PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., was in Palm Beach County on Friday to talk about the ongoing fight against opioids and drug overdoses.
The state's former attorney general was at the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office along Gun Club Road.
WATCH BELOW: U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody speaks about opioid crisis during Palm Beach County visit
The senator discussed "her continued fight against the opioid crisis in the U.S. Senate, specifically the HALT Fentanyl Act."
The Senate earlier this month passed the act, which would result in more prison sentences for fentanyl traffickers as both Republicans and Democrats seek to show they can act to rein in the distribution of the deadly drug. It would also classify fentanyl-related substances under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, as well as establish penalties.
The bill passed the Senate on an 84-16 vote, with all the nay votes from Democrats. It next heads to the House, where a similar version of the bill has already passed with significant Democratic support, showing many in the party are eager to clamp down on fentanyl distribution following an election in which Republican Donald Trump harped on the problem. House Republicans passed a similar bill in 2023 with dozens of Democrats joining in support, but it languished in the Democratic-held Senate.
Critics say the proposal repeats the mistakes of the so-called "war on drugs," which imprisoned millions of people addicted to drugs, particularly Black Americans.
In January, Moody was appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to become the state's U.S. senator after former senator Marco Rubio was selected by Trump to become secretary of state.
While attorney general, Moody said Florida law enforcement led the nation in fentanyl seizure operations.
