DES MOINES COUNTY, Iowa — Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley's bill that would regulate an animal tranquilizer officials have found mixed with fentanyl has garnered momentum in Congress as of late.
The "Combating Illicit Xylazine Act", introduced in 2023, has now built bipartisan support with 88 cosponsors from the U.S. House of Representatives and another 23 from the U.S. Senate.
Xylazine is a tranquilizer used by veterinarians and farmers for transportation of larger animals, like horses. However, the Drug Enforcement Administration has found fentanyl powder containing xylazine in 23% of such seizures since 2022.
Since xylazine isn't an opioid, its effects — which include depressed breathing, unconsciousness and even death — cannot be reversed.
Grassley wants to stop these deaths, telling Local 5 on Wednesday his proposed legislation would allow the DEA to monitor xylazine manufacturing and reclassify the sedative as a Schedule III drug under the Controlled Substances Act.
"Too many communities have felt the devastating effects of the nation's drug epidemic," Grassley said. "Inaction on this subject is not an option."
The bill would require the DEA to coordinate with the Food and Drug Administration to create a report on prevalence, risks and recommendations to best regulate xylazine.
It would also "ensure veterinarians, farmers and ranchers can still use xylazine for its intended purpose – to treat large animals – by clearly defining 'ultimate user' as someone lawfully permitted to possess a controlled substance for legitimate use."
Grassley said not only would this bill help regulate xylazine's illicit use, but it could also help slow the increase of fentanyl trafficking in the U.S.
There's an identical bill introduced in the House of Representatives. Both pieces of legislation remain in the committee and subcommittee phases, as of March 2024.