ALERT Communities Act

HR 7226, the ALERT Communities Act, requires first responders and community sectors to be trained on carrying and distributing fentanyl and xylazine test strips to detect dangerous drugs. It directs the Health Secretary to create public research frameworks for test strip manufacturers, including clinical use standards and regulatory pathways. The bill also mandates a two-year study on how test strip access affects overdose rates, deaths, and treatment engagement, with a report to Congress afterward. The law defines "test strips" as rapid tools for detecting fentanyl, xylazine, or other life-threatening substances in drugs or human specimens.