).provisional

Who it burdens

  • individuals convicted of illicitly manufacturing or trafficking fentanyl-related substancesFace permanent Schedule I controlled substance penalties and federal mandatory minimum prison sentences for trafficking, importing, or exporting fentanyl-related chemical analogues (Sec. 2, Sec. 6(a)–(b)).provisional
  • supervising registered researchersMust assume legal liability for any controlled substance violations committed by unregistered staff members working under their registration during DEA suspension or revocation proceedings (Sec. 3(b)(1)).provisional
  • Drug Enforcement AdministrationMust act on certain research registration notices within 30 to 45 days, publicly publish any unique evaluation criteria for specific substances, and promulgate implementing regulations within six months (Sec. 3(a), Sec. 3(g), Sec. 5).provisional
  • Department of Justice Office of the Inspector GeneralMust conduct a study and submit a report to Congress within one year examining federally conducted or funded research involving fentanyl (Sec. 3(a)(2)(n)(7)).provisional

Dollar-level funding (FEC sector totals) is coming in a later phase.

What it does

The provisions, in plain language.

  1. Permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I controlled substances based on their chemical structure, placing them under the strictest federal drug regulations.

    Sec. 2provisional

  2. Establishes a faster approval process for scientists conducting federally approved or funded Schedule I drug research, allowing existing registrants to begin research 30 days after notice and requiring the DEA to act on new applications within 45 days.

    Sec. 3(a)provisional

  3. Allows laboratory staff to handle controlled substances under a colleague's existing registration without getting their own separate registration, provided the registered researcher accepts legal responsibility.

    Sec. 3(b)(1)provisional

  4. Allows researchers to cover multiple research, storage, or administration locations in the same city or county under a single registration if the sites belong to the same institution.

    Sec. 3(c)provisional

  5. Allows scientists to continue ongoing research without interruption when a substance they study is newly added to Schedule I, provided they submit an updated application within 90 days.

    Sec. 3(e)provisional

  6. Allows registered researchers to manufacture or process small quantities of controlled substances strictly for their research without obtaining a separate manufacturer registration, excluding growing marijuana.

    Sec. 3(f)provisional

  7. Applies federal mandatory minimum prison sentences for illegal drug trafficking, importation, and exportation to all fentanyl-related substances.

    Sec. 6(a)-(b)provisional

How your members of Congress line up

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Timeline

How it moved.

  1. Feb 10, 2025Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  2. Feb 6, 2025Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  3. Feb 6, 2025On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 312 - 108 (Roll no. 33). (text: CR H520-522)
  4. Feb 6, 2025Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 312 - 108 (Roll no. 33). (text: CR H520-522)
  5. Feb 5, 2025Rule H. Res. 93 passed House.
  6. Feb 4, 2025Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 93 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 27 with 1 hour of general debate. Motion to recommit allowed. The resolution makes in order only the further amendment printed in Part B of the Rules Committee report.
  7. Jan 3, 2025Introduced in House
  8. Jan 3, 2025Introduced in House

The original text

Read it for yourself.

Read the original text →

Sources & provenance

Congress.govrefreshed 9 days ago

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