WASHINGTON, DC - The House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), today approved 12 more bills as part of a multi-day markup of 22 bills. Three of the bills passed today will help address the opioid and drug abuse crisis facing our nation, adding to the eight passed during Wednesday’s portion of the markup. The committee today also passed 9 bills to improve public safety and FCC transparency.
Today’s votes advance the committee’s ongoing efforts to address the opioid drug abuse epidemic, and these bills are now ready for consideration by the full House of Representatives.
The committee approved the following bills (in order by consideration):
H.R. 4586, Lali’s Law - Authored by Rep. Bob Dold (R-IL) and Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), this legislation would amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to states for developing standing orders for naloxone prescriptions and educating health care professionals regarding the dispensing of opioid overdose reversal medication without person-specific prescriptions. Also passing with the bill was an amendment offered by Health Subcommittee Chairman Joseph Pitts (R-PA) to make technical corrections and make the bill cut-go compliant.
H.R. 3680, the Co-Prescribing to Reduce Overdoses Act of 2015 - Authored by committee member Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD), this legislation would create a grant program for co-prescribing opioid reversal drugs for patients who are at a high risk of overdose. Also passing with the bill was an amendment offered by Chairman Pitts to make technical corrections and make the bill cut-go compliant.
H.R. 3691, the Improving Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Act of 2015 - Authored by committee member Rep. Ben Lujan (D-NM), this legislation would reauthorize a residential treatment program that currently provides numerous services to aide pregnant women or postpartum women engaged in substance abuse. Also passing with the bill were two amendments, one offered by Chairman Pitts and one offered by Lujan. Chairman Pitts’ amendment made technical corrections and ensured the bill was cut-go compliant, and Lujan’s amendment made additional technical corrections.
Electronic copies of the bills can be found on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s website here. A background memorandum, amendments, and votes will be available at the same link. Related Items
* Energy and Commerce Committee Vote on H.R. 4978, H.R. 4641, H.R. 3680, H.R. 3691, H.R. 1818, H.R. 4981, H.R. 3250, H.R. 4969, H.R. 4586, H.R. 4599, H.R. 4976, H.R. 4982, H.R. 4889, H.R. 4167, H.R. 4111, H.R. 4190, H.R. 3998, H.R. 2031, H.R. 2589, H....
