U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) recently sponsored legislation that would amend federal law to offer a pilot grant program for law enforcement agencies located in rural areas to purchase naloxone for use in preventing and reducing opioid overdose deaths.
Specifically, the Law Enforcement Officers Preventing Drug Abuse Related Deaths Act, H.R. 6593, would amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide the pilot grant program under the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program, according to the bill’s discussion draft.
“As the opioid crisis rages on across the country, and fentanyl floods across our borders, law enforcement officers are increasingly called upon to respond to drug overdose scenes,” Rep. Newhouse said on Feb. 3. “Equipping our law enforcement officers with the tools they need to reduce overdose related deaths is a major component in combating the opioid epidemic and reducing tragic and preventable deaths.”
Naloxone, which often is referred to by the brand name Narcan, is a federally approved drug that reverses the effects of opioids, including fentanyl, and if administered quickly can prevent someone who has overdosed from dying, according to information provided by Rep. Newhouse’s staff.
The pilot grant program under H.R. 6593 would allow local police departments to access this tool and develop best practices for successful deployment efforts, the information says.
Rep. Newhouse developed H.R. 6593 after meeting with local law enforcement officers.
“Just last week, I met with several local law enforcement leaders, and a top issue plaguing their departments is the uptick in overdoses,” the congressman said. “There have even been instances right here in central Washington in which law enforcement officers have come into contact with these substances and used naloxone to save their lives, or the lives of their fellow officers.”
H.R. 6593 has been referred for consideration to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.