John Thune Decries Fentanyl Crisis, Touts Bipartisan HALT Act To Permanently Classify Analogs

2 hours ago

During remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) spoke about the HALT Fentanyl Act.

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00:00HR 1968. The clerk will report. Motion to proceed to calendar number 26 HR 1968

00:09an act making further continuing appropriations and other extensions for

00:14fiscal year ending September 30th 2025 and for other purposes. Under the

00:20previous order the Senate will proceed to executive session to resume

00:23consideration of the following nomination which the clerk will report.

00:28Nomination executive office of the president Stephen Moran of New York to

00:33be chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. I want to pay tribute to a

00:40military unit that's being retired in Fort Dodge, Iowa. On March the 2nd the

00:47colors were retired for the 133rd test squadron in Fort Dodge, Iowa. The 133rd

00:56has an extraordinary legacy since its inception in 1948. The 133rd has stood as

01:05a pillar of excellence evolving from radar spotting to pioneering the use of

01:11advanced communication technologies from the Korean War to the global war on

01:17terror. The 133rd has answered our nation's calls with unwavering

01:23dedication. Its innovation has helped ensure our military remains at the

01:30forefront of the defense capabilities. To the men, women, and families of the 133rd

01:37past and present, thank you for your service, for your sacrifice, and

01:43commitment to our state and nation. Your impact is immeasurable and your legacy

01:49will endure.

01:57Mr. President. Majority Leader. Mr. President, yesterday I came to the floor to discuss

02:01the terrible human cost of fentanyl. The lives lost, the families changed, the

02:07future is destroyed. In 2022 we lost 295 people a day to drug overdoses, the vast

02:13majority of them opioids, and specifically fentanyl. 22 teenagers died

02:21each week that same year from drug overdoses. That's like losing an entire

02:25high school classroom every week. Mr. President, the majority of drug overdoses

02:31in this country are from fentanyl, and a lot of illegal fentanyl comes across our

02:35southern border in the form of fentanyl analogs, which are versions of fentanyl

02:39created with slight chemical variations in an attempt to dodge law enforcement.

02:44And so getting this crisis under control requires targeting that flow of drugs.

02:48That starts, of course, with securing our southern border so the cartels can't

02:52hide behind a flood of illegal immigration, and so the Border Patrol is

02:56free of focus on cross-border crime. And in just a few short weeks, President

03:01Trump has made major progress on this front, dramatically slowing illegal

03:05crossings and taking significant steps to halt the flow of fentanyl across our

03:09borders. Now it's Congress's turn. The bill before us today, the HALT Fentanyl

03:16Act, would permanently classify fentanyl analogs, the fentanyl that cartels are

03:21making, as Schedule 1 substances. In other words, fentanyl analogs would be

03:26permanently listed as the deadliest type of drug, and that would ensure that law

03:31enforcement agencies have the greatest flexibility to combat the scourge of

03:34fentanyl and hold accountable those who trade in destroying lives. During his

03:39first term, President Trump temporarily classified fentanyl analogs as Schedule

03:441 substances. And because it's so important, Congress has extended that

03:48classification several times. Now it's time to make it permanent. I was very

03:53pleased that we had a robust bipartisan vote last week, I should say, on

03:58moving to this bill, and I hope that same bipartisanship is reflected in the final

04:03vote. There could hardly be a more common-sense piece of legislation, and

04:08every member of this body should be able to agree that fentanyl analogs, which

04:13have been responsible for so many overdose deaths, should be classified as

04:17Schedule 1 drugs. Mr. President, the fentanyl crisis affects every corner of

04:21society and every state in the Union, and my state of South Dakota is no

04:26exception. Last year in Sioux Falls, police seized enough fentanyl to kill

04:32two and a half million people. Two and a half million. And that was in just one

04:39South Dakota City. I'm grateful to Senators Cassidy, Grassley, and Heinrich

04:44for introducing this legislation, and to other senators like Senator Johnson and

04:48Senator Graham, whose work has drawn attention to the fentanyl crisis. And I

04:53hope that in the next few days, senators of both parties will unite to pass the

04:57HALT Fentanyl Act, and ensure that law enforcement has critical tools to

05:02combat this crisis, protect our cities, and protect our children. Mr. President, I

05:08yield the floor, and I secure the rest of the quorum.

John Thune Decries Fentanyl Crisis, Touts Bipartisan HALT Act To Permanently Classify Analogs

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