House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) are celebrating the passage of H.R.4531, the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization (SUPPORT) Act of 2023. The bill, led by Subcommittee Chair Guthrie and Rep. Anne Kuster (D-NH), passed the House with an overwhelming majority vote of 386 to 37.
Chair Rodgers expressed her gratitude to Subcommittee Chair Guthrie for his leadership on this important bipartisan legislation. She highlighted the bill's aim to offer hope to those battling substance use disorder and their families, as well as the health care workers and law enforcement officers who need continued support to save lives. By reauthorizing successful programs and increasing access to treatment, Chair Rodgers believes that hope and healing can be restored to those in need.
Subcommittee Chair Guthrie, who led the bipartisan SUPPORT Act reauthorization in the House, emphasized the urgency of the situation. He pointed out that over 200,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses and fentanyl poisonings in just the last two years. The bill provides continued funding to communities across the nation that are grappling with the consequences of the overdose epidemic, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Subcommittee Chair Guthrie sees this legislation as an opportunity to prevent overdoses, provide access to immediate and long-term care recovery services, and ultimately save lives.
The Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act, H.R.4531, includes several key provisions aimed at addressing the ongoing substance use disorder crisis. It permanently places xylazine, a substance used in animals, in Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act while ensuring continued access for veterinarians and ranchers. The bill also provides resources for training and education on fentanyl and other illicit substances for first responders, particularly in rural areas. It renews support for individuals in substance use disorder treatment and recovery, allowing them to live independently and participate in the workforce.
Additionally, the legislation reauthorizes resources for residential substance use disorder treatment for pregnant and postpartum women, prioritizing the well-being of moms and babies. It lifts the Medicaid's Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) Exclusion, which previously limited access to rehab and institutional care services. The bill also ensures that Medicaid beneficiaries have access to Medication Assisted Treatment.
Importantly, the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act is fully compliant with House Republicans' fiscal responsibility framework, with spending being offset by reductions elsewhere.
H.R. 4531 received unanimous support from the Energy and Commerce Committee, passing with a vote of 49 to 0 on July 19, 2023. It now moves forward as a significant step towards combating the substance use disorder crisis in the United States.
For more information on the specific provisions of H.R. 4531, interested parties can review the section-by-section summary and read the bill text. Additionally, a recap of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee field hearing on the SUPPORT Act in Gettysburg, PA, is available.
Contact information for the House Energy and Commerce Committee is as follows:
Main: (202) 225-3641
Press: (202) 226-4972
For additional details, please follow this link: https://energycommerce.house.gov/posts/chairs-rodgers-and-guthrie-celebrate-passage-of-bipartisan-support-act-reauthorization
