Controversy Surrounds House Passage of Fentanyl Bill

The House of Representatives passed a bill that would make harsh criminal penalties and strict controls on fentanyl-related drugs permanent, with scores of Democrats joining nearly all Republicans in a vote that reflected the political challenges of tackling what both parties consider America’s most pressing drug crisis. The bipartisan vote reflected agreement among Republicans and a solid bloc of Democrats that stiffening penalties for fentanyl-related drugs is a necessary component of the federal response to the crisis. However, many Democrats, along with public health and civil rights groups, note that harsh sentences for fentanyl-related drugs have driven up incarceration rates and disproportionately affected people of color.