Sens. Rick Scott, Peter Welch Lead Bill to Tackle the Opioid Epidemic

February 20, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Senator Rick Scott and Senator Peter Welch announced the reintroduction of the bipartisan 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 is leading this legislation in the House of Representatives.

 

Senator Rick Scott said, “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.”

 

Senator Peter Welch said, “We’ve lost far too many Vermonters to overdose. 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.”

 

Congresswoman Laurel Lee said, “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.”

 

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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