Kane County Reporter

Washington, DC – On May 25, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 467, the HALT Fentanyl Act, which would permanently schedule all fentanyl-related substances (FRS) into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act – something Congress has been doing on a temporary basis for years:

“I voted for this legislation because the opioid epidemic has shattered too many lives and broken too many families in communities across the country, and it’s going to take a bipartisan effort to combat it. Giving law enforcement the tools to hold illicit drug traffickers responsible is part of the comprehensive solution we need to pursue.

“This legislation also greatly reduces barriers for scientists, allowing them to expand research on the medicinal and therapeutic potential of Schedule I drugs.

“This bill is not perfect, but it is an important step in the right direction, and more must be done. We must couple opioid scheduling with comprehensive, evidence-based treatment for people suffering from opioid use disorder, like my Expanding Opportunities for Recovery Act. Further legislation is also needed to address the mandatory minimum sentences that are common with crimes involving Schedule I drugs, which lead to mass incarceration of nonviolent offenders.”

Original source can be found here.