Bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act Receives Outpouring of Support Ahead of Judiciary Committee Vote

Bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act Receives Outpouring of Support Ahead of Judiciary Committee Vote

More than 1 million law enforcement officers, 100,000+ veterinarians and hundreds of bereaved families are backing Grassley and Cortez Masto's legislation.

WASHINGTON - Ninety national, state and local organizations are calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee to advance the bipartisan and bicameral Combating Illicit Xylazine Act ahead of this Thursday's Judiciary Committee vote, including 18 major law enforcement organizations representing over 1 million officers, over 70 organizations representing more than 117,000 veterinary professionals, livestock producers and researchers and two national coalitions of hundreds of bereaved families. The Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, Drug Enforcement Administration and Office of National Drug Policy have also voiced their support for the bill, which received backing from the Biden administration last Congress.

The legislation, led by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), would fight the spread of illicit xylazine by classifying the highly toxic sedative as Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, while protecting its legitimate use in large animal veterinary medicine.

Additional cosponsors include Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Mike Crapo (R-Ind.), Dave McCormick (R-Pa.), James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Ashley Moody (R-Fla.).

A full list of supporting organizations can be found HERE and a fact sheet can be found HERE.

Here's what they're saying:

The National Association of Police Organizations:

"Xylazine is now found in more than a third of all fentanyl powder tested by the Drug Enforcement Administration - up from 12% in 2021 to over 37% at the end of 2024 … The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would classify xylazine as a Schedule III drug, invoking penalties on those who choose to illicitly use and distribute the drug, giving law enforcement the tools necessary to fight the spread of this deadly poison in our communities. We respectfully urge the Committee to move this bipartisan legislation forward."

The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA):

"Xylazine's growing presence in the illicit drug supply is creating new dangers for communities and new challenges for law enforcement. The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act provides investigators with important tools to track this substance and disrupt the criminal networks responsible for distributing it, while preserving legitimate veterinary uses. FLEOA thanks Chuck Grassley, Catherine Cortez Masto and the other bipartisan supporters of this legislation for their leadership in addressing this emerging threat. We urge Congress to move this important legislation forward."

A coalition of major federal, state and local law enforcement organizations:

"On behalf of the undersigned organizations, representing federal, state and local law enforcement agencies across the country, we write to express our strong support for the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (S. 545) and respectfully urge the Committee to advance the legislation… The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act represents an important bipartisan step to address the growing presence of xylazine in the illicit drug supply. This authority will help investigators track the substance and disrupt the networks responsible for distributing it."

Victims of Illicit Drugs (VOID) and Facing Fentanyl:

"Families impacted by fentanyl understand all too well how quickly a dangerous substance can spread across the country before meaningful action is taken. We saw it with fentanyl itself. What began as isolated reports quickly evolved into the deadliest drug crisis in American history. We now see similar patterns with the proliferation of xylazine in the illicit drug supply… We respectfully urge the Senate Judiciary Committee to move forward with the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act and demonstrate the leadership necessary to confront the evolving synthetic drug crisis. Families across the country are counting on Congress to act before this threat grows further."

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA) and a coalition of 70 national and local organizations representing veterinary professionals, livestock producers and researchers:

"This bipartisan, bicameral bill is the result of over two years of productive conversations between congressional offices and committees, stakeholder groups and federal agencies. The bill would schedule xylazine in Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act and contains several statutory changes designed to preserve critical veterinary uses of the drug and keep it viable as a drug in the U.S. market, as well as provide the DEA with transparency into the market… We urge you to help protect public health, animal health and animal welfare by swiftly passing the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act."

The Iowa Veterinary Medical Association:

"The Iowa Veterinary Medical Association strongly supports the updated Combating Illicit Xylazine Act. This legislation strikes the right balance by protecting our communities while preserving veterinary access to this essential animal drug. We commend Senator Grassley, along with the bipartisan leaders in both the Senate and House, for recognizing the critical need to address the public health threat posed by illicit xylazine while maintaining access to legitimate xylazine for its critical uses in veterinary medicine and animal care."

The Iowa Cattlemen's Association:

"The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act safeguards access for legitimate veterinary use. By clearly defining 'ultimate user' as someone lawfully permitted to possess a controlled substance for legitimate use, this act ensures veterinarians, farmers and ranchers can continue to use xylazine for its intended purpose, supporting humane animal care, animal well-being, producer livelihoods and rural communities."

The Department of Justice (DOJ):

"While there are powerful tools available to combat cartels and [transnational criminal organizations], greater authorities are needed to target these groups' manufacturing and distribution of fentanyl and other deadly drugs. Therefore, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Office of Legal Policy and the Office of Legislative Affairs are directed to evaluate and, if deemed appropriate, advocate for the following legislative reforms… Adding xylazine, which has no legitimate human use and makes fentanyl even more lethal, to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act."

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):

"An important part of preventing illicit drug use is curbing supply and reducing availability by strengthening penalties for drug traffickers, including those involved with illicit xylazine. The bill addresses the increasing prevalence of xylazine appearing mixed with illicit drugs, which presents a major public health challenge. HHS is supportive of this legislation as written, as we believe that legislative scheduling of xylazine under the Controlled Substances Act is appropriate given the risks to individuals exposed to this chemical. We also agree with the framework to ensure the availability for legitimate veterinary use."

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA):

"The DEA strongly supports the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (S. 545) as written… Xylazine is a significant public health threat due to its ongoing presence in the illicit drug supply… The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act provides the tools necessary to address this ongoing threat while, importantly, safeguarding its essential use in veterinary medicine by ensuring continued critical access of xylazine to veterinarians, farmers, ranchers, and wildlife personnel."

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP):

"Xylazine has been an emerging public health threat with its ongoing presence in illicit drugs. CDC data shows xylazine was involved in the poisoning of over 6,000 souls, making it the fourth most common substance in drug poisoning fatalities. ONDCP designated fentanyl adulterated with xylazine an emerging drug threat and we support the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act as it provides the tools necessary to address this threat while safeguarding its essential use by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers."

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