This bill directs the Coast Guard to update its policies to ensure naloxone availability for treating drug overdoses and requires briefings on its usage and related substance abuse issues.
Addison McDowell
Representative
NC-6
This bill directs the Coast Guard Commandant to update the Coast Guard's policy on using medication to treat drug overdoses, including opioid and fentanyl overdoses, and ensure naloxone or similar medication is available for Coast Guard members at all Coast Guard installations and in every operational environment. It also requires the Coast Guard to participate in a tracking system for such medications and mandates a briefing to Congress on the use of naloxone and related substance abuse mitigation efforts. Additionally, it amends a section of title 46 of the United States Code to include manufacturing, distributing, or possessing with intent to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance on board a covered vessel.
Coast Guard Mandated to Update Overdose Policy, Ensure Naloxone Availability Across Installations and Operations
This bill directs the U.S. Coast Guard to update its policies on handling drug overdoses, specifically requiring the availability of medications like naloxone. The Commandant has one year from enactment to revise the official guidance to ensure these overdose treatments are accessible across all Coast Guard installations and within every operational setting, aiming to equip personnel to respond effectively to opioid incidents, including those involving fentanyl.
Naloxone on Deck: Equipping the Coast Guard
The core change here is the mandate for widespread access to naloxone, a medication known for its ability to rapidly reverse opioid overdoses. Within a year, the Coast Guard must ensure this life-saving treatment is available not just at major bases, but potentially on cutters patrolling distant waters or at remote stations. Think of it as ensuring a critical first aid tool is on hand wherever Coast Guard members serve. The bill clarifies that for installations with multiple facilities, having naloxone at one location counts if arrangements guarantee access for personnel at all times during operations.
Tracking and Reporting: Getting a Handle on the Scope
Beyond immediate access, the legislation requires the Coast Guard to get involved in data tracking. Within a year (or upon the system's establishment), the Coast Guard must participate in the controlled substance tracking system detailed in Section 706 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. This involves finalizing a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Defense to facilitate access. Furthermore, within two years, the Commandant must brief Congress on several key areas: progress on the new naloxone policy, the prevalence of illegal substance use (specifically fentanyl) within the Coast Guard over the past five years, current substance abuse mitigation strategies, the status of the DoD agreement, and a review of instances where naloxone was used in the preceding five years. Importantly, the bill explicitly requires compliance with privacy laws like the Privacy Act (section 552a of title 5, U.S.C.).
Clarifying Jurisdiction at Sea
Separately, the bill amends existing maritime law (section 70503(a) of title 46, U.S.C.) concerning controlled substances on vessels. It refines the language to explicitly cover manufacturing, distributing, or possessing controlled substances on board a covered vessel with intent to do the same, and clarifies that destroying or attempting to destroy evidence also applies when done while on board a covered vessel. This appears aimed at strengthening the legal framework for the Coast Guard's drug interdiction missions.