Rep. Panetta’s Combating Illicit Xylazine Act Passes House Unanimously

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Rep. Panetta speaks on the House floor to push for the passage of

his bipartisan legislation to stem the flow of illicit xylazine.

To watch the video, click HERE or on the above photo

Washington, D.C. – The bipartisan, bicameral Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, introduced by United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives. This bill would list xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance while protecting the drug’s legal use by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Reps. August Pfluger (TX-11), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05), and Deborah Ross (NC-02) co-lead this effort in the House of Representatives. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) have reintroduced companion legislation in the Senate. The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act previously passed the House last Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support.

“Illicit xylazine is worsening the deadly fentanyl crisis and tearing through communities across our country,” said Rep. Panetta. “Addressing the illicit spread of xylazine has been a priority under both the Biden and Trump Administrations, and this unanimous House passage demonstrates the broad, bipartisan consensus behind taking action against this dangerous drug. The bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would help us fight back by giving law enforcement the tools needed to crack down on traffickers while ensuring that veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers can continue to use the drug safely and responsibly. I urge the Senate to swiftly pass this bill before the end of this Congress so we can get it signed into law and save lives.”

“I’m proud to see the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act pass the U.S. House. Xylazine was never meant for human use, and traffickers are increasingly turning to inexpensive products to make street drugs more potent and deadly. This bill takes a direct aim at traffickers and protects the legal use of xylazine by veterinarians and ranchers. I urge the Senate to swiftly pass this bill to keep dangerous drugs off American streets,” said Rep. Pfluger.

“Thousands of Americans have died from overdoses of fentanyl laced with xylazine, but law enforcement still doesn’t have the tools it needs to properly combat this crisis. Now is the time for us to address this emergency while ensuring xylazine can still be used for veterinary medicine,” said Sen. Cortez Masto. “I applaud the House of Representatives for passing this life-saving bill, and I urge my Senate colleagues to get this legislation to the President’s desk.”

“I applaud the House for taking decisive action to crack down on xylazine traffickers, equip law enforcement with new tools to combat its spread and protect the drug’s legitimate use by veterinarians, ranchers and cattlemen. Congress has an obligation to protect Americans from the scourge of illicit xylazine and should continue to work in a bipartisan and bicameral fashion to get this lifesaving legislation signed into law,” said Sen. Grassley.

Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” is an easily accessible veterinary tranquilizer that is being used as a low-cost cutting agent for fentanyl. The bipartisan legislation would schedule this dangerous drug and give law enforcement the tools they need to go after traffickers while protecting access for veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers who use xylazine to treat large animals. The bill is endorsed by 41 state attorneys general, major law enforcement organizations, and veterinary organizations.

“Illicit xylazine is making an already deadly drug crisis even more dangerous, and we must give law enforcement the tools necessary to stay ahead of the criminals who are poisoning our communities. I am proud to have helped lead this bipartisan effort and pleased that the House has taken decisive action to crack down on the illegal trafficking and misuse of xylazine while protecting its legitimate veterinary use. This is an important step toward saving lives, strengthening public safety, and holding those who profit from this deadly trade accountable. I urge the Senate to act quickly so we can get this commonsense legislation signed into law,” said Rep. Bilirakis.

“We must take action to crack down on dealers who are cutting deadly drugs with the legal animal tranquilizer xylazine, which increases life-threatening impacts. Our bipartisan legislation that has passed the House would track the manufacture of xylazine and ensure law enforcement has the resources needed to crack down on illegal drug traffickers,” said Rep. Pappas. “I urge the Senate to swiftly pass this legislation, and I’ll continue pushing forward comprehensive solutions that will combat our ongoing addiction epidemic.”

“Xylazine is a powerful animal sedative that has found its way into the illicit drug supply, making fentanyl and other deadly drugs even more dangerous while padding the pockets of drug traffickers and criminal cartels,” said Rep. Fitzgerald. “The House took an important step today by passing the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. This legislation gives law enforcement stronger tools to crack down on the illicit distribution of xylazine, while protecting its legitimate use by veterinarians. Now it’s time for the Senate to act and send this bill to the President’s desk.”

“Fentanyl overdoses continue to take far too many lives, in no small part due to the widespread availability of deadly substances like xylazine,” said Rep. Ross. “This bipartisan bill will save lives by restricting access to this dangerous substance and giving law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on traffickers, while protecting legitimate uses of xylazine by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers. I am grateful for the House of Representatives’ bipartisan commitment to passing this legislation, and I will continue working with my colleagues to get this bill signed into law.”

The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would:

• Schedule xylazine as a Schedule III illicit substance under the Controlled Substances Act; 
• Ensure veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers can still use the drug for its intended purpose by creating a clear definition of “ultimate user” — someone lawfully permitted to possess a controlled substance for legitimate use;
• Enable the DEA to track its manufacturing to ensure it is not diverted to the illicit market; and
• Require a report on prevalence, risks, and recommendations regarding xylazine.

In December 2024, Rep. Panetta led a bipartisan coalition of 42 members calling for urgent Congressional action on his bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. The letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries emphasized the growing threat posed by xylazine-adulterated fentanyl to communities across the country, and the need for proactive action to save lives. Earlier this year, Panetta authored and led a letter to the Trump Administration strongly opposing its decision by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to end funding for illicit drug test strips. In his letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Panetta and his colleagues emphasized that test strips are bipartisan, science-based tools that are critical to avoiding preventable deaths amid the rise of synthetic opioids and emerging adulterants like xylazine.

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