HALT Fentanyl Act (S. 331)

Summary

Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act or the HALT Fentanyl Act This act permanently places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. Under the act, offenses involving fentanyl-related substances are triggered by the same quantity thresholds and subject to the same penalties as offenses involving fentanyl analogues (e.g., offenses involving 100 grams or more trigger a 10-year mandatory minimum prison term). Additionally, the act establishes a new, alternative registration process for certain schedule I research. The act also makes several other changes to registration requirements for conducting research with controlled substances, including permitting a single registration for related research sites in certain circumstances, waiving the requirement for a new inspection in certain situations, and allowing a registered researcher to perform certain manufacturing activities with small quantities of a substance without obtaining a manufacturing registration. Finally, the act expresses the sense that Congress agrees with the interpretation of the Controlled Substances Act in United States v. McCray , a 2018 case decided by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. In that case, the court held that butyryl fentanyl, a controlled substance, can be considered an analogue of fentanyl even though, under the Controlled Substances Act, the term controlled substance analogue specifically excludes a controlled substance.

Congress.gov bill summary · 49 · updated Jan 27, 2026

CBO estimates

• S. 331, HALT Fentanyl Act

  As reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on March 3, 2025

  Mar 10, 2025

• SAMDT 1265

  Senate

  Mar 12, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] (R-SD)

• SAMDT 1264

  Senate

  Mar 12, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] (R-SD)

• SAMDT 1263

  Senate

  Mar 12, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] (R-SD)

• SAMDT 1262

  Senate

  Mar 12, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] (R-SD)

• SAMDT 1261

  Senate

  Mar 12, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] (R-SD)

• SAMDT 1260

  Senate

  Mar 12, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] (R-TX)

• SAMDT 1259

  Senate

  Mar 12, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK] (R-AK)

• SAMDT 1258

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA] (D-GA)

• SAMDT 1257

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] (D-HI)

• SAMDT 1256

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO] (R-MO)

• SAMDT 1255

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO] (R-MO)

• SAMDT 1254

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (D-IL)

• SAMDT 1253

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (D-IL)

• SAMDT 1252

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (D-IL)

• SAMDT 1251

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (D-IL)

• SAMDT 1250

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (D-IL)

• SAMDT 1249

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA] (D-GA)

• SAMDT 1248

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO] (D-CO)

• SAMDT 1247

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID] (R-ID)

• SAMDT 1246

  Senate

  Mar 11, 2025

  Sponsor · Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR)

• SAMDT 1245
• SAMDT 1244
• SAMDT 1243
• SAMDT 1242
• SAMDT 1241
• SAMDT 1240
• SAMDT 1239
• SAMDT 1238
• SAMDT 1237

  To improve the bill.

  Mar 14, 2025 · Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S1765)

• SAMDT 1236
• SAMDT 1235
• SAMDT 1234
• SAMDT 1233
• SAMDT 1232
• SAMDT 1231

Related legislation

• HALT Fentanyl Act

  Related bill

• Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 884) to prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2056) to require the District of Columbia to comply with federal immigration laws; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2096) to restore the right to negotiate matters pertaining to the discipline of law enforcement officers of the District of Columbia through collective bargaining, to restore the statute of limitations for bringing disciplinary cases against members or civilian employees of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (S. 331) to amend the Controlled Substances Act with respect to the scheduling of fentanyl-related substances, and for other purposes.

  Procedurally related