Bice Supports the Passage of the HALT Fentanyl Act

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Bice issued the following statement after the House passed H.R. 27, the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) Fentanyl Act, a critical piece of legislation aimed at permanently classifying fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act. In 2024, 1,181,939 Fentanyl pills were seized in the region. The Congresswoman met with the Association of Oklahoma Narcotic Enforcers (AONE) this week and discussed the reality of the work they have ahead of them.  

Congresswoman Bice released the following statement:  

"Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for individuals aged 18-45. Sadly, this drug is wreaking havoc on our communities and devastating families across the nation. This week, the House took decisive action by passing the HALT Fentanyl Act, which would provide law enforcement with the tools they need to crack down on fentanyl traffickers and keep these deadly substances off our streets. We must close legal loopholes which currently allow cartels and criminals to distribute dangerous variants of this lethal drug.” 

Background:  

Fentanyl and its analogs are responsible for a staggering number of overdose deaths in the United States. In 2023 alone, more than 107,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl accounting for approximately 75,000 of those fatalities. In Oklahoma, from 2019 to 2023, the number of fentanyl overdose deaths increased nearly 15-fold. Furthermore, fentanyl was involved in 90% of opioid-related overdose deaths in 2023, compared to approximately 10-20% annually prior to 2020. The potency of illicit fentanyl—up to 100 times stronger than morphine—makes even small amounts deadly, and traffickers continue to lace other drugs with fentanyl, often without users’ knowledge.