Rep. Panetta’s Combating Illicit Xylazine Act Unanimously Passes Out of House Energy and Commerce Committee

Washington, D.C. – The bipartisan, bicameral Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, introduced by U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), was unanimously voted out of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. This bill would list xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance while protecting the drug’s legal use by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers.

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 with overwhelming bipartisan support.

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 worsening the deadly fentanyl crisis and tearing through communities across our country,” said Rep. Panetta. “The bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act will help us fight back and keep our communities safe 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. The overwhelming passage of this bill in the House Energy and Commerce Committee demonstrates the bipartisan consensus around stopping the illicit spread of this dangerous drug. I look forward to working with both my Democratic and Republican colleagues to get this bill across the finish line and save lives.”

“The xylazine crisis is only getting worse, and communities across America are paying the price,” said Rep. Pfluger. “That’s why I am proud to see the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act advance through the House Committee on Energy and Commerce today. Xylazine was never meant for human use, yet traffickers are increasingly mixing it into street drugs to make them more potent and more deadly. This bill takes direct aim at traffickers exploiting this drug for illicit purposes, while preserving its legal use by veterinarians and agricultural producers. I will continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle until this critical legislation is signed into law.”

“Our goal is to save lives and ensure law enforcement has the tools they need to hold accountable those who are illegally manufacturing and distributing these deadly substances that are devastating communities across the country,” said Rep. Bilirakis. “I’m proud that this bipartisan legislation has advanced out of the Energy and Commerce Committee, bringing us one step closer to addressing this growing threat. At the same time, we must ensure veterinarians who rely on xylazine for legitimate medical purposes can continue to access and use it appropriately. Our legislation strikes the right balance by protecting public health while preserving critical veterinary care.”

“This legislation would help law enforcement crack down on illegal drug traffickers by tracking the manufacture of xylazine, a legal animal tranquilizer, which is being mixed with fentanyl, heroin, and other deadly drugs. It’s now passed out of committee and should be swiftly brought to the floor for a vote,” said Rep. Pappas. “As we work to combat the ongoing addiction epidemic, we must ensure our law enforcement has the resources they need to stop drug trafficking.”

“Xylazine, a powerful animal sedative, is increasingly being cut into illicit drugs like fentanyl, boosting the profits of criminal cartels and drug traffickers while fueling the overdose crisis in the United States,” said Rep. Fitzgerald. “I’m pleased the House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. This bill will enhance law enforcement’s ability to track xylazine distribution and impose criminal penalties on those who misuse it, while ensuring its availability for necessary veterinary use. I thank my colleagues for their support and look forward to its passage by the full House.”

“Fentanyl overdoses continue to take far too many lives and devastate our communities, in no small part due to the widespread availability of deadly substances like xylazine,” said Rep. Ross. “This 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 bipartisan commitment to addressing this issue and look forward to hopefully passing this legislation with the full support of Congress.”

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.