WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) formally announced a hearing for Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, at 10 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “Federal Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis: A Status Update on CARA and Other Initiatives."
Chairman Walden announced last month in Morning Consult that the committee would hold a rare full committee hearing, the first of this Congress, on the epidemic. The hearing will provide a status update on the implementation of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) and highlight other federal efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
“The opioid crisis has been at the forefront of this committee’s work for several years and multiple Congresses. And while substantial work has been done to stem the tide of this epidemic, namely through CARA and grants available through the 21st Century Cures Act, much more work remains," said Chairman Walden. “Families in every community are hurting, and this hearing will be a much-needed opportunity to learn more about ongoing efforts and what more can be done to put a stop to this horrific crisis."
Confirmed witnesses include:
* Scott Gottlieb, MD, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA);
* Elinore McCance-Katz, MD, PhD, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA);
* Anne Schuchat, MD (RADM, USPHS), Principal Deputy Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC);
* Nora Volkow, MD, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH); and,
* Neil Doherty, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration
The Majority Memorandum and witness testimony for the hearing will be available here as they are posted.
