Fight Fentanyl Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 2964
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-04-17: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-26T08:07:50Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Fight Fentanyl Act aims to strengthen U.S. efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking and related substance abuse by updating laws that govern the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). It focuses on improving coordination among law enforcement, increasing funding, enhancing reporting on fentanyl activities, and providing more prosecutorial support in high-drug-trafficking areas.
Key Provisions
- Enhanced Reporting on HIDTA Activities: High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs) are designated regions where federal, state, local, and tribal agencies collaborate to disrupt drug trafficking. The bill requires HIDTA directors to include in annual reports details on the use of HIDTA funds for investigating fentanyl traffickers, including amounts seized and data on trafficking patterns and trends from regional threat assessments.
- Assessment of HIDTA Limitations: HIDTA programs must now evaluate any barriers to achieving their goals (e.g., resource shortages) and recommend solutions, such as better funding allocation, partnerships, or legal changes.
- Increased Funding for HIDTAs: Allocates $333 million annually for HIDTA operations from fiscal years 2025 through 2030.
- Expanded HIDTA Support Funding and Purposes: Increases dedicated funding for HIDTA support from $10 million to $14.224 million per year. Adds new purposes, including aiding federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement in intercepting (interdicting) fentanyl and other drugs, plus any other activities the ONDCP Director deems useful for preventing, seizing, or stopping fentanyl.
- Prosecutorial Resources: Directs the U.S. Attorney General to provide adequate investigators and prosecutors for HIDTA efforts. This includes temporarily reassigning Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) from 2024 through 2030 to prioritize fentanyl cases. Reassignments can extend as needed to finish ongoing cases. Within 180 days of enactment, the Attorney General must create a process for ONDCP and HIDTA boards to request these reassignments.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
The bill amends the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998, which established the ONDCP and HIDTA programs:
- Adds a new reporting category specifically on fentanyl to existing HIDTA performance reports, which previously focused more broadly on drug trafficking.
- Introduces requirements for HIDTAs to identify and address operational limitations, a feature not previously mandated.
- Boosts HIDTA funding levels and explicitly ties them to fentanyl interdiction, expanding beyond general drug control.
- Creates a new subsection on prosecutorial support, including temporary AUSA reassignments, which was not in the original law. This formalizes resource allocation for fentanyl prosecutions.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The ONDCP and Department of Justice (DOJ) will face increased administrative duties for reporting and reassignments, but gain more funding and tools to target fentanyl. HIDTA programs could see improved coordination and effectiveness in 32 designated areas across the U.S., potentially leading to more seizures and arrests.
- On Citizens: May reduce fentanyl availability in communities, lowering overdose deaths (fentanyl is a leading cause of U.S. drug overdoses). Affected areas, especially in high-trafficking regions, could benefit from safer environments, though impacts depend on implementation.
- On International Relations: Indirect effects possible, as fentanyl often enters the U.S. from Mexico and China; enhanced interdiction could pressure international partners for cooperation, but the bill does not directly address foreign policy.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Law Enforcement Agencies: Federal (e.g., DEA, FBI), state, local, and tribal entities participating in HIDTAs, who gain resources for investigations and prosecutions.
- Department of Justice: Attorneys and investigators, particularly AUSAs, who may be reassigned to fentanyl cases.
- Office of National Drug Control Policy: Oversees HIDTAs and must manage new reporting and funding.
- Communities in HIDTA Areas: Residents in drug-trafficking hotspots, who may experience reduced drug-related crime and health risks.
- Fentanyl Traffickers: Organizations and individuals targeted by increased enforcement.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces existing federal authority over drug enforcement without creating new crimes or penalties; focuses on resource allocation under current laws like the Controlled Substances Act. The temporary AUSA reassignments could raise minor logistical issues within DOJ but are designed to be flexible.
- Constitutional: No major challenges anticipated; aligns with Congress's spending power (Article I) to fund anti-drug initiatives and the executive's role in law enforcement.
- Political: Bipartisan support evident from diverse cosponsors (Democrats and Republicans). Highlights the opioid crisis as a national priority, potentially influencing future drug policy debates, but may spark discussions on federal overreach in local law enforcement or funding sustainability post-2030.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (39)
Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24], Rep. DesJarlais, Scott [R-TN-4], Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1], Rep. Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Crenshaw, Dan [R-TX-2], Rep. Perez, Marie Gluesenkamp [D-WA-3], Rep. Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1], Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Dunn, Neal P. [R-FL-2], Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1], Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11], Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7], Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3], Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2], Rep. McCormick, Richard [R-GA-7], Rep. Tran, Derek [D-CA-45], Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19], Rep. Bynum, Janelle [D-OR-5], Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9], Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3], Rep. Rulli, Michael A. [R-OH-6], Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4], Rep. Rutherford, John H. [R-FL-5], Rep. Yakym, Rudy [R-IN-2], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. McDowell, Addison P. [R-NC-6], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2], Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40], Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41], Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. Mackenzie, Ryan [R-PA-7], Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]
Recent Actions
- 2025-04-17: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
- 2025-04-17: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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.
- 2025-04-17: Introduced in House
- 2025-04-17: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Fight Fentanyl Act — issued 2025-04-17 — PDF (5 pages)