HR 2351119th CongressIn Committee

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

Civil Rights & JusticeHealthcare

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

H.R. 2351 directs the Coast Guard to update its policy on using medications to treat drug overdoses, with a strong emphasis on naloxone (an opioid overdose reversal drug) and similar medications. It has two main parts: (1) a legislative change to clarify and broaden certain criminal offenses related to controlled substances on board Coast Guard-covered vessels, and (2) a policy directive requiring the Coast Guard to ensure naloxone is available to personnel in all installations and operational environments, to participate in a DoD-tracking system for overdose data, and to brief Congress within set timelines about implementation, overdose trends, and related substance-abuse mitigation efforts. The overarching aim is to improve overdose response and safety for Coast Guard personnel while increasing transparency and interagency coordination around opioid and fentanyl risks.

Key Points

1Section 1 – Controlled substance offenses on ships: Amends 46 U.S.C. § 70503(a) to recast and broaden the offense, making it clearer and potentially broader to prohibit manufacturing, distributing, or possessing with intent to do so “on board a covered vessel” and to reference on-board activities in related subsections. This strengthens Coast Guard authority to address on-board drug manufacturing/distribution activities.
2Section 2(a) Policy update: Requires the Commandant of the Coast Guard to update its policy on the use of medication to treat drug overdoses (including naloxone and similar medications) within 1 year of enactment.
3Section 2(b) Availability: Requires naloxone or similar medication to be available at all Coast Guard installations and in each operational environment.
4Section 2(c) Tracking system participation: Within 1 year after the DoD tracking system (established under NDAA 2024, section 706) is established (the earlier of enactment date or system establishment), the Coast Guard must participate in that tracking system.
5Section 2(d) Memorandum of Understanding: Within 1 year after the tracking system is established, the Coast Guard’s parent department secretary and the Secretary of Defense must finalize an MOU to facilitate Coast Guard access to the tracking system.
6Section 2(e) Briefing: Within 2 years, the Commandant must brief Congress on use of naloxone and opioids, progress implementing the updated policy, fentanyl and substance abuse trends in the Coast Guard over the prior 5 years, and the status of the MOU; also include a 5-year review of instances where naloxone or similar medication was used in Coast Guard settings.
7Section 2(f) Privacy: Requires compliance with privacy laws, including the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and HIPAA privacy regulations, in carrying out these requirements.
8Section 2(g) Rule of Construction: For installations with multiple facilities, having naloxone at one facility is considered available to all facilities on the installation if appropriate access arrangements are in place.
9Timelines and congressional reporting: Sets concrete deadlines (1 year for policy update and availability; 1 year for tracking/MOU; 2 years for briefing) and requires a detailed briefing covering multiple components, including 5-year context and data.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Coast Guard personnel and operations: Ensures access to naloxone across all installations and ships/aircraft units, and reinforces on-board medical response capabilities for overdose situations.Secondary group/area affected- Coast Guard leadership, medical staff, and installation/operational command structures: Will need to implement new policy, maintain stocked naloxone, train personnel, and coordinate with DoD data systems.- DoD and interagency partners: Requires data sharing and administrative coordination via the NDAA 2024 tracking system and the new MOU.Additional impacts- Privacy and legal compliance: Must align with Privacy Act and HIPAA privacy rules in handling overdose-related data and medical information.- Oversight and transparency: Congressional briefings and 5-year trend analyses will inform lawmakers and potentially influence future policy or resource decisions.- Resource implications: Stocking naloxone across all installations and ensuring access in all operational environments may require procurement, storage, training, and logistics adjustments.

Generated by gpt-5-nano on Oct 7, 2025