Safer Response Act of 2025

This bill renews and updates a federal grant program that trains first responders to handle overdoses and other drug-related emergencies. It broadens the focus beyond opioids and heroin to include other drugs, and it makes clear that overdose-reversal tools used in training must be products that are approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed. It also updates language to correctly reference Tribes and Tribal groups. The plan sets funding at $57 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

In plain terms, this aims to help police, firefighters, EMTs, and other responders get better training and tools to save lives during drug overdoses and similar crises.

Key points

• Who is affected: First responders and the communities they serve; Tribes and Tribal groups are specifically referenced in the program language.
• What changes: Training now covers overdoses from opioids, heroin, and other drugs; training tools must be approved, cleared, or otherwise legally marketed; wording is updated for clarity and respect; funding is increased to $57 million annually.
• When: Funding runs from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.