Press Releases

Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) recently introduced the bipartisan Saving Lives on Campuses Act of 2024, a bill requiring public colleges and universities to provide opioid overdose rescue kits, including Narcan (naloxone), to help address the deadly rise in opioid-related deaths among young adults. Rep. Lou Correa (CA-46) is the bill's lead co-sponsor.

“Fentanyl is the number one killer of Americans aged 18 to 45,” De La Cruz said. “The tragic surge in fentanyl-related deaths, up by over 600% in Texas from 2019 to 2023 alone, has claimed more than 7,000 lives in our state. The Saving Lives on Campuses Act of 2024 will help ensure that students and staff are equipped to respond effectively to this crisis and prevent further loss of life.”

“Here in Orange County and across the country, our communities are being faced with an opioid epidemic that has cost our neighbors the lives of too many they love,” Correa said. “And make no mistake: This surge in fentanyl-related deaths is disproportionately impacting young people on our campuses and universities nationwide. This legislation will ensure that our students and their teachers are equipped with the tools they need to respond effectively to this crisis and save lives in real time—and I’m honored to work alongside Congresswoman De La Cruz to help get this effort across the finish line.”

This bill follows Congresswoman De La Cruz’s earlier success with the Preventing the Financing of Illegal Synthetic Drugs Act, signed into law in September, which targets the financial networks behind synthetic drugs like fentanyl. Together, these efforts demonstrate her commitment to tackling the fentanyl epidemic from both prevention and enforcement angles, helping protect communities and campuses alike.