H.R. 1561: ALERT Communities Act
A House bill (H.R.) in the 119th U.S. Congress.
Overview
| Congress | 119th U.S. Congress (2025–2026) |
|---|---|
| Type | House bill (H.R.) |
| Originating chamber | House |
| Introduced | 2025-02-25 |
| Sponsor | Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30] |
| Policy area | Health |
| Cosponsors | 1 |
| Latest action | 2026-07-21 — Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 0. |
| Last updated | 2026-08-01 |
Summary
Official summary (Introduced in House, 2025-02-25):
Advancing Lifesaving Efforts with Rapid Test strips for Communities Act or the ALERT Communities Act
This bill establishes programs and requirements to advance the development and usage of test strips that detect the presence of certain hazardous drugs (e.g., fentanyl, xylazine).
Currently, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides grants to government entities to train and provide authorized equipment to first responders and other relevant personnel for emergency treatment of opioid overdoses. The bill expands these grants to include rapid response test strips for detecting the presence of fentanyl, xylazine, and other synthetic opioids or emerging substances in people or within other drugs.
Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to publish guidance and standards for test strip manufacturers to support the development, evaluation, and authorization of test strips.
Also, HHS must conduct a study and report to Congress on how the availability and usage of test strips and similar equipment impacts the frequency of overdoses and participation in substance use disorder treatment.
Cosponsors (1)
| Name | Party / state |
|---|---|
| Lance Gooden | R TX (original cosponsor) 2025-02-25 |
Full text & official record
The official bill text, section-by-section summary, amendments, committee reports, and the complete legislative timeline for H.R. 1561 are published by Congress on congress.gov.
View H.R. 1561 on congress.gov →
Frequently asked questions
What is H.R. 1561?
H.R. 1561 is a House bill (H.R.) introduced in the 119th U.S. Congress, originating in the House. Official title: ALERT Communities Act.
Where can I read the full bill text?
The full text, cosponsors, amendments, and legislative status for H.R. 1561 are available on congress.gov.
Bill data: congress.gov API (official congressional records).