Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., is backing a pair of bills in Congress aimed at increasing penalties related to fentanyl trafficking and protecting first responders who may be exposed to the opioid.
Chavez-DeRemer, who represents Oregon’s 5th District including much of Central Oregon, is now a co-sponsor on H.R. 795, the Protecting First Responders from Secondary Exposure Act.
According to DeRemer’s office, the bill “aims to help state and local governments purchase containment devices to safely store narcotics and preserve them for evidentiary use. The bill would also provide subsequent training to reduce first responders’ risk of secondary exposure to lethal substances.”
A video from Florida in December 2022 shows how quickly a police officer became incapacitated and needed immediate medical attention after simply coming within the vicinity of fentanyl during a traffic stop.
