Bipartisan bill to combat illicit xylazine reintroduced by Rep. Panetta

James Herrera, Monterey Daily Herald on Feb 13, 2025

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MONTEREY, Calif. – The bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act has been reintroduced in the House by author Rep. Jimmy Panetta, CA-19, that would list xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance while protecting the drug’s legal use by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers. The bill has bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Last December, Panetta led a bipartisan coalition of 42 members calling for urgent Congressional action on his bipartisan legislation. The letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries emphasized the growing threat posed by xylazine-adulterated fentanyl to communities across the country, and the need for proactive action to save lives.

“Illicit xylazine is exacerbating the deadly fentanyl crisis and devastating our communities,” said Panetta in a press release. “The bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act is how we fight back, giving law enforcement the tools to crack down on traffickers while ensuring that veterinarians, farmers and ranchers can continue using this medication responsibly. With strong bipartisan and bicameral support, we are pushing for urgent action to stop this dangerous drug and save more lives.”

Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” is an easily accessible veterinary tranquilizer that is being used as a low-cost cutting agent for fentanyl. The bipartisan legislation would schedule this dangerous drug and give law enforcement the tools they need to go after traffickers while protecting access for veterinarians, farmers and ranchers who use xylazine to treat large animals. The bill is endorsed by 39 state attorneys general, major law enforcement organizations and veterinary organizations.

“Illicit xylazine is contributing to the national drug epidemic and driving up overdose deaths in communities across the country. Our nation’s laws must keep pace with emerging drug trends,” said Grassley in the release. “This bipartisan bill recognizes the lethal threat of xylazine and provides law enforcement new tools to combat its spread, while ensuring veterinarians, ranchers and cattlemen can continue to access the drug for legitimate animal treatment.”

The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would schedule xylazine as a Schedule III illicit substance under the Controlled Substances Act, ensure veterinarians, farmers and ranchers can still use the drug for its intended purpose by creating a clear definition of “ultimate user” – someone lawfully permitted to possess a controlled substance for legitimate use, enable the Drug Enforcement Administration to track its manufacturing to ensure it is not diverted to the illicit market, and require a report on prevalence, risks, and recommendations regarding xylazine.

Senators Catherine Cortez Masto, D-NV, and Chuck Grassley, R-IA, have reintroduced companion legislation in the Senate. The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act previously passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Co-leading this effort along with Rep. Panentta in the House of Representatives are Reps. August Pfluger, TX-11, Gus Bilirakis, FL-12, Chris Pappas, NH-01, Scott Fitzgerald, WI-05, and Deborah Ross, NC-02.

In Dec. 2023, Panetta’s bipartisan Combating Illicit Xylazine Act was first incorporated by the House into a broader legislative package known as the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization (SUPPORT) Act, which passed 386-37. The package was to continue and expand critical funding and services for millions of Americans affected by addiction and bolster drug enforcement actions, such as stopping illicit xylazine.

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