President Tump signs HALT Fentanyl Act

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito joins President Donald Trump and other members of Congress for the signing of the HALT Fentanyl Act at The White House in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito joined President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday(7/16) for the signing of the HALT Fentanyl Act, a new law aimed at combating the spread of fentanyl and similar substances.

Families from West Virginia joined Capito for the ceremony, which she described as bittersweet, given the impact fentanyl has had across the state.

“I was proud to stand alongside President Trump, and join some of our fellow West Virginians to watch him sign this important legislation into law, which marks another critical step forward in our ongoing efforts to combat the crisis and protect West Virginians from the scourge of illicit fentanyl,” the Senator said in a statement provided after the signing ceremony.

The legislation permanently classifies fentanyl and its analogs as Schedule I drugs, the most restrictive category under federal law. It also provides pathways for research and potential reclassification if specific substances are shown to have medical value.

Capito, who co-sponsored the bill, also said in that statement, "West Virginia has been disproportionately impacted by the drug crisis, with fentanyl being one of the deadliest drugs that has made the crisis exponentially worse. The HALT Fentanyl Act will help equip law enforcement with the resources needed to crack down on traffickers and keep these deadly substances off the streets once and for all."

West Virginia Congress members Riley Moore and Carol Miller, who supported the bill in the House, also praised the new law as a major step in fighting overdose deaths.

PHOTO | Senator Capito's Office