Protecting First Responders from Secondary Exposure Act of 2025
Key claim: This bill amends the DOJ’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program to allow grant funds to be used for purchasing containment devices and training first responders to prevent secondary fentanyl exposure.
Abstract
(HR621 · 119th Congress) Protecting First Responders from Secondary Exposure Act of 2025 This bill expands the allowable uses of grant funds under the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program administered by the Department of Justice. Specifically, the bill allows grants to be used for purchasing containment devices for first responders and training first responders on the use of containment devices to prevent secondary exposure to fentanyl and other potentially lethal substances. Latest action (2025-01-22): Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Why this matters
First responders face documented occupational risks from incidental contact with fentanyl and other potent substances during enforcement and emergency response. By expanding an existing DOJ grant program’s allowable uses rather than creating a new pathway, the bill would let state and local employers fund containment equipment and safety training through channels already in place, tying substance-use policy funding to workplace safety for public-sector workers.