Watson Coleman Votes Against Halt Fentanyl Act, Calls Bill ‘Harmful’

MERCER COUNTY, NJ – Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) recently voted against H.R. 467, also known as the Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act (HALT).

The bill passed the house with a 289-133 vote, with some NJ Democrats joining their Republican counterparts in voting yes.

On Thursday, the Congresswoman along with Cori Bush (MO-01) released a statement saying the bill criminalized the drug offense instead of addressing the problem as a public health issue. The bill would also have a severe impact on Black and brown communities, the Congresswomen said.

“It appears some of our colleagues have learned nothing from the devastating impact of our nation's failed war on drugs. In the more than 50 years since the War on Drugs was declared, we’ve seen an explosion of our prison populations, while drug overdoses continue to climb. The permanent classification of all fentanyl related substances (FRS) on the Schedule I list imposes mandatory minimums and expands rather than winds down our failed policy towards illicit drugs,” Watson Coleman and Bush said.

“Instead of criminal punishments, we should be addressing our nation’s drug use and overdose crisis as the public health issue it is. The criminalization of poverty, drug use and possession, inequitable access to resources, and the militarization of police have all had devastating impacts, particularly on Black and brown communities.”

If the bill becomes law, the legislation would automatically place all fentanyl-related substances in Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act, alongside other drugs such as heroin, LSD and ecstasy.

The bill would have several major effects if becomes law, according to the Congressional Budget Office:

• By placing all FRS in Schedule I, H.R. 467 would lower the burden of proof in certain cases, thus increasing the likelihood of conviction
• The bill also would change DEA registration requirements for researchers who handle Schedule I or II substances
• Finally, H.R. 467 would require the U.S. Department of Justice to issue rules for implementing the bill

In 2021, Watson Coleman and Bush introduced the Drug Policy Reform Act which would shift the regulatory authority for substances listed under the Controlled Substances Act from the Attorney General to the Secretary of HHS and center drug policy in efforts to help those struggling with addiction.

“Without proper redress and structural solutions rooted in equity and public health, lives will continue to be at risk and our nation’s families and communities will continue to be destabilized. We have an opportunity to fully transform federal drug policy in our country. We must correct our path towards one of compassion and healing, not continue down the road of the failed policies of the past,” the Congresswomen said.

You can read more about how other Congressmembers from NJ voted and the larger impact if the bill becomes law. More: 6 Congress Members From New Jersey Vote Against 'Halt Fentanyl' Act

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