Recently, Congressman Josh Harder (CA-09) announced that his bipartisan bill to protect law enforcement from fentanyl exposure has been signed into law, unlocking $57 million every year through 2030 for overdose training for local law enforcement. Led with Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17), the Safer Response Act was included in a broader package of substance use prevention and recovery legislation that passed the Senate during the final quarter of 2025, alongside the rollout of a brand-new nationwide initiative to combat the fentanyl crisis.

Fentanyl in the community puts everyone at risk, said officials, highlighting the following:

Despite declines, fentanyl overdoses continue to be the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-45, killing nearly 50,000 people last year alone.

This creates an escalating crisis for first responders, with up to one-in-five emergency medical service calls involving overdose response.

First responders are at risk of accidental exposure, contamination, and infection when responding to overdose emergencies.

“Our brave first responders never hesitate to answer the call and step in to save lives every single day, and they shouldn’t have to worry about self-exposure while they’re working to reverse life-threatening fentanyl overdoses,” said Rep. Harder. “This bill is going to bring millions for better training and modern resources to Valley departments, which will mean fewer lives lost to the deadly fentanyl epidemic. I’m grateful that lawmakers from across the aisle joined together to send this to the President’s desk, and I’m committed to ensuring our community continues to benefit from common-sense laws like this.”

How the Safer Response Act supports law enforcement:

New technical assistance for local first responders to address overdoses.

Additional training on how first responders and emergency medical services can protect themselves in the event of exposure.

Outreach coordination teams to bridge gaps between public and private medical and emergency response partnerships.

Harder has made cracking down on the growing fentanyl crisis a top priority – he helped pass a bipartisan bill to put more fentanyl traffickers behind bars, and he is leading new legislation to close drug manufacturing loopholes that traffickers use to escape justice. Harder also met with more than 200 narcotics officers representing state associations across the country, including in California, as part of the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition’s (NNOAC) 2025 Delegate Conference.