Rep. Vern Buchanan from (R-Fla.) says the set of anti-drug bills will provide important measures to alleviate drug abuse, support family members on their road to recovery and postpone the transmission of drugs in the nation. Congressman Heck says, as an emergency department physician, he’s seen firsthand the devastating effects of opioid addiction and overdose. She called the opioid overdose issue a “unique American problem” because the country consumes 80 percent of the world’s prescription opioids.
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The Obama Administration submitted a proposal in February for $1.1 billion in new funding to address the epidemic and to expand access to treatment for prescription opioid abuse and heroin use.
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R., Ohio), co-author of the CARA bill, who has complained about a lack of action by the House on the legislation, said the House bills bring Congress closer to passing needed legislation.
Democrats being joined by the White House are supporting the bills but also quibbling that little would be achieved without funds. It authorized the attorney general to provide grants to state and local governments, as well as non-profit groups for programs to: monitor, and improve the treatment for, addicts, and educating law enforcement, according to USA Today. It would be easier for some health care providers to administer overdose reversal drugs, anti-drug programs helping pregnant women and new mothers would be renewed, and curbs would be eased against partially filling some prescriptions a way of reducing unused opioids available to drug abusers.
Advocates of drug abuse prevention and treatment programs said they were pleased Congress was addressing the problem but said they viewed the bills as only a start.
Ventrell said the bills were “major in terms of message” because they were the first indications in years that Congress was moving toward addressing the issue.
“This is one of the biggest public health crises we have faced in a very long time”, said Michael Botticelli, White House director of national drug control policy, following Klobuchar’s roundtable discussion.
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U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) said the bills, once approved by a committee, will help address the crisis, including providing more detox beds and Medicaid eligibility for those who qualify. GOP leaders hope the two chambers can send compromise legislation to Obama for his signature before Congress begins a lengthy summer recess in July.
