Illicit fentanyl is one of the greatest threats we face as a nation. It is the number one cause of death for people ages 18-49. In Washington state alone, overdose deaths have increased by more than 108 percent – the second largest increase in the United States. This level of devastation is a call for action to save lives. 

Today, the House of Representatives came together to answer that call by passing the HALT Fentanyl Act. This crucial bill will permanently make fentanyl related substances a Schedule 1 drug to prevent them from becoming street legal and giving law enforcement the tools they need to seize these poisons and keep our communities safe. 

You can watch me speak on the House Floor yesterday on why this bill is so important here:

I’m extremely grateful for my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for coming together for a more secure future for every community in America. I hope the Senate follows our bipartisan lead and sends this bill to the president’s desk to be signed into law.