WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) announced the reintroduction of the bipartisan, bicameral Overcoming Prevalent Inadequacies in Overdose Information Data Sets (OPIOIDS) Act to confront the devastating opioid crisis that claims the lives of more than 70,000 Americans every year. This comprehensive legislation will give state and local governments additional tools to address the opioid epidemic in their communities. Congresswoman Laurel Lee (R-Fla.-13) and Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH-01) have introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

“We’ve lost far too many Vermonters to overdose,” said Senator Welch. “Ending this crisis will take hard work from all corners of our communities—from medical professionals and law enforcement to families, friends, and neighbors. But we cannot end overdoses without understanding their cause. Our bipartisan legislation will help law enforcement gather essential data to make informed decisions on prevention, treatment, and recovery and keep Vermonters safe.”

 “It is devastating to see the impacts of the opioid crisis in my state and across the nation, claiming the lives of children, mothers, fathers and loved ones. Too many families have already had to grapple with this unimaginable loss. I’m glad to see President Trump taking action to secure our border and stop the trafficking of these illicit drugs over our borders and into our communities, and I have full confidence that Attorney General Pam Bondi will bring much-needed action to crack down on this crisis. Our OPIOIDS Act will take another critical step to curb this crisis and support our communities fighting this deadly epidemic. I’m grateful to have the support of Senator Welch on this bipartisan bill, and urge my colleagues to support its quick passage,” said Senator Scott.

“The fentanyl crisis is devastating families and communities across our nation, claiming lives at an alarming rate. Our law enforcement officers and first responders are on the front lines of this battle, and they need the right tools and resources to combat this epidemic effectively and keep themselves safe. The OPIOIDS Act is a critical step toward protecting our communities and saving lives. I urge my colleagues to stand together in this fight and support this effort to stop the spread of this deadly drug and keep our communities safe,” said Congresswoman Lee.

“Fentanyl and synthetic opioids are highly dangerous, and pose unique threats to law enforcement and first responders who may experience secondary exposure when making arrests or providing medical care,” said Congressman Pappas. “Comprehensive training on how to deal with these substances, including how to prevent secondary exposure and the use of updated drug tracing systems, will help save lives and get these drugs off our streets. I’m glad to introduce legislation that would provide state and local enforcement with grant funds to cover the costs of these trainings without passing the burden onto our local departments.”

The OPIOIDS Act includes:

• Data Collection: Allows the Attorney General to provide grants to states and local communities to improve data and surveillance related to opioid overdoses.
• Law Enforcement Grants: Directs the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) to award grants to local law enforcement agencies in communities with high rates of overdoses to:
  • Provide training to help officers better identify overdoses,
  • Upgrade essential systems for drug tracing and forensic laboratories, and
  • Provide training to better trace criminals through the darknet.
  • Additionally, this bill would allow existing Community Oriented Policing Services Grants to go toward providing training and resources for containment devices to prevent secondary exposure for first responders.
• Collaboration: Directs the Office of National Drug Control Policy to collaborate with the National Forensic Laboratory Information System and DOJ to create national standards for the submission of data into the system. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will be directed to develop uniform reporting standards for purity, formulation and weight to allow for better comparison across jurisdictions. The bill also removes the automatic approval of reprogramming requests for funds that are specifically appropriated in line with the National Drug Control Strategy and Budget.
• Fentanyl Profiling Program: Requires the DEA to submit to Congress, as part of their annual report, the level of funding needed to effectively carry out the Fentanyl Signature Profiling Program.

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