Reps. Buchanan and Pappas Introduce FIGHT Fentanyl Act to Permanently Ban Fentanyl-Like Drugs
This bill is currently sitting in the House Energy and Commerce and Judiciary committees. It has not moved forward since February 2025, which means nothing has happened with this proposal for over 17 months. Most bills like this do not receive a committee vote and do not move further in the process.
This bill has support from both parties and addresses a major national health crisis. Since temporary versions of this ban have passed easily before, a permanent fix is likely to succeed.
This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.
Reintroduced
Reintroduced from H.R. 3629 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
H.R. 3629 (118th) →Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
People charged with possessing or distributing fentanyl analogs face two competing changes. On one hand, permanently scheduling these substances gives prosecutors a stronger legal basis to bring charges. On the other hand, the removal of mandatory minimum sentences means judges can consider individual circumstances and impose lighter sentences when appropriate, which could reduce the number of people serving long prison terms for these offenses.
“Any minimum term of imprisonment required to be imposed under this subparagraph shall not apply with respect to a controlled substance described in subsection (e)(1) of schedule I.”
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
The House approved the Federal Initiative to Guarantee Health by Targeting (FIGHT) Fentanyl Act, a bipartisan measure to permanently schedule fentanyl analogues. Unlike the more controversial HALT Act, this version excludes mandatory minimum sentences for the specific chemicals targeted.
Reps. Vern Buchanan and Chris Pappas introduced the FIGHT Fentanyl Act today, offering a middle ground in the drug scheduling debate. The bill makes fentanyl-related substances permanently illegal but grants judges sentencing discretion by removing mandatory minimum requirements.
No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Federal Initiative to Guarantee Health by Targeting Fentanyl Act
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