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S331FEDERALSession 119Federal BillSigned into law

Enacted

The HALT Fentanyl Act

Original title: HALT Fentanyl Act

Last action · July 16, 2025: Became Public Law No: 119-26.Sponsors: Bill Cassidy and 31 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Does

This law permanently classifies a broad range of fentanyl-related substances as controlled substances. It also creates an expedited registration process for researchers to study these substances if they are working with federal agencies or have specific investigational drug exemptions.

Why it matters

This law changes the legal status of various chemical compounds to , which increases federal penalties for their possession, distribution, and manufacture, while simultaneously streamlining the research application process for scientists.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Medical and scientific researchers

Researchers must follow new notification and registration procedures to study Schedule I substances.

Directly affected

Federal law enforcement

Law enforcement agencies gain expanded authority to prosecute the possession and distribution of a wider range of fentanyl-related compounds.

Directly affected

Department of Health and Human Services, DoD, and VA

These agencies are required to verify research information for applicants upon request from the Attorney General.

Key Facts

Permanently adds 'fentanyl-related substances' to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.
Defines 'fentanyl-related substance' based on specific structural chemical modifications to the fentanyl molecule.
Allows the Attorney General to publish a list of these substances in the Federal Register, though absence from the list does not exempt a substance if it meets the structural definition.
Creates an expedited registration process for researchers studying Schedule I substances if the research is funded by HHS, DoD, or VA, or has an investigational use exemption.

Show all 10 facts

Requires researchers with existing Schedule I/II registrations to provide 30 days' notice to the Attorney General before starting research on these substances.
Requires the Attorney General to register new researchers or issue an order to show cause within 45 days of receiving a complete application.
Mandates that the Attorney General provide an electronic submission system for research notifications.
Limits researchers to possessing only the quantities of substances identified in their notifications to the Attorney General.
Allows for supplemental notifications if a researcher requires additional quantities of a substance.
Specifies that this law does not alter existing requirements for the importation or exportation of controlled substances.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean for a substance to be 'Schedule I'?

substances are defined under the Controlled Substances Act as having a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.

Does this law stop all research on fentanyl-related substances?

No, it creates an expedited process for authorized researchers to study these substances, particularly if the research is federally funded or has specific medical exemptions.

How does the government decide if a new substance is a 'fentanyl-related substance'?

The law provides a specific chemical definition based on structural modifications to the fentanyl molecule; if a substance meets these criteria, it is considered a fentanyl-related substance.

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News Coverage

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Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

38 actions

Jul 16, 2025PresidentEnrolled
Became Public Law No: 119-26.
Jul 16, 2025PresidentEnrolled
Signed by President.
Jul 8, 2025PresidentEnrolled
Presented to President.
Jun 12, 2025House
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Jun 12, 2025HouseFloor
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 321 - 104 (Roll no. 166). (text: 6/11/2025 CR H2625-2627)
Jun 12, 2025HouseFloor
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 321 - 104 (Roll no. 166). (text: 6/11/2025 CR H2625-2627)

Show 32 earlier actions

Jun 12, 2025House
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2806)
Jun 11, 2025House
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on S. 331, the Chair put the question on passage of the bill and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Pallone demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.
Jun 11, 2025House
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Jun 11, 2025House
DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on S. 331.
Jun 11, 2025House
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 884, H.R. 2056, H.R. 2096 and S. 331. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 884, H.R. 2056, H.R. 2096, and S. 331 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate for each bill. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit on H.R. 884, H.R. 2056, and H.R. 2096, and one motion to commit on S. 331.
Jun 11, 2025House
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 489. (consideration: CR H2625-2633)
Jun 10, 2025House
Rule H. Res. 489 passed House.
Jun 9, 2025House
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 489 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 884, H.R. 2056, H.R. 2096 and S. 331. The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 884, H.R. 2056, H.R. 2096, and S. 331 under a closed rule with one hour of general debate for each bill. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit on H.R. 884, H.R. 2056, and H.R. 2096, and one motion to commit on S. 331.
Mar 18, 2025House
Held at the desk.
Mar 18, 2025House
Received in the House.
Mar 14, 2025Senate
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Mar 14, 2025SenateFloor
Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 84 - 16. Record Vote Number: 127.
Mar 14, 2025SenateFloor
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 84 - 16. Record Vote Number: 127.
Mar 14, 2025Senate
The committee substitute agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
Mar 14, 2025Senate
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S1762-1765)
Mar 13, 2025Senate
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S1735)
Mar 13, 2025Senate
Cloture on the measure invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 84 - 15. Record Vote Number: 124. (CR S1735)
Mar 11, 2025Senate
Cloture motion on the measure presented in Senate. (CR S1659)
Mar 11, 2025Senate
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S1659)
Mar 10, 2025Senate
Measure laid before Senate by motion.
Mar 10, 2025Senate
Motion to proceed to consideration of measure agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S1623)
Mar 10, 2025Senate
Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S1623)
Mar 6, 2025Senate
Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 82 - 12. Record Vote Number: 110. (CR S1596)
Mar 6, 2025Senate
Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S1596)
Mar 5, 2025Senate
Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S1521)
Mar 4, 2025Senate
Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S1488)
Mar 4, 2025Senate
Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (CR S1488)
Mar 3, 2025Senate
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 18.
Mar 3, 2025Senate
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Grassley with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Feb 27, 2025Senate
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jan 30, 2025SenateCommittee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Jan 30, 2025SenateIntroduced
Introduced in Senate

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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Voting Record

Outcome not reportedHouse6/12/2025Voteview

Total

425

Yes: 321
No: 104
Present: 0
Not voting: 0
Abstain: 0

How they voted (425)

401 more members

Bradley SchneiderDyes

George WhitesidesDyes

Jared HuffmanDno

Sydney Kamlager-DoveDno

Michael RulliRyes

Mario Diaz-BalartRyes

Alma AdamsDyes

Michael McCaulRyes

Chuck EdwardsRyes

Monica De La CruzRyes

Diana HarshbargerRyes

Richard McCormickRyes

Kristen McDonald RivetDyes

John MannionDyes

Wesley HuntRyes

Charles FleischmannRyes

Maggie GoodlanderDyes

Nicole MalliotakisRyes

Cleo FieldsDyes

John CarterRyes

Brian FitzpatrickRyes

Jennifer McClellanDno

Christopher SmithRyes

Andy BiggsRyes

Bennie ThompsonDno

Lisa McClainRyes

Alexandria Ocasio-CortezDno

Derrick Van OrdenRyes

Debbie Wasserman SchultzDyes

Mark HarrisRyes

Shri ThanedarDno

Mark AmodeiRyes

Michelle FischbachRyes

Anna Paulina LunaRyes

Derek SchmidtRyes

André CarsonDno

Lois FrankelDno

Christopher DeluzioDyes

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormickDyes

Erin HouchinRyes

Laura FriedmanDyes

Mary Gay ScanlonDno

Nicholas LangworthyRyes

Suhas SubramanyamDyes

Teresa Leger FernandezDno

April McClain DelaneyDyes

Marilyn StricklandDyes

Mikie SherrillDyes

Shontel BrownDno

Jesús GarcíaDno

Guy ReschenthalerRyes

Raja KrishnamoorthiDno

Julie JohnsonDyes

Michael BaumgartnerRyes

Gregory MurphyRyes

Daniel WebsterRyes

Sarah ElfrethDyes

Mariannette Miller-MeeksRyes

Robert LattaRyes

Bonnie Watson ColemanDno

Jefferson Van DrewRyes

Brittany PettersenDno

Show 1 earlier roll call

Outcome not reportedSenate3/14/2025Voteview

Total

100

Yes: 84
No: 16
Present: 0
Not voting: 0
Abstain: 0

How they voted (100)

76 more members

Christopher MurphyDno

Christopher CoonsDyes

Kirsten GillibrandDyes

Richard BlumenthalDyes

Maggie HassanDyes

Catherine Cortez MastoDyes

Lisa Blunt RochesterDno

Full roll-call analysis →

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Related Legislation

United States · 2

congressional record

The HALT Fentanyl Act: Permanent Scheduling of Synthetic Drugs

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Federal Bill

Nitazene Control Act of 2025

This bill proposes to permanently classify a group of synthetic opioids known as 'nitazenes' as Schedule I controlled substances. This change would ma

Florida · 1

candidate website

Official Website of Congressman Cory Mills (FL-07)

This is the official congressional website for Representative Cory Mills, representing Florida's 7th District. It provides information on his legislat

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Broadening of Controlled Substance Definitions

The law shifts from scheduling individual substances to scheduling entire classes of substances based on structural chemical definitions.

Attorney General

Connected Entities

Department of Defense, Attorney General, Department of Health and Human Services and 1 more

OrganizationDepartment of Defense“Verifies research information and conducts/funds research”Map →

PersonAttorney General“Responsible for scheduling substances and processing research registrations”Map →

OrganizationDepartment of Health and Human Services“Verifies research information and conducts/funds research”Map →

OrganizationDepartment of Veterans Affairs“Verifies research information and conducts/funds research”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.congress.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance90
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy65
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz50
Current news / social attention level

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What This Bill Does

Who It Affects

Key Facts

Frequently Asked Questions

News Coverage

Where This Stands

Procedural history

Version history

Voting Record

Full breakdown

Sponsors

Related Legislation

The HALT Fentanyl Act: Permanent Scheduling of Synthetic Drugs

Nitazene Control Act of 2025

Official Website of Congressman Cory Mills (FL-07)

Discoveries

Broadening of Controlled Substance Definitions

Connected Entities

Sources

Analysis Score

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