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HR 2351
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To direct the Commandant of the Coast Guard to update the policy of the Coast Guard regarding the use of medication to treat drug overdose, and for other purposes.

Introduced Mar 26, 2025

Latest action (Jun 10, 2025) Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summary

This bill directs the Coast Guard Commandant to update the service's policy on medication to treat drug overdoses, with a focus on making naloxone available at all Coast Guard installations and in operational environments to treat opioid and fentanyl overdoses. The Coast Guard must participate in a tracking system for overdose medications and coordinate with the Department of Defense to ensure access to that system. Within two years of enactment, the Commandant must brief Congress on the policy's implementation, the prevalence of substance abuse in the Coast Guard over the previous five years, and instances of naloxone use at Coast Guard facilities. The bill also makes technical amendments to Coast Guard law regarding controlled substances aboard vessels. All actions must comply with federal privacy laws including the Privacy Act and HIPAA.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)

Actions (15)

  1. Jun 10, 2025 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. · senate
  2. Jun 9, 2025 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. · house
  3. Jun 9, 2025 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2547-2548) · house
  4. Jun 9, 2025 Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2547-2548)
  5. Jun 9, 2025 DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2351. · house
  6. Jun 9, 2025 Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2547-2548) · house
  7. Jun 9, 2025 Mr. Ezell moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. · house
  8. Jun 6, 2025 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 118. · house
  9. Jun 6, 2025 Reported by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. H. Rept. 119-149. · house
  10. Apr 2, 2025 Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote. · house
  11. Apr 2, 2025 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
  12. Apr 2, 2025 Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Discharged · house
  13. Mar 27, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. · house
  14. Mar 26, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. · house
  15. Mar 26, 2025 Introduced in House

More bills on these subjects (8)

Other bills that carry the most legislative subjects in common with this one (topical discovery — distinct from the procedural related bills above).

Text versions (4)

  • Referred in Senate · Jun 10, 2025
  • Engrossed in House · Jun 9, 2025
  • Reported in House · Jun 6, 2025
  • Introduced in House · Mar 26, 2025

Full text

AN ACT

To direct the Commandant of the Coast Guard to update the policy of the Coast Guard regarding the use of medication to treat drug overdose, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ONBOARD VESSELS.

Section 70503(a) of title 46, United States Code, is amended—

(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking “While on board a covered vessel, an” and inserting “An”;

(2) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:

“(1) manufacture or distribute, possess with intent to manufacture or distribute, or place or cause to be placed with intent to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance on board a covered vessel;”;

(3) in paragraph (2) by inserting “on board a covered vessel” before the semicolon; and

(4) in paragraph (3) by inserting “while on board a covered vessel” after “such individual”.

SEC. 2. POLICY AND BRIEFING ON AVAILABILITY OF NALOXONE TO TREAT OPIOID OVERDOSES.

(a) Policy.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Coast Guard shall update the policy of the Coast Guard regarding the use of medication to treat drug overdoses, including the use of naloxone or other similar medication to treat opioid, including fentanyl, overdoses.

(b) Availability.—The updated policy required under subsection (a) shall require naloxone or other similar medication be available for members of the Coast Guard—

(1) on all Coast Guard installations; and

(2) in each operational environment.

(c) Participation in Tracking System.—Not later than 1 year after the earlier of the date of enactment of this Act or the date on which the tracking system established under section 706 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (10 U.S.C. 1090 note) is established, the Commandant shall ensure the participation of the Coast Guard in the such tracking system.

(d) Memorandum of Understanding.—Not later than 1 year after the earlier of the date of enactment of this Act or the date on which the tracking system established under section 706 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (10 U.S.C. 1090 note) is established, the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating when not operating as a service in the Navy and the Secretary of Defense shall finalize a memorandum of understanding to facilitate Coast Guard access such tracking system.

(e) Briefing.—

(1) In general.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commandant shall provide the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a briefing on the use, by members and personnel of the Coast Guard at Coast Guard facilities, onboard Coast Guard assets, and during Coast Guard operations, of—

(A) naloxone or other similar medication to treat opioid, including fentanyl, overdoses; and

(B) opioids, including fentanyl.

(2) Elements.—The briefing required under paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(A) A description of—

(i) the progress made in the implementation of the updated policy required under subsection

(a);

(ii) the prevalence and incidence of the illegal use of fentanyl and other controlled substances in the Coast Guard during the 5-year period preceding the briefing;

(iii) processes of the Coast Guard to mitigate substance abuse in the Coast Guard, particularly with respect to fentanyl; and

(iv) the status of the memorandum of understanding required under subsection (d).

(B) For the 5-year period preceding the briefing, a review of instances in which naloxone or other similar medication was used to treat opioid, including fentanyl, overdoses at a Coast Guard facility, onboard a Coast Guard asset, or during a Coast Guard operation.

(f) Privacy.—In carrying out the requirements of this section, the Commandant shall ensure compliance with all applicable privacy law, including section 552a of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the “Privacy Act”), and the privacy regulations promulgated under section 264(c) of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (42 U.S.C. 1320d-2 note).

(g) Rule of Construction.—For purposes of the availability requirement under subsection (b), with respect to a Coast Guard installation comprised of multiple Coast Guard facilities or units, naloxone or other similar medication available at a single Coast Guard facility within the installation shall be considered to be available to all Coast Guard facilities or units on the installation if appropriate arrangements are in place to ensure access, at all times during operations, to the naloxone or other similar medication contained within such single Coast Guard facility.

Passed the House of Representatives June 9, 2025.

Attest:

Clerk. 119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2351

AN ACT

To direct the Commandant of the Coast Guard to update the policy of the Coast Guard regarding the use of medication to treat drug overdose, and for other purposes.

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