Floor SpeechUrgent2025-03-14

HALT FENTANYL ACT

HealthcareForeign PolicyCrime & Justice

Context

On 2025-03-14, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) delivered a floor speech titled "HALT FENTANYL ACT" in the Senate. The speech addressed healthcare and also covered foreign policy, crime and justice. It referenced legislation: S1775.

Full Text

HALT FENTANYL ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 49 (Friday, March 14, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 49 (Friday, March 14, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S1775] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HALT FENTANYL ACT Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I voted today against final passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act because of the unintended consequences that could have been corrected by amendments that were blocked by the majority. Our Nation and my State of Maryland are experiencing a crisis with synthetic opioids like fentanyl and related drugs, and I strongly support action to combat drug trafficking and prevent overdoses. We need public health solutions that will help American families and our communities, but instead, the bill before us could lead to harmful unintended consequences, including limiting the potential for less addictive pain therapies and treatments like Naloxone that could prevent and reverse overdose. It also expands mandatory minimums, which increase incarceration but do not reduce crime, and applies them to a broad class of drugs regardless of their actual physiological effects, so that someone could be incarcerated for a decade or more for drugs that are effectively harmless. My colleagues Senators Booker and Warnock put forward amendments to correct flaws in the bill, and Senator Hassan filed an amendment to address substance use disorders and prevent overdose. However, because those amendments were blocked, I could not support passage of this legislation. I hope we can take future action to address the public health opioid and fentanyl crisis and that my colleagues who claim to care about this issue do not slash dollars for Medicaid and substance use disorder treatment programs that are a lifeline to so many American families. ____________________

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HALT FENTANYL ACT Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 49 (Friday, March 14, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 49 (Friday, March 14, 2025)] [Senate] [Page S1775] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HALT FENTANYL ACT Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. President, I voted today against final passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act because of the unintended consequences that could have been corrected by amendments that were blocked by the majority. Our Nation and my State of Maryland are experiencing a crisis with synthetic opioids like fentanyl and related drugs, and I strongly support action to combat drug trafficking and prevent overdoses. We need public health solutions that will help American families and our communities, but instead, the bill before us could lead to harmful unintended consequences, including limiting the potential for less addictive pain therapies and treatments like Naloxone that could prevent and reverse overdose. It also expands mandatory minimums, which increase incarceration but do not reduce crime, and applies them to a broad class of drugs regardless of their actual physiological effects, so that someone could be incarcerated for a decade or more for drugs that are effectively harmless. My colleagues Senators Booker and Warnock put forward amendments to correct flaws in the bill, and Senator Hassan filed an amendment to address substance use disorders and prevent overdose. However, because those amendments were blocked, I could not support passage of this legislation. I hope we can take future action to address the public health opioid and fentanyl crisis and that my colleagues who claim to care about this issue do not slash dollars for Medicaid and substance use disorder treatment programs that are a lifeline to so many American families. ____________________