Chavez-DeRemer says bipartisan bill would help prevent fentanyl overdoses in schools

WASHINGTON (KTVZ) – Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) and Linda Sánchez (CA-38) have introduced the Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act. They said their bipartisan proposal would provide schools with the resources needed to educate students on the dangers posed by synthetic opioids, including fentanyl.

“Fentanyl continues to pose a serious threat to our children and young adults. Since they spend a lot of time in the classroom, it’s the responsibility of local, state, and federal leaders to ensure schools have the resources needed to educate students on the dangers of these illicit drugs. I’m honored to join Congresswoman Sánchez on this bipartisan bill to combat the fentanyl crisis by bolstering overdose awareness and prevention efforts in our nation’s schools,” Chavez-DeRemer said.

“As the mother of a high schooler myself, it is heartbreaking to hear of children overdosing on synthetic opioids in our elementary, middle, and high schools,” said Sánchez. “Over the last several years, the number of children overdosing on opioids has increased. Now is the time for Congress to act. The Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act will give schools the resources to provide our children with the education necessary to protect them from the dangers of synthetic opioids. This is legislation that will help save lives and prevent heartbreak in families across the country.”

The bipartisan legislation would allocate existing funds from the Drug Free Communities Program (DCF) within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to:

• Allow elementary, middle, and high schools to apply for grants up to $75,000 for effective drug prevention programs.
• Allow the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to oversee the coordination and implementation of these grants.

The legislation is endorsed by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA). It is also cosponsored by Reps. Adam Schiff (CA-30), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Angie Craig (MN-02), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Michael Lawler (NY-17), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bill Keating (MA-09), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), and Andrea Salinas (OR-06).

Full text of the bill is available HERE.

Last month, Chavez-DeRemer became an original cosponsor of the bipartisan Fentanyl Awareness for Children and Teens in Schools (FACTS) Act. This proposal would replicate local education programs that have successfully curbed student deaths from synthetic opioid overdose.