Tri Cities Reporter

Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced the Law Enforcement Officers Preventing Overdose Deaths Act alongside Reps. Pettersen (D-CO), Carter (R-GA), Pappas (D-NH), Neguse (D-CO), Budzinski (D-IL), and Craig (D-MN). This legislation authorizes rural community response pilot grant programs to allow state and local law enforcement agencies to purchase naloxone, an effective tool to prevent and reduce opioid overdose deaths and directs at least 50% of the programs’ grant funding to rural communities.

“Illicit fentanyl is plaguing our communities, and our law enforcement officers are on the frontlines fighting this crisis,” said Rep. Newhouse. “Just this week, I met with my Central Washington Fentanyl Task Force, and the top issue for our officers is that they do not have enough resources to handle the exponential increase of overdoses. Members of the law enforcement profession are well-trained and prepared to help those in need, and having the ability to administer naloxone during critical incidents has and will continue to save lives of citizens across Central Washington and the nation.”

“The recent fentanyl crisis affecting America is having an unexpected consequence: budget impacts as small law enforcement agencies struggle to purchase Narcan, the life-saving antidote to fentanyl. Narcan is being used in ever-increasing amounts by first responders as they cope with the meteoric rise in opioid overdoses. It is critical those agencies have access to affordable Narcan," said Yakima County Sheriff Robert Udell.

“With the unprecedented rise in opioid overdoses, law enforcement encounters with individuals experiencing an overdose have become alarmingly frequent.  By equipping law enforcement personnel with naloxone, we empower them to save lives, promote community safety, and contribute to the broader efforts in combating the devastating impact of substance use disorder,” said Kennewick Police Chief Chris Guerrero.

“With the opioid crisis affecting every community in our nation, naloxone has become an essential tool in combating the overwhelming number of overdose incidents that first responders are called to. Officers are generally first on scene of an overdose incident, and the ability to administer naloxone to people in crisis has saves thousands of lives. Many rural law enforcement agencies have budgetary struggles and funding naloxone can be expensive. Federal funding of naloxone will save the lives of citizens in rural communities who are dealing with the opioid epidemic,” said City of Moses Lake Police Chief Kevin J. Fuhr.

“Without overdose-reversing drugs like naloxone, my mom wouldn’t be alive today. As the global opioid crisis intensifies, fueled by the rise of synthetic illicit substances such as fentanyl, it is crucial that we equip our communities and law enforcement with the tools they need to save lives. This bipartisan bill is a commonsense way to ensure officers, especially those in rural areas, have increased access to medications like naloxone to effectively intervene and save someone who is overdosing. Like so many Coloradans, I am all too familiar with the fear that comes with a loved one who is at risk of overdosing. This bill will save lives and give people a chance at recovery,” said Rep. Pettersen.

“New Hampshire’s rural communities have been hit hard by the ongoing opioid epidemic, and expanding access to naloxone is a common-sense way to save lives in areas where medical care may take longer to access. Allowing local law enforcement to use grant funds to purchase and carry naloxone will save people from overdoses and ensure rural departments can access this critical resource. I’ll continue working to support the law enforcement officers, first responders, health care workers, and recovery workers who are on the frontlines of this fight as we seek to put an end to this crisis,” said Rep. Pappas.

"We must take urgent action to prevent drug-related deaths and combat the fentanyl crisis. By ensuring that local law enforcement have access to naloxone, we will save lives and build safer communities,” said Rep. Neguse.

“As we continue to face an illicit fentanyl, opioid and overdose crisis, it’s essential that our first responders are properly equipped to save lives. I’m proud to help introduce commonsense legislation that would provide rural law enforcement officers with the lifesaving naloxone they need to respond to this epidemic. This is a simple step we can take to prevent the loss of our family members, friends and neighbors in our community,” said Rep. Budzinski.

“Naloxone can save lives – and we need to do everything we can to get this medicine into the hands of all those who need it. I’m partnering up with Rep. Newhouse on a bipartisan effort to ensure law enforcement officers in rural areas can access and use naloxone and the overdose prevention tools needed to keep their communities safe,” said Rep. Craig.

Click here for the full text of the bill.

Background:

This legislation is a re-introduction from the last Congress, H.R.6593. Specifically, this bill:

• Makes grants available to local law enforcement agencies.
• Increases naloxone access for rural law enforcement officers.
• Helps address the substance abuse, opioid, and fentanyl crisis.
• Does not increase appropriations and does not require an offset.

Naloxone is beneficial to law enforcement through the following:

• Naloxone, (frequently referred to by the brand name, “Narcan”) is an FDA approved drug that reverses the effects of opioids, including fentanyl, by blocking their uptake in the bloodstream. If administered quickly, either by injection or nasal spray, it can prevent someone who has overdosed from dying.
• State and local law enforcement are often the first ones on the scene in the event of an overdose. If equipped with Naloxone and prepared to deploy it effectively, they can prevent and reduce the number of opioid overdose deaths.
• Lack of availability and high costs of the necessary personnel, training, and the drug itself are prohibitive to law enforcement agencies – whose budgets are already and increasingly constrained - seeking to develop effective Naloxone deployment programs.
• Initiating a pilot grant program will allow local police departments agencies to access this highly effective tool and develop best practices for successful deployment efforts.

Rep. Newhouse has been leading the effort to combat the fentanyl crisis in Central Washington and in U.S. Congress:

• Last month, Rep. Newhouse launched the Central Washington Fentanyl Task Force, a working group of consisting of groups and individuals on the local and state levels who are on the frontlines fighting the fentanyl crisis throughout Central Washington. Task Force members include law enforcement, addiction treatment groups, medical professionals, drug court officials, school resource officers, tribal leaders, elected officials, and community leaders. This week, the task force held its first quarterly meeting.
• In March, Rep. Newhouse introduced the William and James Wonacott Act, named after two Yakima brothers who succumbed to fentanyl in separate instances. The legislation enhances penalties for those who sell, give, or distribute any substance that contains two milligrams or more of illicit fentanyl or fentanyl-related substances to another person without their knowledge.
• Earlier this year, Rep. Newhouse introduced the Save Americans from the Fentanyl Emergency Act or SAFE Act to permanently schedule all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs.

Issues: Law Enforcement

Original source can be found here.