Rep. Panetta Leads Letter Opposing Administration’s Move to End Funding for Drug Test Strips

Monterey, CA - United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) authored and led a letter to the Trump Administration strongly opposing its recent decision by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to end funding for illicit drug test strips. In his letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Rep. 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.

Rep. Panetta and his colleagues highlighted that Congress, on a bipartisan basis, has repeatedly authorized and funded test strips, including through last year's reauthorization of the SUPPORT Act. They also underscored that unilaterally limiting funding for drug test strips goes against Congress's consensus and puts Americans across the country at risk from growing drug threats such as xylazine.

"Communities across the country, including those we represent, are facing an increasingly volatile and dangerous drug supply," wrote Rep. Panetta and his colleagues. "Fentanyl remains the leading cause of overdose deaths nationwide, and the rise of xylazine and medetomidine-adulterated fentanyl has further complicated both overdose response and treatment. Test strips for fentanyl, xylazine, and other substances are proven, cost-effective public health tools to detect lethal adulterants, reduce the risk of fatality from illicit drug use."

"Eliminating federal support for these test strips would have immediate and damaging consequences. State, tribal, and local health agencies rely heavily on SAMHSA funding to distribute these supplies through trusted community partners, first responders, and public health departments," continued the lawmakers. "Removing this support would force many programs to scale back or shut down, increasing the likelihood of fatal overdoses-particularly in the rural and underserved communities that already experience treatment gaps."

The letter is co-signed by Representatives Judy Chu (CA-28), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), Dave Min (CA-47), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Lori Trahan (MA-03), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

Rep. Panetta is the lead author and sponsor of the bicameral, bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. This bill would stem the flow of xylazine while protecting the drug's legal use by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers.

Full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear Secretary Kennedy:

We write to express our strong opposition to the recent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) policy ending funding for illicit drug test strips. At a time when synthetic opioids and emerging adulterants such as xylazine continue to drive unprecedented preventable deaths, the federal government must reinforce, not retreat from, bipartisan, evidence-based tools that save lives.

Communities across the country, including those we represent, are facing an increasingly volatile and dangerous drug supply. Fentanyl remains the leading cause of overdose deaths nationwide, and the rise of xylazine and medetomidine-adulterated fentanyl has further complicated both overdose response and treatment. Test strips for fentanyl, xylazine, and other substances are proven, cost-effective public health tools to detect lethal adulterants, reduce the risk of fatality from illicit drug use. While they may not prevent addiction, test strips can lessen its toll and give drug users the chance to survive and recover.

Eliminating federal support for these test strips would have immediate and damaging consequences. State, tribal, and local health agencies rely heavily on SAMHSA funding to distribute these supplies through trusted community partners, first responders, and public health departments. Removing this support would force many programs to scale back or shut down, increasing the likelihood of fatal overdoses-particularly in the rural and underserved communities that already experience treatment gaps.

Congress has consistently funded test strips in a bipartisan manner, most recently mandating them last year in the bipartisan SUPPORT Act reauthorization, and has worked productively with Democratic and Republican administrations to address the threat of emerging drug threats such as xylazine. Last year, the Trump Administration called on Congress to pass popular legislation to limit the spread of illicit xylazine, and explicitly endorsed test strips. Limiting these funds, especially through a unilateral mandate, undermines this bipartisan consensus and will be felt in Democrat- and Republican-represented congressional districts across the country.

We respectfully request that HHS reverse any directive restricting funding for fentanyl or xylazine test strips and promptly clarify to grantees that these supplies remain eligible for federal support. Moving forward, we urge the administration to consult with Congress on this shared priority. Thank you for your continued partnership in the bipartisan fight against the overdose epidemic.

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