Combating Illicit Xylazine Act
Key claim: The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (HR1266) was ordered reported unanimously to place illicit xylazine under federal controlled-substance controls.
Abstract
(HR1266 · 119th Congress) Latest action (2026-07-21): Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 0.
Why this matters
Xylazine, an animal tranquilizer increasingly found as an adulterant in illicit fentanyl, has been linked to severe wounds and overdose complications that do not respond to naloxone. Federal scheduling would give DEA enforcement authority over illicit xylazine trafficking while carving out continued veterinary access, shifting the substance from an unregulated adulterant to a controlled substance with criminal penalties for diversion. The unanimous committee vote signals bipartisan momentum toward enactment.