WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) issued the following statement on the upcoming House floor vote on S.331, the HALT Fentanyl Act.
“The HALT Fentanyl Act will be on the House floor for the third time for a vote, and I will be voting against this legislation for a third time. This bill represents a dangerous and ineffective approach to a critical public health crisis, doubling down on failed strategies of the past rather than embracing evidence-based solutions.
“Specifically, the HALT Fentanyl Act permanently schedules fentanyl-related substances on Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act with no consideration of potential medical applications. This flawed class definition fails to provide an off-ramp for removing inert or harmless substances from the drug schedule, potentially criminalizing substances with no abuse potential and hindering valuable medical research.
“Furthermore, this legislation would impose a mandatory minimum prison term for anyone knowingly or unknowingly possessing fentanyl, eliminating judicial discretion and preventing judges from tailoring punishments to individual cases. We cannot incarcerate our way out of a public health crisis.
“Expanded mandatory minimums merely repeat the same mistakes of the past by worsening our mass incarceration problem. Moreover, this bill is being voted on at a time when the current administration has abruptly canceled more than $12 billion in federal grants to states that were being used for addiction and recovery services, among other urgent health issues.
“As a nation, I believe we can help those most in need of treatment and recovery and create a more just and equitable criminal justice system. National and local organizations, including the ACLU, NAACP, League of Women Voters, Southern Poverty Law Center, and American Association of People with Disabilities, have all signed a letter, spearheaded by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, expressing deep concerns.
“For these reasons, I will be voting no once again against the HALT Fentanyl Act, and I encourage my Democratic colleagues to do the same for the sake of our nation and the American people.”
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