Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), presented Ray and Deb Cullen of Shippensburg with an official copy of the HALT Fentanyl Act’s final legislative text, signed into law by President Trump on July 16, 2025.
The Cullens became advocates against fentanyl after their son Zachary died from fentanyl poisoning. They have testified before Congress about the dangers posed by illicit fentanyl.
In 2024, drug overdoses claimed over 100,000 American lives, nearly half attributed to illicit fentanyl. The HALT Fentanyl Act classifies fentanyl analogs as a Schedule I drug and gives law enforcement more authority to seize these substances and impose stricter penalties on offenders.
“One Pennsylvanian dies from a drug overdose every two hours, many resulting from fentanyl poisoning. This scourge on our society ends now. The HALT Fentanyl Act is critical legislation that empowers law enforcement and our judicial system to crack down on the criminals and cartel members who are at the root of this crisis,” said Rep. John Joyce, M.D.“As an original cosponsor of this legislation, I was proud to join President Trump at the White House as he signed HALT Fentanyl into law, and I thank Ray and Deb Cullen for their tireless support of this legislation. Their fight to ensure that other families throughout the country never face such a devastating loss is truly an inspiration.”
“We are extremely grateful for Congressman Joyce and his relentless work on the HALT Fentanyl Act, which is now law. August 28th will mark three years since our son Zachary was poisoned by this deadly drug. Dr. Joyce and his colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee recognized the epidemic taking place in our country that has killed hundreds of thousands of young people, and they were moved to do something about it. We were honored to be able to share our experience and to help however possible. The HALT Fentanyl Act will not bring back our sweet son, but it is a major tool now being used to fight this terrible scourge and to hopefully save someone else’s child,” said Ray and Deb Cullen.
Congressman Joyce hosted several events focused on combating opioid addiction prior to passage of the act. On January 11, 2023, he led an Energy and Commerce Committee roundtable with participation from Ray and Deb Cullen sharing their son’s story. Later that year in June, he co-hosted a Health Subcommittee field hearing in Gettysburg addressing addiction resources where local police leadership testified about community impacts.
Ray Cullen also testified before Congress again in February 2025 during hearings focused on illicit drugs.
John Joyce has represented Pennsylvania’s 13th district in Congress since 2019 https://joyce.house.gov/. He was born in Altoona in 1957 and currently resides in Hollidaysburg https://www.pennlive.com/news/2018/11/john_joyce_pennsylvania_13th_c.html.
