To amend the Controlled Substances Act with respect to fentanyl-related substances, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
The bill requires permanent classification of fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I controlled substances under the CSA, requires weight-based penalty thresholds for domestic fentanyl offenses with mandatory minimums, and requires weight-based penalty thresholds for fentanyl import and export offenses. It relies on compliance mandates, exemptions, definition changes, and reporting requirements. The main policy areas are Criminal Justice, Science & Space, Healthcare, and Education.
Who Benefits and How
Defendants convicted of offenses involving subsequently removed fentanyl substances could face reduced risk, Academic and clinical researchers studying fentanyl-related substances could face lower compliance burdens, and Research institutions and universities could face fewer barriers.
Who Bears the Burden and How
International fentanyl traffickers and importers could face increased risk, Illicit fentanyl manufacturers and distributors could face higher barriers, and Drug offenders possessing 400g+ fentanyl mixtures could face increased risk.
Key Provisions
- Requires permanent classification of fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I controlled substances under the CSA.
- Requires weight-based penalty thresholds for domestic fentanyl offenses with mandatory minimums.
- Requires weight-based penalty thresholds for fentanyl import and export offenses.
- Exempts scientific review pathway for removing individual fentanyl-related substances from Schedule I when abuse potential is below Schedule V.
- Exempts retroactive sentencing relief for defendants convicted of offenses involving fentanyl-related substances subsequently removed from Schedule I.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
The bill requires permanent classification of fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I controlled substances under the CSA, requires weight-based penalty thresholds for domestic fentanyl offenses with mandatory minimums, and requires weight-based penalty thresholds for fentanyl import and export offenses.
Key Policy Areas
Criminal Justice, Science & Space, Healthcare, Education
Primary Purpose
The bill requires permanent classification of fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I controlled substances under the CSA, requires weight-based penalty thresholds for domestic fentanyl offenses with mandatory minimums, and requires weight-based penalty thresholds for fentanyl import and export offenses.
Policy Domains
Whole bill
Identified Gains
- Defendants convicted of offenses involving subsequently removed fentanyl substances
- Academic and clinical researchers studying fentanyl-related substances
- Research institutions and universities
- Pharmaceutical companies developing fentanyl-derived therapeutics
- Law enforcement agencies
Identified Costs
- International fentanyl traffickers and importers
- Illicit fentanyl manufacturers and distributors
- Drug offenders possessing 400g+ fentanyl mixtures
- Pharmaceutical researchers studying fentanyl analogues
- Government Accountability Office
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Pappas (for himself, Ms. Salazar, and Mr. Newhouse) introduced …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Customs and Border Protection, Defendants convicted of offenses involving subsequently removed fentanyl substances, Drug offenders possessing 400g+ fentanyl mixtures
Positive-direction: Customs and Border Protection, Defendants convicted of offenses involving subsequently removed fentanyl substances, Federal prosecutors, Law enforcement agencies
Negative-direction: Drug offenders possessing 400g+ fentanyl mixtures
Congressional oversight committees, Department of Justice, Government Accountability Office
Positive-direction: Congressional oversight committees
Negative-direction: Department of Justice, Government Accountability Office, Secretary of Health and Human Services
Illicit fentanyl manufacturers and distributors, International fentanyl traffickers and importers
Academic and clinical researchers studying fentanyl-related substances, Pharmaceutical researchers studying fentanyl analogues
Positive-direction: Academic and clinical researchers studying fentanyl-related substances
Negative-direction: Pharmaceutical researchers studying fentanyl analogues
Pharmaceutical companies developing fentanyl-derived therapeutics, Regulated entities affected by fentanyl scheduling
Positive-direction: Pharmaceutical companies developing fentanyl-derived therapeutics
Negative-direction: Regulated entities affected by fentanyl scheduling
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology