Portman

Staff Reports

CINCINNATI – On Sept. 2, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) released a statement following the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Health and Human Resources (HHS)’s request that Congress permanently schedule illicitly manufactured and deadly fentanyl-related drugs known as fentanyl analogues. The proposal is consistent with bipartisan legislation Portman has introduced with Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV). Temporary scheduling of fentanyl-related substances is set to expire on October 22, 2021.

“Overdose deaths have surged to record highs during the COVID-19 pandemic and sadly, synthetic opioids like fentanyl analogues are one of the biggest reasons why,” said Portman. “It is time for Congress to permanently ban fentanyl-related substances, and I’m pleased that the Biden administration has put forward a proposal that is consistent with bipartisan legislation I have introduced with Senator Manchin. Not only is a permanent solution critical in our battle against addiction in this country, but it is also vital in ensuring law enforcement can continue to protect our communities by bringing criminal actions against individuals who manufacture, distribute, or handle these deadly drugs.”

NOTE: Senator Portman has led efforts in the Senate to permanently ban fentanyl-related substances. He and Senator Manchin reintroduced the bipartisan FIGHT Fentanyl Act earlier this year to permanently schedule illicitly manufactured and deadly fentanyl-related substances. In October 2018, after more than two years of pushing the legislation, Portman’s bipartisan Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act was signed into law to help stop dangerous synthetic drugs like fentanyl and carfentanil from being shipped from China to drug traffickers here in the United States through our own Postal System.