[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 75 (Thursday, May 12, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H2296-H2315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMPREHENSIVE OPIOID ABUSE REDUCTION ACT OF 2016
General Leave
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5046, about to be
considered by the House.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 720 and rule
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House
on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 5046.
The Chair appoints the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) to
preside over the Committee of the Whole.
{time} 1234
In the Committee of the Whole
Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the
Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill
(H.R. 5046) to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of
1968 to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to assist State
and local governments in addressing the national epidemic of opioid
abuse, and for other purposes, with Ms. Foxx in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the
first time.
The gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Conyers) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Today the United States is in the throes of an epidemic of
prescription opioid and heroin abuse. Every Member of this body has
heard a tragic story about a constituent who has become addicted to
opioids, and, tragically, many have lost their lives to the addiction.
The statistics are shocking. In 2014, 47,055 Americans died from a
drug overdose. Of those deaths, 18,893 were attributable to
prescription pain relievers and 10,574 were related to heroin. The
number of opioids prescribed nearly tripled from 1991 to 2013.
Though the United States has 5 percent of the world's population,
Americans consume 80 percent of the global opioid supply. More than
half of chronic prescription drug abusers obtain those pills from
prescriptions written for them or for friends or family members. In
2014, nearly half a million teenagers used prescription painkillers for
nonmedical purposes.
My home State of Virginia is not immune to the ravages of opioid
addiction. In 1999, approximately 23 people died from abuse of
fentanyl, hydrocodone, methadone, and oxycodone, the leading
prescription opioids abused. By 2013, that number jumped to 386
prescription opioid deaths, a staggering increase of 1,578 percent.
In 2013 alone, deaths attributed to fentanyl use increased by more
than 100 percent. Data also shows a sharp rise in heroin deaths in
Virginia. In 2010, 49 deaths were attributed to heroin use. By 2013,
just 3 years later, that figure had risen to 213, an increase of 334
percent. The number of drug overdose deaths in Virginia surpassed the
number of traffic fatalities for the first time in 2014.
This is a problem that affects Americans in all regions of the
country, across all socioeconomic levels, and one that Congress will
address with passage of H.R. 5046, the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse
Reduction Act of 2016, and other opioid legislation approved by the
House this week.
H.R. 5046, sponsored by Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and
Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner, provides
resources to States, localities, Indian tribes, and others to help
fight the historic problem of opioid abuse. I am pleased to be an
original cosponsor of this bill.
H.R. 5046 is an important, reasonable piece of legislation that will
do a great deal to combat the opioid epidemic. It creates a
comprehensive opioid abuse reduction program at the Department of
Justice, which will direct Federal resources for drug abuse programs
targeted at the opioid problem within our criminal justice system. By
styling this as a competitive grant program for opioids, this bill will
give States and localities maximum flexibility to attack opioid abuse
issues unique to their communities.
States will be able to use the grant funds for a variety of important
criminal justice programs, including alternatives to incarceration,
treatment programs for incarcerated individuals, juvenile opioid abuse,
investigation and enforcement of drug trafficking and distribution
laws, and significant training for first responders in carrying and
administering opioid overdose reversal drugs like naloxone.
States will also be allowed to enlist nonprofit organizations,
including faith-based organizations, in the fight against opioid abuse.
The bill authorizes this new program at $103 million annually over 5
years.
Importantly, the comprehensive grant program created by H.R. 5046 is
fully offset in accordance with the House CutGo protocol. This means
that Congress has successfully directed funds to address the opioid
epidemic by taking advantage of existing funding streams to Department
of Justice grant programs. The result is no net increase in spending
authorizations and no additional burden on the American taxpayer, which
is a responsible, good government approach to this epidemic.
[[Page H2297]]
H.R. 5046 is thoughtful, historic legislation that, once enacted,
will help fulfill Congress' duty to protect the American people.
I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONYERS. Madam Chairwoman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I am pleased to rise in support of H.R. 5046, the Comprehensive
Opioid Abuse Reduction Act.
H.R. 5046 is an important complement to a wide range of legislation
being considered in the House this week that is aimed at combating the
devastating impact of drug abuse and addiction that is afflicting
communities across our Nation.
We are, in fact, in the midst of a major public health crisis caused
by prescription and opioid abuse. It is a crisis that affects Americans
of all ages, races, and income levels in our cities, suburbs, and rural
areas across the United States.
Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death in our Nation. In
my State of Michigan, for example, there were 1,745 drug overdose
deaths in 2014, and more than half of these overdose deaths were
attributed to opioids and heroin. In fact, 78 Americans die from an
opioid overdose every single day. I am very familiar with the
devastation heroin can exact over people and their communities.
Heroin took a deadly toll on Detroit in the 1970s and is now
threatening to take hold of a new generation of addicts. Armed with
lessons learned from that era and the crack epidemic of the 1980s, we
are wiser and more capable. This time we can and must do more to
respond to this crisis.
Fortunately, a number of States have undertaken various innovative
measures to better respond to the rapid increase of individuals
addicted to prescription opioids and heroin and to prevent individuals
from dying as a result of drug overdose.
For instance, the Judiciary Committee's Crime, Terrorism, Homeland
Security, and Investigations Subcommittee held a hearing last year that
examined, among other things, the promising use of the law enforcement-
assisted diversion approach employed in cities such as Seattle and
Santa Fe.
We have learned that there are successful ways to get addicts to
treatment and to quickly provide them with needed services that address
their addiction and prevent recidivism. We know that evidence-based
treatment and treatment alternatives to incarceration work.
The Comprehensive Opioid Addiction Recovery Act, as authorized by
H.R. 5046, would establish a competitive grant program to provide funds
to State and local governments to continue and improve their efforts to
protect Americans from the dangers of opioid and heroin abuse and to
make sure that addicts have access to the services that are provided.
Funds from the new grant program could be used for the following
purposes: treatment alternatives to incarceration, collaboration
between State criminal justice agencies and State substance abuse
systems, for first responders to purchase and be trained in the use of
naloxone, medication-assisted treatment programs by criminal justice
agencies, investigating the legal distribution of opioids, prescription
drug monitoring programs, addressing juvenile opioid abuse, and for
comprehensive opioid abuse response programs.
{time} 1245
Our communities need our assistance in meeting the threat of opioid
abuse, and this bill before us will fund innovative approaches to the
problem such as the LEAD program developed in Seattle that I mentioned
earlier.
H.R. 5046 would go a long way toward providing that critical help,
and so, accordingly, I support this bill. I urge all my colleagues to
give it their support as well.
Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Madam Chair, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), the chairman of the Subcommittee on
Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations of the
Committee on the Judiciary, and the chief author of this legislation.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 5046,
the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act.
The misuse of and addiction to opioids, such as heroin, morphine, and
other prescription pain medications, has had a devastating hold on this
country. It affects every State and every district. Prescription
painkillers and heroin are the primary driving forces behind this
epidemic. According to the Federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, in 2014, 45 percent of the people who used heroin reported
that they were also addicted to prescription painkillers.
Additionally, drug overdoses now surpass automobile accidents as the
leading cause of injury-related death for Americans between the ages of
25 and 64. Nearly a half million Americans lost their lives to drug
overdoses in 2015. More than 800 of those deaths occurred in my home
State of Wisconsin, double the number of deaths from overdoses in 2004,
just 11 years earlier. Yet, despite these staggering numbers, the
crisis is getting worse. Drug overdose deaths have increased 137
percent since 2010, with opioid-related overdose deaths increasing by
200 percent.
The moment to reverse our current course and make a genuine and
lasting impact in the fight against addiction is here. All over the
country, people are calling on Congress to find solutions. In townhall
meetings, on the campaign trail, and through social media, lawmakers
are hearing heartbreaking stories from families and friends of addicted
individuals and leaders of impacted communities.
There is no single solution to this epidemic. The most effective way
to approach addiction is to pursue a comprehensive response, which must
include a strict focus on prevention, law enforcement strategies to
stop drug dealers and traffickers, a plan to address overdosing, and a
plan to strengthen opioid abuse treatment and recovery options for
those struggling with their addiction.
The Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act is an important piece of
this puzzle. While State and local officials and community
organizations must be at the forefront of confronting this challenge,
the Federal Government should help support these efforts. My
legislation authorizes the Attorney General to make grants available to
States and localities for a number of services related to opioid and
heroin abuse.
The grant program contains eight allowable uses of the grant funds,
which are broadly construed to give States flexibility in responding to
the epidemic within their borders, meaning not a one-size-fits-all
program. These include alternatives to the incarceration programs;
collaboration between criminal justice agencies and substance abuse
systems; training for first responders in carrying and administering
opioid overdose reversal drugs, including naloxone; and prescription
drug monitoring programs.
It is imperative that we pursue aggressive measures to stint opioids'
dangerous progression, for a stronger, more prosperous America. The
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act is a commonsense and
bipartisan approach that addresses the issue head-on and will make a
positive impact on our fight against addiction. H.R. 5046 is fully
offset and contains strong accountability provisions to ensure funding
is spent wisely.
I want to thank Chairman Goodlatte and my colleagues in the Senate
for their tremendous work while addressing the opioid epidemic. I am
optimistic that, with passage of this bill and the additional opioid
measures the House of Representatives is considering this week, we can
go quickly to conference and send meaningful legislation to the
President for his signature. I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R.
5046.
Mr. CONYERS. Madam Chairwoman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman
from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), the ranking member on the Subcommittee on
Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations of the
Committee on the Judiciary, who has done tremendous work on this
subject.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Chair, I thank the distinguished ranking
member and the dean of this institution for yielding and for his
leadership; but it is
[[Page H2298]]
even more powerful that the leadership joins with our distinguished
chairman of the full committee, Mr. Goodlatte, because this is the
beginning of our effort of criminal justice reform that certainly has
been one of the guiding focuses of the chairman of the Subcommittee on
Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations, Mr.
Sensenbrenner, who has, likewise, been a former chair of the full
committee but has steadily worked on thoughtful legislation dealing
with the overall issue of criminal justice reform.
I am delighted to be a partner in this legislation and to be a
cosponsor and to work on this whole concept of dealing with opioids
but, as well, to deal with the question of criminal justice reform with
a whole new attitude.
I might say that I heard words from Leader Pelosi yesterday evening
as she received the Hubert H. Humphrey Civil and Human Rights Award.
She indicated that there are three major issues that we should be
governed by in this Congress: number one, children; number two,
children; and number three, children.
One might ask: Why are we discussing children? I thought we were
discussing the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act of 2016, and
that we are. I am very pleased that it is a very forthright and
thoughtful approach to this issue. I support it. But it is a
compilation, if you will, of many thoughts about how we should deal
with the question of mass incarceration.
What does mass incarceration deal with? It deals with human beings.
It deals with men and women. It deals with families. It deals with
mothers who have children. Previously, if you were on any manner of
drugs or you possessed drugs, you were nonviolent, you were
incarcerated. If you were on crack or cocaine, you were incarcerated.
I commend the chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism,
Homeland Security, and Investigations, Mr. Sensenbrenner, for his work,
as I said, and Chairman Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers because we
now have, from the Committee on the Judiciary, a legislative initiative
that does not have mandatory minimums. In fact, it deals with a
passionate and compassionate approach, and it deals with the issue of
addiction and recovery, the bill that I was a sponsor of earlier, a
predecessor to this one, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act.
I would be happy to see the committee pass that bill, but I am
pleased that we have been able to work together to produce an
alternative bill that will help address issues related to opioid
abuse--again, I emphasize, no mandatory minimums, but a way of
addressing this question, Madam Chair, that I think will be long term.
I look forward to continued collaboration with my colleagues to find
additional solutions to the drug crisis America now faces. We must take
action because today a leading killer of Americans is drug overdose.
Between 2000 and 2014, almost a half million people died from drug
overdoses. Many of these deaths were preventable. In 2014 alone, more
than 47,000 people died of drug overdoses. The largest percentage of
overdose deaths in 2014 was attributable to opioids like prescription
painkillers, methadone, morphine, and heroin. Therein lies the origin
of this massive impact, including our juveniles, who find them in many
different ways. Specifically, 28,647 people overdosed and died because
of an opioid in 2014.
We are experiencing an emergency that impacts citizens in every
State, city, and town in this country--that is, prescription painkiller
and opioid abuse. This emergency is compounded due to the perilous
connection between prescription painkillers and heroin. I get it. We
understand that physicians who did take their oath very seriously
wanted to provide the medical care, the legitimate medical care when
there was a massive response to pain from all of their patients and
others.
Prescription painkiller abuse is the strongest risk factor for future
heroin use, but it came about maybe not through the prescription and
the initial prescription, but from lack of information that patients
should have about the impact of opioids: what it does to the brain,
what it does when you do not have it, how you become addicted. So out
of this, approximately three out of four new heroin users report that
their use began with their abuse of prescription painkillers initially
given to them legitimately for medical reasons.
Heroin use becomes appealing to those addicted to prescription
painkillers because it is cheaper and easier to obtain. Due to its
potency, heroin use tends to lead to addiction. The same kind of lack
of information maybe led to a young woman, in my district, on
hydrocodone with two little babies in the car driving and sideswiping
two cars and killing an innocent person on a motorcycle.
The CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. CONYERS. Madam Chair, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 2
minutes.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Or the mother who gave hydrocodone and alcohol as a
prom gift to her son and his date. That date wound up dead at the end
of that prom.
The rate at which the occurrence of heroin overdose deaths increased
is cause for alarm. In the 4 years between 2010 and 2014, heroin
overdoses more than tripled.
This legislation encourages the development of alternatives to
incarceration that provide treatment as a solution to the underlying
motivation for criminal behavior or conduct associated with mental
disorders. We must make our best efforts. It puts police in a position
to be trained to use those drugs that will help when they come upon an
unconscious person, like naloxone. It allows the criminal justice
system to talk to the substance abuse system. In essence, it increases
the use and availability of those drugs. Addiction is a disease; we
recognize that.
Finally, if I might say, I started with children, children, children.
Just today, Dr. Phil is here discussing the foster care system. He said
that most children are taken away because of neglect, and that neglect
is based upon the use of drugs. That is a wrong direction. The
direction should be that we keep families together, we invest, and we
provide the training to provide them parental skills and, if they are
addicted, to get them off of those addictive ways to be able to keep
families together.
Today I will introduce a bill that provides for nurseries in the
Federal prison system for women in short-term nonviolent offenses,
mostly drug offenses, to reinforce the value of mothers and children
being together. This bill, even though it may not point to that, is an
overall change of attitude that looks to America and says: We want you
not to be addicted. We don't want you to be on prescription drugs and
lead you to addiction after your illness is over. We want you to be
cared for medically, but we don't want you to become addicted. In order
to do that, we are not going to criminalize you. We are going to give
you treatment and allow the criminal justice system--police,
prosecutors, and others--to have an alternative to ensure that that can
be done.
I am very pleased that we are on the floor today. I know that we will
have an omnibus tomorrow. I hope that you will support the underlying
bill.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Madam Chairman, it is now my pleasure to yield 2\1/2\
minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of
the Committee on Appropriations.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Chair, I thank the chairman and
congratulate him on a great bill.
When the abuse of prescription medications silently took hold of
rural towns in Appalachia over a decade ago, we knew we had to do
something to curb the rising tide of addiction and overdose deaths.
{time} 1300
We gathered individuals from all disciplines and backgrounds--
teachers, preachers, parents, judges, cops, doctors, pharmacists,
community leaders, and others--to brainstorm as to what we could do to
address the staggering problem.
We quickly realized there was no silver bullet that could easily
solve the crisis, but we responded by creating a holistic,
multidisciplinary organization called Operation UNITE: Unlawful
Narcotics Investigations Treatment and Education.
Since 2003, UNITE's law enforcement agents have confiscated more than
$12
[[Page H2299]]
million worth of these drugs and arrested over 4,300 bad actors. But we
also established 30 drug courts so that the nonviolent offenders could
get their lives back on track.
UNITE established a toll-free treatment referral helpline, receiving
1,200 calls a month. We have provided 4,000 free vouchers to
individuals who otherwise would be unable to access treatment for their
addiction.
UNITE also works hard to engage our young people through community
coalitions of thousands of people as well as UNITE clubs in our
schools. Over 100,000 students have taken part in antidrug education
activities to warn about the dangers of prescription drugs.
Today it is difficult to imagine a single town in the country that
has eluded the devastating grasp of opioid addiction. So UNITE took its
model to the national stage.
Over the past 5 years, the National Prescription Drug Abuse and
Heroin Summit in Atlanta has brought together thousands of our
country's brightest, most dedicated minds.
At the Federal level, we should be replicating UNITE's holistic,
multipronged approach. I am, therefore, proud to support this bill,
which will enable communities around the country to unite to implement
similar strategies, incorporating law enforcement, treatment, and
education.
There is no silver bullet, Mr. Chairman, to bring an end to
addiction, but together we can certainly save lives and restore hope in
every community. I think this bill allows that to occur.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Ryan), who is very concerned about this issue.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) and Mr. Sensenbrenner for all their good work
on this. This is really one of the great days, great weeks, I think, on
this House floor because of what we are doing here to address the
heroin and opioid crisis in America.
It is sad to watch someone from Virginia and someone from Wisconsin
and someone from Michigan and someone from Ohio and someone from Texas
all get up and really kind of embody and express how deep this problem
is in our country today. I know we have all been to calling hours and
we have all been to funerals and seen up close and personal how
devastating this epidemic is here in the United States.
Like many of my colleagues, unfortunately, Ohio has now seen
accidental deaths by overdose surpass even car accidents. So we all
need to come together, Democrats and Republicans, to try to solve this
problem. I think this week is a major step in that direction.
I am supporting the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act and many
other bills that are coming to this floor this week.
In Trumbull County alone, one of my biggest counties, a few months
back we had 22 overdoses and, of that, 7 deaths in that one county.
This is pervasive in Cuyahoga County, which is Cleveland. We have
almost one death a day that we are dealing with in Ohio.
So the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act program creates at
the Department of Justice a real opportunity for us to fix this
program. It focuses on how we can tackle substance abuse through
preventative programs, expansion of the prescription drug programs, and
resources for veteran treatment court programs. That is one of the key
elements of this: how we are going to make sure our veterans can get
diverted through veterans courts.
The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Donovan). The time of the gentleman has
expired.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I yield the gentleman an additional 1
minute.
Mr. RYAN of Ohio. In Ohio alone, we have seen first responders use
naloxone. In 2013, over 12,000 doses were administered. This is a huge
problem. We have seen the men and women and we have seen the families
that have been destroyed because of this.
I hope that, as we get the Senate bill out of conference, we make
sure that it is comprehensive, that it is addiction, treatment, and
recovery, and, as we move through the budget process, through the
appropriations process, we make sure that there is the appropriate
revenue, the appropriate amount of money, going to these programs that
will ultimately hit the ground and help us get our arms around this
program.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Mimi Walters), a member of the Judiciary Committee.
Ms. MIMI WALTERS of California. Mr. Chairman, across the United
States we are faced with a substance abuse epidemic that results in
overdoses, addiction, and, for too many, death. From opioids to heroin,
no community--not even Orange County, the place I have called home for
50 years--is immune.
Statistics show that nearly 130 people die every single day from drug
abuse. Though this is a nationwide epidemic, there is not a one-size-
fits-all cure to addiction. That is why the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse
Reduction Act is so important.
This bill will create a grant program to help State and local
governments combat opioid addiction in their communities and give them
flexibility to dedicate resources to the needs of their specific
community, whether that means prescription drug monitoring programs,
overdose treatment training for first responders, or rehabilitation
programs.
This legislation passed the Judiciary Committee with unanimous
support. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill
because its passage will save lives and help Americans suffering from
addiction reclaim their lives.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Frankel).
Ms. FRANKEL of Florida. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this critical legislation to
address the nationwide opioid epidemic which has affected south
Florida, where I am from, as it has communities from California to New
Hampshire.
Today I want to tell you about a related crisis that is obstructing
the recovery of addicts and damaging the character of south Florida
neighborhoods, and neighborhoods across the Nation. I am talking about
the overproliferation in residential areas of group homes for
recovering addicts called sober homes.
In theory, it is a very good thing, a way to reintegrate addicts back
into the community. It is activity protected by two historic laws that
prohibit discrimination in housing against persons with disabilities.
But this civil rights protection is being abused by two many
unscrupulous actors who are luring young adults away from their
families and placing them in group homes that have no standards and
then leaving them to their own devices until their insurance runs out.
The result is an overdosing nightmare as well as an increase in
homelessness, code enforcement violations, and crime.
Making matters worse, cities and towns feel regulation and consumer
protection would be in violation of Federal law. As a consequence, we
are seeing thousands of sober homes in south Florida disrupting
services and the health and safety of neighborhoods and leaving young
people who are trying to repair their lives spiraling back into
hopelessness.
Mr. Chair, I urge this Congress and the President to work with folks
in my area and around the country to find the proper balance between
protecting the rights of addicts and getting them recovered and keeping
the integrity and character of our neighborhoods.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman).
Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 5046. I
thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for his work to combat the Nation's
opioid epidemic.
This legislation is important to the whole country and will
especially have positive impacts in Arkansas by freeing up new grants
for funds for drug courts. Drug courts have a positive impact on
people's lives and are integral to countering our Nation's opioid
epidemic.
Drug courts in Arkansas have a strong record of success. Last week I
visited with Judge Berlin Jones in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. His Jefferson
County drug court has a recidivism rate of only 4.9 percent.
Drug courts have also saved billions of taxpayer dollars, on average,
because it costs $14 a day to send a person to a drug court whereas
incarceration costs $58 per day in my State of Arkansas. Taxpayers also
save money because these individuals can return to
[[Page H2300]]
the workforce and provide for their families.
Mr. Chairman, I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 5046 to counter
this epidemic ruining our families and communities.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
New Hampshire (Mr. Guinta).
Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to rise in support of H.R. 5046,
the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act, which will provide more
effective cooperation between our law enforcement and treatment
agencies, grow our treatment capabilities, and strengthen programs for
training and veterans. This bill is an important step in combating the
growing costs of the terrible opioid epidemic.
Just last year, in my home State of New Hampshire, deadly overdoses
following the abuse of heroin killed over 430 people. That staggering
figure marks the rising toll of this epidemic.
I commend my colleagues for offering this legislation as part of the
response to the epidemic and as part of a wider plan moving through the
House this week.
This bill aims to bring sorely needed resources to different groups
and agencies working to help families and individuals in need,
sometimes in desperate need.
For too long, too many of those helping our sons and daughters and
our veterans have been underfunded in their efforts. This week we have
heard and shared stories of people suffering from this epidemic all
over the country. These stories help us draft and pass effective
response to the needs of our communities.
We know that no one bill or amendment on its own is equal to the
massive scale of this epidemic, but together they can begin to address
some of its worst effects and harshest consequences. We need to
incorporate the best practices that have emerged across disciplines and
different agencies, and we need to ensure cooperation between actors on
the ground.
As part of the House response to the Senate-passed Comprehensive
Addiction and Recovery Act, this bill represents our commitment to
restoring hope in shattered communities. I have been a proud sponsor of
many of the bills coming forward this week, and I am pleased that so
many have passed and many more are expected to pass today.
We provide a cohesive, unified, and far-reaching legislative package
to meet the enormity of this epidemic, and I believe we have begun to
move in that direction. I thank my colleagues for their dedication and
tireless work to support this effort.
I particularly want to commend Chairman Goodlatte on his leadership
and his efforts as we continue to help and provide hope for people not
just in New Hampshire, but all across the country.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Georgia (Mr. Carter).
Mr. CARTER of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 5046, the Comprehensive
Opioid Reduction Act of 2016, because we need to ensure that every
State has the tools they need to fight the opioid abuse epidemic.
H.R. 5046 establishes a comprehensive opioid abuse grant program to
provide training to first responders, criminal investigation for the
distribution of opioids, resident treatment centers, and drug courts.
Approximately 47,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2014, and
approximately 21.5 million people ages 12 and older suffer from
substance abuse. As a lifelong pharmacist, I have seen firsthand the
struggles that these people face.
H.R. 5046 seeks to fight the opioid epidemic through a grant program
that would provide States with the resources to provide programs to
help Americans fight this disease.
It would help improve prescription drug monitoring programs, help
address juvenile opioid abuse, give first responders the training to
reverse opioid overdoses, and improve access for veterans in treatment
court.
The only way we are going to be able to fight this battle is if we
work together as a team to educate and help victims of the opioid
abuse.
I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.
{time} 1315
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, at this time, it is my pleasure to yield
1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).
Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chairman, like many States across the country,
heroin and opioid addiction is shattering people's lives in my State of
Michigan as well.
To the families that are suffering, we are here to offer solutions,
to provide hope, and help them recover and get back on their feet.
There are many community-based programs and groups in my district
working on the front lines to raise awareness and combat this public
health crisis; groups like the Monroe County Substance Abuse Coalition,
the Eaton County Substance Abuse Advisory Council, Andy's Angels in
Jackson, and many more.
In Lenawee County, my home county, community stakeholders recently
came together to hold an addiction summit, and a recovering addict from
Monroe County recently organized a march to show there is hope after
heroin. Their work on the local level is absolutely critical.
Here at the Federal level, we must work side-by-side with our State
and local partners to stop the damaging trends of addiction in its
tracks.
The bipartisan legislation we are considering today establishes a
comprehensive opioid abuse reduction program, and gives State and
localities the flexibility to tailor prevention and treatment efforts
to the specific needs of their communities.
I want to thank my colleague, Representative Sensenbrenner, for his
leadership on the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act, and I
encourage its passage so we can help rebuild and save lives in our
communities.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, at this time, it is my pleasure to yield
1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Meehan).
Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentlemen from Virginia
and from Wisconsin for their great work on this important issue.
I rise in strong support of the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction
Act for many reasons, but one in particular, for the support that it
now gives to Veterans Treatment Courts.
As a former prosecutor, I saw firsthand the effectiveness of this.
But we are also seeing amongst those who are struggling with opioid
addiction a unique cohort being veterans. Many of them are returning--
in fact, 67 percent of our returning vets face mental health
challenges, and too many of them are choosing to self-medicate, or are
dealing with injuries that they have acquired, through opioids. It has
led to not only addiction, but other kinds of behaviors.
When we are able to bring them into the court system under the
guidance, it creates not only the oversight of the system but, as well,
the promotion of this peer-to-peer in which other veterans enable them
to work together to get back not only their dignity and their lives,
but they take advantage of the kinds of resources that we have within
the veterans system to deal with the underlying addiction and other
kinds of issues.
This is a tremendous additional effort to authorize a program which
we have been able to support here in Congress and create permanence for
it. I believe this is another important opportunity for us not to leave
our injured back on the battlefield.
I thank the gentlemen for their support.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I continue to reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, at this time, it is my pleasure to yield
2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood).
Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this measure.
As a former State and Federal prosecutor who has been in charge of
prosecuting narcotics cases, I have seen
[[Page H2301]]
firsthand the devastating effect that opioid and heroin addiction has
had. This nationwide opioid and heroin epidemic stretches home into my
district in central and west central Illinois.
Seventy-eight people die from heroin or opioid overdoses each day.
That has quadrupled since 1999. Now it is the leading cause of death,
far surpassing deaths by motor vehicle accidents.
Just last week I hosted a series of roundtable forums across my
district to personally hear from law enforcement officers, medical
professionals, treatment providers, local government officials, and
those who have lost loved ones due to overdose.
They shared with me the reality of the situation back home. Law
enforcement has had to double its on-hand stock of Narcan, and expand
training for police officers when it comes to these overdoses.
Heroin is now the primary abused substance in drug court programs
like the one in Springfield, Illinois, but those programs are at
capacity. Treatment centers have waitlists over 40 days.
The consensus is clear. This is a public health crisis. To end it, we
need to do a number of things. Update medical best practices for coping
with pain. We need to expand access to addiction specialists and
treatment centers. We need to give law enforcement the tools they need,
and we must continue to promote programs like drug courts.
Because this problem is complex, it must be addressed from all
angles, and that is precisely what we are doing in the House this week.
This bill will address this epidemic, and the concerns I heard last
week. It would establish a comprehensive opioid abuse reduction program
at the Department of Justice, target Federal resources directly at the
opioid problem, give States flexibility, and create a streamlined
comprehensive opioid abuse grant program.
Without raising taxes, this measure authorizes $103 million each year
for a variety of programs, including residential substance abuse
treatment, drug courts, training for law enforcement and first
responders.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure to yield an additional
1 minute to Mr. LaHood.
Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, this funding includes treatment for law
enforcement and first responders, and criminal investigations for the
unlawful distribution of these opioids.
Opioid addiction transcends socioeconomic boundaries, racial, gender,
regional, and educational boundaries. We need to address this crisis
now.
I thank my colleague, Mr. Sensenbrenner, and Chairman Goodlatte, for
bringing this legislation forth. This is a problem that is preventable,
and we are doing something about it this week in the Congress.
I am proud to support this legislation. I look forward to supporting
it.
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased now to yield as much time as
she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, it has been refreshing and important
to listen to the many Members from all over the country discussing this
important initiative and, more proudly, it is from the Judiciary
Committee, which is the holder of the laws and the Constitution of this
land. We are here indicating an admittance and a recognition that
addiction, and opioids, and all kinds of addictions are not necessarily
a crime, and that we do not come to this floor, in this bill, with
mandatory minimums.
So I want to follow up on some statements that I made on the floor
yesterday and also in the Rules Committee concerning the contrast in
the way we are dealing with the opioid crisis and the way we addressed
crack cocaine in the 1980s.
Many of those individuals from neighborhoods like mine, many of them
still are incarcerated. And at that time, we--I was not here--Congress
took action that we are still trying to rectify.
At one point, more than 80 percent of the defendants sentenced for
crack cocaine offenses were African Americans, despite the fact that
more than 66 percent of crack users were either White or Hispanic.
As we work on other legislation to address the enforcement and
sentencing disparities related to crack issues, we must reexamine our
approach to that and other drug issues. I think we are on the right
track. I think we are being fair.
This week, the House has been engaged in a comprehensive approach to
addressing a serious public health crisis involving heroin and other
opioids.
In my earlier statement, I complimented my chairman of the full
committee and my chairman of the subcommittee because we are working
together.
Overdoses and deaths involving heroin are on the rise. While law
enforcement has an appropriate role, the bills, including H.R. 5046
before us now, reflect a broader strategy that reflects the fact that
this is an addiction issue.
I know that Mr. Conyers and many others who are on this floor, Mr.
Davis, we come from inner-city communities, and we have watched the
young people of our community die and lose their future life through
crack cocaine.
Accordingly, we are not raising sentences or impacting mandatory
minimums, but we are funding anti-addiction mechanisms such as
treatment alternatives to incarceration, and we are bringing in the
police persons, the police departments. What a great idea: criminal
justice and substance abuse and police persons dealing with this issue
in a non-incarceration mode.
We are not adding to mass incarceration with all of the related and
devastating collateral consequences but, instead, we are incentivizing
State and local governments to prevent, treat, and heal. That is what
we should be doing, and that is what we should have done for crack and
cocaine addicts.
We are learning. We understand now that we have a different pathway,
but it is not too late. So I am saying to my colleagues here as we are
working together, we should find a way before Congress has completed
its work on this legislation and send a bill to the President that
applies a more comprehensive approach, or a comprehensive approach that
adds to this very strong foundation, including treatment alternatives
for those who may still be suffering from crack and cocaine addiction.
I remember signing the sentencing, the reduction bill that we had in
2009 dealing with the crack cocaine disparities. We came together as a
bipartisan group. So I know that these are things that we can do.
I have had this issue and discussed it with the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Conyers), and I hope that we can work together as we move
forward and that our colleagues can work together as we move forward to
look at these issues because if we walk our neighborhoods today, from
one inner city to the next, and maybe our rural communities, we will
find those crack cocaine addicts.
Mr. CONYERS. Will the gentlewoman yield?
Ms. JACKSON LEE. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.
Mr. CONYERS. I just want the gentlewoman to know that her
recollection of the years before, where we have come from a more narrow
focus, more punitive, and we now are seeing a newer strategy that is
far more useful, far more successful than before. And I want to
congratulate her for her perseverance and determination that we will
still get it even better under control through our looking carefully at
the results of our activities.
I thank the gentlewoman.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. I thank the gentleman. I look forward to working
with all of my colleagues.
As I finish, let me just say that today, again, I will be introducing
the recidivism--to End Infant Mortality and Reduce Recidivism bill
dealing with incarcerated women. Many of those women are incarcerated
because of drug addiction issues that involve the possession or sale of
narcotics.
What we are attempting to do, if a baby is born in prison, we are
attempting to recognize that they should not be separated from that
mother, and to have some postnatal nursery situation in a pilot program
to examine how that works, because we know that addiction, in many
instances, has caused women to be incarcerated.
There are many issues that we can look at, and I hope, as we work our
way through this, we will find some solutions for those who are still
addicted to crack cocaine and need some of the
[[Page H2302]]
same or similar services that this underlying legislation has.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5046, the Comprehensive Opioid
Abuse Reduction Act of 2016, of which I am an original cosponsor.
I commend the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime, Jim
Sensenbrenner, for his work on this bill and I also commend Chairman
Goodlatte and Ranking Member Conyers for their ability to find common
ground on this very important issue.
I also note that I was a cosponsor of a similar bill that was the
predecessor to this one, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act.
I would have been happy to see the Committee pass that bill, but I am
pleased that we have been able to work together to produce an
alternative bill that will help address issues related to opioid abuse.
I look forward to continued collaboration with my colleagues to find
additional solutions to the drug crisis America now faces.
We must take action because today a leading killer of Americans is
drug overdose.
Between 2000 and 2014, almost half a million people died from drug
overdoses.
Many of these deaths were preventable.
In 2014 alone, more than 47,000 people died of drug overdoses.
The largest percentage of overdose deaths in 2014 was attributed to
opioids--like prescription painkillers, methadone, morphine, and
heroin.
Specifically, 28,647 people overdosed and died because of an opioid
in 2014.
We are experiencing an emergency that impacts citizens in every
state, city, and town in this country--that is prescription painkiller
and opioid abuse.
This emergency is compounded due to the perilous connection between
prescription painkillers and heroin.
Prescription painkiller abuse is the strongest risk factor for future
heroin use.
Approximately three out of four new heroin users report that their
use began with their abuse of prescription painkillers.
Heroin use becomes appealing to those addicted to prescription
painkillers because it is cheaper and easier to obtain.
Due to its potency, heroin use tends to lead to addiction.
Heroin addiction is often deadly, leading to overdose or other
chronic diseases.
The rate at which the occurrence of heroin overdose deaths increased
is cause for alarm.
In the four years between 2010 and 2014, heroin overdoses more than
tripled.
More than 10,500 people died from heroin overdoses in 2014.
In 2013, more than 8,200 people died from heroin overdoses.
In that same year, 11 million people admitted to improper use of
prescription of painkillers.
Not only were 11 million people at risk of overdosing due to their
abuse of prescription painkillers, 11 million people were also at high
risk of becoming addicted to heroin--with its attendant risks and
dangers.
This current crisis requires an immediate and comprehensive response
and the bill before us today is one element of a broader strategy.
This bill will establish a grant program, to be administered by the
Department of Justice, to assist states and local governments,
particularly by helping criminal justice agencies to tackle the opioid
problem from a variety of angles.
This bill encourages the development of alternatives to incarceration
that provide treatment as a solution to the underlying motivation for
criminal behavior or conduct associated with mental disorders.
We must make our best efforts to prevent individuals from moving from
painkillers to heroin by making treatment for addicts more accessible
by encouraging the use of evidence-based programs, such as medication-
assisted treatment.
Life-saving overdose reversal drugs, like naloxone, are most valuable
in the hands of trained individuals who regularly come in contact with
individuals who are prone to drug overdoses.
This bill will increase the use and availability of naloxone and
other overdose reversal drugs to first responders.
Addiction is a disease that affects the brain and eventually changes
the behavior of addicts, causing them to experience mental health
issues and encounter legal problems.
Treatment is the most reasonable and effective approach to diverting
these individuals away from homelessness and prison.
There are also specific provisions in this bill that allow for a wide
range of services to be offered to our veterans who tend to suffer from
mental health issues and addiction.
I support this bill because I believe that it will help save lives
and prevent and treat opioid addiction.
The approach Congress is taking with the crisis of heroin and other
opioids is thoughtful and comprehensive.
I hope it signals a departure from some of the failed approaches
concerning other drug crises in the past.
For instance, our response to the surge in crack cocaine in the 1980s
was to enact draconian mandatory minimum penalties with vastly
disparate treatment for crack and powder cocaine.
Unfortunately, that exacerbated the disproportionate minority impact
of our drug laws and their enforcement.
Today, no matter who is suffering from the effects of illegal drugs,
we must learn from the past and embrace new ways of addressing the
problem.
The bill before us today, and the approaches contained in other
legislation passed by the Senate and introduced in the House, reflect
our experience in dealing with drug prevention, addiction, treatment,
and recovery.
While there is still work to do in Congress to address the mistakes
of the past with respect to mandatory minimum sentences that are
unjust, unwise and financially unsustainable, I commend my colleagues
for embracing drug treatment, alternatives to incarceration, and
improved training to first responders and the criminal justice system
on how to put substance abusers on a better path.
With those considerations in mind, and a hopeful note about the
progress we are making in our approach to these issues, I ask that my
colleagues join me in voting in favor of this important bill.
I want to follow up on my earlier statement concerning the contrast
in the way we are dealing with the opioid crisis and the way we
addressed crack cocaine in the 1980s.
At that time, we Congress took action that we are still trying to
rectify.
At one point, more than 80% of the defendants sentenced for crack
offenses were African American, despite the fact that more than 66% of
crack users are white or Hispanic.
As we work on other legislation to address the enforcement and
sentencing disparities related to the crack issue, we must re-examine
our approach to that and other drug issues.
This week, the House has been engaged in a comprehensive approach to
addressing a serious public health crisis involving heroin and other
opioids.
Overdoses and deaths involving heroin are on the rise.
While law enforcement has an appropriate role and the bills'
recognize that, the bills--including H.R. 5046 before us now--reflect a
broader strategy that reflects the fact that this is an addiction
issue.
Accordingly, we are not raising sentences or impacting mandatory
minimums but we are funding anti-addiction mechanisms such as treatment
alternatives to incarceration.
We are not adding to mass incarceration--with all of the related and
devastating collateral consequences--but instead we are incentivizing
state and local governments to prevent, treat, and heal.
That is what we should be doing, and that is what we should have done
for crack and cocaine addicts.
But it is not too late--we should find a way, before Congress has
completed its work on this legislation and sends a bill to the
President, to apply this more comprehensive approach, including
treatment alternatives, to those suffering from crack and cocaine
addiction.
I urge my colleagues to work with me to do this.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to yield back after
the gentleman from Michigan yields back.
I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1330
Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Members of the Committee, we have had a very interesting and
important discussion. As an original cosponsor of H.R. 5046, we see
more clearly how it will provide critical grants to prevent and treat
opioid abuse and addictions, and, most importantly, because it will
help save lives.
So, in closing, I want to commend my colleagues on the Judiciary
Committee in particular for their work on this measure, starting with
our chairman, Mr. Goodlatte, and our subcommittee chairman, Jim
Sensenbrenner, for his extraordinary leadership in crafting this
important bill, and, of course, our gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson
Lee) for her continuing vigilance to improve our approaches towards
dealing with this opioid abuse and addiction challenge.
This bill before us has the power to fortify America's fight against
the opioid epidemic. I am extremely proud to not only support it, but I
urge all of my colleagues to join with me.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
[[Page H2303]]
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
Mr. Chairman, let me say I appreciate the huge, bipartisan support
that this legislation has attracted.
I have been working on legislation to deal with Department of Justice
grants in the opioid addiction area for over 2 years. It took a while,
and, unfortunately, it took the expansion of a problem into an epidemic
to show this Congress that we have to act, we have to act
comprehensively, and we have to act in a manner that actually goes down
to our communities to help out those communities and, more importantly,
the people who are addicted and their families.
The package of bills that the House has debated yesterday and is
debating today does exactly that. For those who criticize Congress for
not doing anything, this is something that is probably going to have a
very, very meaningful impact on the lives and livelihoods of people who
have gotten hooked on something, and it gives them a way out in a
compassionate and effective manner.
Let me say I am not sure that the American public is going to realize
the importance of what we are doing today, because I see the wide-open
spaces in the press gallery above the Speaker's rostrum. I think that
is unfortunate because this is something, number one, that is
important; number two, it will help people; number three, it is
bipartisan, which shows very clearly that we don't spend all of our
time here arguing and fighting amongst ourselves; and number four, it
is bicameral. This is Congress the way it should work and the way it is
working in a lot more cases than many in the American public think it
is.
So I guess my message to everybody today is, number one, we are doing
our job, and we are doing our job with this legislation in a vitally
important manner to help turn some lives around and to prevent tragedy;
and number two, the fact that we can get together to deal with a
national problem in a bipartisan manner shows that we take our job
seriously, whether we sit on the Democratic side of the aisle or the
Republican side of our aisle, and we are rising to the occasion.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania). All time for general
debate has expired.
Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment
under the 5-minute rule.
It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose
of amendment under the 5-minute rule an amendment in the nature of a
substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 114-52. That
amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be considered as read.
The text of the amendment in the nature of a substitute is as
follows:
H.R. 5046
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Comprehensive Opioid Abuse
Reduction Act of 2016''.
SEC. 2. COMPREHENSIVE OPIOID ABUSE GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and
Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3711 et seq.) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``PART LL--COMPREHENSIVE OPIOID ABUSE GRANT PROGRAM
``SEC. 3021. DESCRIPTION.
``(a) Grants Authorized.--From amounts made available to
carry out this part, the Attorney General may make grants to
States, units of local government, and Indian tribes, for use
by the State, unit of local government, or Indian tribe to
provide services primarily relating to opioid abuse,
including for any one or more of the following:
``(1) Developing, implementing, or expanding a treatment
alternative to incarceration program, which may include--
``(A) pre-booking or post-booking components, which may
include the activities described in part HH of this title;
``(B) training for criminal justice agency personnel on
substance use disorders and co-occurring mental illness and
substance use disorders;
``(C) a mental health court, including the activities
described in part V of this title;
``(D) a drug court, including the activities described in
part EE of this title; and
``(E) a veterans treatment court program, including the
activities described in subsection (i) of section 2991 of
this title.
``(2) In the case of a State, facilitating or enhancing
planning and collaboration between State criminal justice
agencies and State substance abuse systems in order to more
efficiently and effectively carry out programs described in
paragraph (1) that address problems related to opioid abuse.
``(3) Providing training and resources for first responders
on carrying and administering an opioid overdose reversal
drug or device approved by the Food and Drug Administration,
and purchasing such a drug or device for first responders who
have received such training to carry and administer.
``(4) Investigative purposes to locate or investigate
illicit activities related to the unlawful distribution of
opioids.
``(5) Developing, implementing, or expanding a medication-
assisted treatment program used or operated by a criminal
justice agency, which may include training criminal justice
agency personnel on medication-assisted treatment, and
carrying out the activities described in part S of this
title.
``(6) In the case of a State, developing, implementing, or
expanding a prescription drug monitoring program to collect
and analyze data related to the prescribing of schedule II,
III, and IV controlled substances through a centralized
database administered by an authorized State agency, which
includes tracking the dispensation of such substances, and
providing for data sharing with other States.
``(7) Developing, implementing, or expanding a program to
prevent and address opioid abuse by juveniles.
``(8) Developing, implementing, or expanding an integrated
and comprehensive opioid abuse response program.
``(b) Contracts and Subawards.--A State, unit of local
government, or Indian tribe may, in using a grant under this
subpart for purposes authorized by subsection (a), use all or
a portion of that grant to contract with or make one or more
subawards to one or more--
``(1) local or regional organizations that are private and
nonprofit, including faith-based organizations;
``(2) units of local government; or
``(3) tribal organizations.
``(c) Program Assessment Component; Waiver.--
``(1) Program assessment component.--Each program funded
under this subpart shall contain a program assessment
component, developed pursuant to guidelines established by
the Attorney General, in coordination with the National
Institute of Justice.
``(2) Waiver.--The Attorney General may waive the
requirement of paragraph (1) with respect to a program if, in
the opinion of the Attorney General, the program is not of
sufficient size to justify a full program assessment.
``(d) Administrative Costs.--Not more than 10 percent of a
grant made under this subpart may be used for costs incurred
to administer such grant.
``(e) Period.--The period of a grant made under this part
may not be longer than 4 years, except that renewals and
extensions beyond that period may be granted at the
discretion of the Attorney General.
``SEC. 3022. APPLICATIONS.
``To request a grant under this part, the chief executive
officer of a State, unit of local government, or Indian tribe
shall submit an application to the Attorney General at such
time and in such form as the Attorney General may require.
Such application shall include the following:
``(1) A certification that Federal funds made available
under this subpart will not be used to supplant State, local,
or tribal funds, but will be used to increase the amounts of
such funds that would, in the absence of Federal funds, be
made available for the activities described in section
3021(a).
``(2) An assurance that, for each fiscal year covered by an
application, the applicant shall maintain and report such
data, records, and information (programmatic and financial)
as the Attorney General may reasonably require.
``(3) A certification, made in a form acceptable to the
Attorney General and executed by the chief executive officer
of the applicant (or by another officer of the applicant, if
qualified under regulations promulgated by the Attorney
General), that--
``(A) the programs to be funded by the grant meet all the
requirements of this part;
``(B) all the information contained in the application is
correct;
``(C) there has been appropriate coordination with affected
agencies; and
``(D) the applicant will comply with all provisions of this
part and all other applicable Federal laws.
``(4) An assurance that the applicant will work with the
Drug Enforcement Administration to develop an integrated and
comprehensive strategy to address opioid abuse.
``SEC. 3023. REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS.
``The Attorney General shall not finally disapprove any
application (or any amendment to that application) submitted
under this part without first affording the applicant
reasonable notice of any deficiencies in the application and
opportunity for correction and reconsideration.
``SEC. 3024. GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY.
``The Attorney General shall ensure equitable geographic
distribution of grants under this part and take into
consideration the needs of underserved populations, including
rural and tribal communities.
``SEC. 3025. DEFINITIONS.
``In this part:
``(1) The term `first responder' includes a firefighter,
law enforcement officer, paramedic, emergency medical
technician, or other individual (including an employee of a
legally organized and recognized volunteer organization,
whether compensated or not), who, in the course of
professional duties, responds to fire, medical, hazardous
material, or other similar emergencies.
``(2) The term `medication-assisted treatment' means the
use of medications approved by the
[[Page H2304]]
Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of opioid
abuse.
``(3) The term `opioid' means any drug, including heroin,
having an addiction-forming or addiction-sustaining liability
similar to morphine or being capable of conversion into a
drug having such addiction-forming or addiction-sustaining
liability.
``(4) The term `schedule II, III, or IV controlled
substance' means a controlled substance that is listed on
schedule II, schedule III, or schedule IV of section 202(c)
of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812(c)).
``(5) The terms `drug' and `device' have the meanings given
those terms in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321).
``(6) The term `criminal justice agency' means a State,
local, or tribal--
``(A) court;
``(B) prison;
``(C) jail;
``(D) law enforcement agency; or
``(E) other agency that performs the administration of
criminal justice, including prosecution, pretrial services,
and community supervision.
``(7) The term `tribal organization' has the meaning given
that term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b).''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 1001(a) of
the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (42
U.S.C. 3793(a)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (26)
the following:
``(27) There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
part LL $103,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2017 through
2021.''.
SEC. 3. AUDIT AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF GRANTEES.
(a) Definitions.--In this section--
(1) the term ``covered grant program'' means a grant
program operated by the Department of Justice;
(2) the term ``covered grantee'' means a recipient of a
grant from a covered grant program;
(3) the term ``nonprofit'', when used with respect to an
organization, means an organization that is described in
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and
is exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code;
and
(4) the term ``unresolved audit finding'' means an audit
report finding in a final audit report of the Inspector
General of the Department of Justice that a covered grantee
has used grant funds awarded to that grantee under a covered
grant program for an unauthorized expenditure or otherwise
unallowable cost that is not closed or resolved during a 12-
month period prior to the date on which the final audit
report is issued.
(b) Audit Requirement.--Beginning in fiscal year 2016, and
annually thereafter, the Inspector General of the Department
of Justice shall conduct audits of covered grantees to
prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of funds awarded under
covered grant programs. The Inspector General shall determine
the appropriate number of covered grantees to be audited each
year.
(c) Mandatory Exclusion.--A grantee that is found to have
an unresolved audit finding under an audit conducted under
subsection (b) may not receive grant funds under a covered
grant program in the fiscal year following the fiscal year to
which the finding relates.
(d) Reimbursement.--If a covered grantee is awarded funds
under the covered grant program from which it received a
grant award during the 1-fiscal-year period during which the
covered grantee is ineligible for an allocation of grant
funds under subsection (c), the Attorney General shall--
(1) deposit into the General Fund of the Treasury an amount
that is equal to the amount of the grant funds that were
improperly awarded to the covered grantee; and
(2) seek to recoup the costs of the repayment to the Fund
from the covered grantee that was improperly awarded the
grant funds.
(e) Priority of Grant Awards.--The Attorney General, in
awarding grants under a covered grant program shall give
priority to eligible entities that during the 2-year period
preceding the application for a grant have not been found to
have an unresolved audit finding.
(f) Nonprofit Requirements.--
(1) Prohibition.--A nonprofit organization that holds money
in offshore accounts for the purpose of avoiding the tax
described in section 511(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, shall not be eligible to receive, directly or
indirectly, any funds from a covered grant program.
(2) Disclosure.--Each nonprofit organization that is a
covered grantee shall disclose in its application for such a
grant, as a condition of receipt of such a grant, the
compensation of its officers, directors, and trustees. Such
disclosure shall include a description of the criteria relied
on to determine such compensation.
SEC. 4. VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS.
Section 2991 of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets
Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3797aa) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (i) as subsection (j); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (h) the following:
``(i) Assisting Veterans.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Peer to peer services or programs.--The term `peer to
peer services or programs' means services or programs that
connect qualified veterans with other veterans for the
purpose of providing support and mentorship to assist
qualified veterans in obtaining treatment, recovery,
stabilization, or rehabilitation.
``(B) Qualified veteran.--The term `qualified veteran'
means a preliminarily qualified offender who--
``(i) served on active duty in any branch of the Armed
Forces, including the National Guard or Reserves; and
``(ii) was discharged or released from such service under
conditions other than dishonorable.
``(C) Veterans treatment court program.--The term `veterans
treatment court program' means a court program involving
collaboration among criminal justice, veterans, and mental
health and substance abuse agencies that provides qualified
veterans with--
``(i) intensive judicial supervision and case management,
which may include random and frequent drug testing where
appropriate;
``(ii) a full continuum of treatment services, including
mental health services, substance abuse services, medical
services, and services to address trauma;
``(iii) alternatives to incarceration; or
``(iv) other appropriate services, including housing,
transportation, mentoring, employment, job training,
education, or assistance in applying for and obtaining
available benefits.
``(2) Veterans assistance program.--
``(A) In general.--The Attorney General, in consultation
with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, may award grants
under this subsection to applicants to establish or expand--
``(i) veterans treatment court programs;
``(ii) peer to peer services or programs for qualified
veterans;
``(iii) practices that identify and provide treatment,
rehabilitation, legal, transitional, and other appropriate
services to qualified veterans who have been incarcerated; or
``(iv) training programs to teach criminal justice, law
enforcement, corrections, mental health, and substance abuse
personnel how to identify and appropriately respond to
incidents involving qualified veterans.
``(B) Priority.--In awarding grants under this subsection,
the Attorney General shall give priority to applications
that--
``(i) demonstrate collaboration between and joint
investments by criminal justice, mental health, substance
abuse, and veterans service agencies;
``(ii) promote effective strategies to identify and reduce
the risk of harm to qualified veterans and public safety; and
``(iii) propose interventions with empirical support to
improve outcomes for qualified veterans.''.
SEC. 5. EMERGENCY FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE.
Section 609Y(a) of the Justice Assistance Act of 1984 (42
U.S.C. 10513(a)) is amended by striking ``September 30,
1984'' and inserting ``September 30, 2021''.
The Acting CHAIR. No amendment to that amendment in the nature of a
substitute shall be in order except those printed in part B of House
Report 114-551. Each such amendment may be offered only in the order
printed in the report, by a Member designated in the report, shall be
considered read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the
report, equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an
opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject
to a demand for division of the question.
Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Donovan
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 1
printed in part B of House Report 114-551.
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 2, line 6, strike ``part HH'' and insert ``part DD or
HH''.
Add at the end of the bill the following:
SEC. 6. INCLUSION OF SERVICES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN UNDER
FAMILY-BASED SUBSTANCE ABUSE GRANTS.
Part DD of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe
Streets Act (42 U.S.C. 3797s et seq.) is amended--
(1) in section 2921(2), by inserting before the period at
the end ``or pregnant women''; and
(2) in section 2927--
(A) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ``pregnant or''
before ``a parent''; and
(B) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``or pregnant women''
after ``incarcerated parents''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 720, the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Donovan) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the amendment
offered by myself and Mr. Turner. This amendment expands eligibility
for existing family-based substance abuse treatment grants to include
pregnant women.
In New York State alone, over 1,700 pregnant women pass through our
corrections system each year. On any given day, there are 12 to 15
pregnant women in New York State prisons and 110 in local jails, and
many of these women are coming in with drug addictions that pose harm
to not only themselves, but to their unborn children.
States across the country have passed laws and implemented programs
to provide community and family-based alternatives to incarceration for
[[Page H2305]]
nonviolent parent offenders. However, State programs targeting
offenders who are parents-to-be are not currently eligible for grants.
This peculiarity makes it difficult for States to develop programs
addressing the particularly vulnerable population of nonviolent
pregnant offenders. This amendment would make clear that such funding
could be provided to States to develop and expand family-based
substance abuse treatment programs that focus on expectant mothers.
When a drug-addicted pregnant woman comes through the criminal
justice system, we make every effort to help that expectant mother beat
her drug addiction both for herself and for her child.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr.
Turner), my friend and cosponsor of this amendment.
Mr. TURNER. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank my colleague from New
York (Mr. Donovan) for yielding and for his work on this amendment,
which I am proud to cosponsor.
Mr. Chairman, the purpose of this amendment is simple: increase
access to substance abuse treatment for pregnant women. We accomplish
this by making clear that States receiving grants from an existing
Department of Justice program may use them to provide family-based
treatment.
Currently, nonviolent mothers and fathers have access to family- and
community-based substance abuse treatment options that help keep their
families together, and that should be true for expectant mothers as
well. Our amendment would help provide this access to the 60 pregnant
women in Ohio State prisons last month and countless others across the
country, all of whom are ineligible for it today.
I have met with doctors, nurses, hospitals, law enforcement, and
treatment professionals, and have seen firsthand the devastating
effects that heroin and opioid abuse have inflicted on pregnant women
and newborns in my own southwest Ohio community. In December of 2013, I
toured Soin Medical Center in Beavercreek, Ohio, and discussed the
concerning trend the hospital was observing: increasing numbers of
infants born addicted to opiates.
At the Dayton Children's Hospital neonatal intensive care unit, I
witnessed the hardship that heroin and opioid addiction inflicts on
both women and their babies. I met with mothers struggling with
substance abuse who had given birth to infants who had become addicted
in the womb. I watched newborns just starting their lives suffering
through the painful symptoms of neonatal abstinence syndrome.
At the Women's Recovery Center in Xenia, Ohio, I spoke to young women
participating in opiate abuse intervention and treatment programs. One
former heroin user I spoke to shared with me her story about how the
intervention and treatment she received at the center allowed her to
overcome her addiction before giving birth to her son.
It is vital that we provide women access to this treatment--for their
own health and for the health of the children that they will bring into
the world.
Mr. Chairman, I urge adoption of this amendment.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition,
although I do not oppose the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentlewoman from Texas is
recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Chairman, let me congratulate the proponents of
the amendment and indicate to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Donovan)
that I think many of us are on the same page.
The Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act authorizes the
Attorney General to make grants to State and local governments for
prison-based family substance abuse treatment programs for the
incarcerated parents of minor children.
These programs can provide a comprehensive response to the needs of
incarcerated parents of minor children, not only substance abuse
treatment, but also a range of family-related services. These can
include child early intervention services, family counseling, medical
care, mental health services, parental skills training, pediatric care,
physical therapy, and prenatal care.
The importance of the value of these programs to pregnant women who
find themselves incarcerated as well as to women who are already
mothers is beyond dispute. We want to give our children--no matter who
they are and where they are born in this country--a great and wonderful
pathway to success. This amendment makes pregnant women equally
eligible to participate in such programs.
As indicated earlier on the floor today, I am planning to introduce
the Stop Infant Mortality and Recidivism Reduction Act of 2016, which
is to respond to women who have children while they are incarcerated,
to provide them with some sort of support system where their babies are
not separated from them. Those babies may be born addicted. I think it
is important that this amendment looks at those pregnant women who may
be incarcerated; and in this instance, this looks at pregnant women to
provide them alternatives. It can be of tremendous benefit to these
mothers-to-be as well as their children and families.
This effort has my wholehearted support, and I strongly urge my
colleagues to support this amendment to the underlying bill.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the
distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner).
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding
and commend him for offering this amendment.
The amendment makes reasonable and appropriate changes to the Justice
Department's Family-Based Substance Abuse Treatment Program, a program
authorized under the Second Chance Act. The program supports State and
local government agencies and federally recognized Indian tribes in
establishing or enhancing residential substance abuse treatment
programs in correctional facilities that include recovery of family
supportive services. This amendment ensures that the program's
definition of an incarcerated parent with minor children includes
pregnant women.
As a person who believes life begins at conception, I believe it is
entirely appropriate for this program to provide services to pregnant
women to meet their unique needs and those of their unborn children.
Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.
Mr. DONOVAN. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Donovan).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 2
printed in part B of House Report 114-551.
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at
the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 2, line 14, strike ``and''.
Page 2, line 17, strike the period at the end and insert
``; and''.
Page 2, after line 17, insert the following:
``(F) a focus on parents whose incarceration could result
in their children entering the child welfare system.''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 720, the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis) and a Member opposed each will
control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to join
with my colleague from Indiana, Representative Todd Young, in offering
our amendment to strengthen families by addressing parental substance
abuse and decreasing the number of children entering foster care.
Our amendment is common sense. It simply allows the CARA substance
abuse treatment diversion grants to focus on parents whose
incarceration could result in their children entering foster care.
I am deeply troubled that almost 8 percent of children placed into
foster care each year enter due to parental incarceration. This is
approximately
[[Page H2306]]
20,000 young children every year. In some States like Arkansas, Idaho,
Indiana, and South Dakota, over 20 percent of children enter foster
care due to parent incarceration.
We also know that substance abuse underlies a substantial percentage
of child welfare cases.
{time} 1345
Aside from neglect, alcohol or other drug use is the number one
reason for removal from the home. In 2014, over 77,000 youth were
removed from their homes due to drug abuse.
What is exciting is that we have strong, empirical evidence that
working with parents experiencing substance abuse significantly helps
children and families experience fewer days in foster care, higher
reunification rates, less recurrence of child maltreatment, and better
permanency over time.
Neither the Senate nor the House CARA bill addresses this critical
intersection of criminal justice, substance abuse, and foster care.
Yet, this intersection underlies the surging numbers in both the
judicial and child welfare systems.
The Annie E. Casey Foundation, an amazing champion for foster youth,
just released a report 2 weeks ago that recommended that judges
consider the impact on kids and families when making sentencing and
confinement decisions.
Our amendment is necessary to demonstrate congressional intent that
the Department of Justice improve our judicial system to decrease the
horrible family impact of incarceration that swells our child welfare
system and undermines child well-being.
That is why over a dozen key child welfare advocates support our
amendment, including the American Public Human Services Association,
the American Psychological Association, Children's Defense Fund,
Children's Home Society of America, Child Welfare League of America,
National Association of Counsel for Children, National Foster Family-
Based Treatment Association, National Foster Parent Association, North
American Council on Adoptable Children, Ray E. Helfer Society, Voice
for Adoption, and Zero to Three.
I urge support of our amendment that will do much to strengthen
families and improve child welfare.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the
time in opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for offering
this amendment, and I support it.
The opioid epidemic has victimized countless Americans, including the
most vulnerable among us--our children. We are all aware of the grim
statistics surrounding prescription opioid abuse by teenagers. However,
a young child who loses a parent to addiction is also a victim that
needs our help.
I support this effort, which will promote family unity while holding
certain offenders accountable and ensuring community safety.
I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance
of my time.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume
to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Young).
Mr. YOUNG of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from
Illinois for introducing this amendment, shedding light on one of the
most vulnerable populations affected by this national opioid epidemic:
our children.
As communities, non-profits, and policymakers search for solutions to
address this harrowing drug epidemic, it is essential that we not lose
sight of the children whose lives have been fundamentally and forever
altered by this nationwide crisis.
Kids across the country are having their lives turned upside down.
They are watching parents taken into custody. They are forced to leave
homes, wondering whether they will ever be able to see their father or
mother again. These are things children shouldn't have to worry about
and shouldn't have to go through.
The national opioid epidemic has hit my home State of Indiana
particularly hard. A small Hoosier community of 4,300 was catapulted
into the spotlight last spring. We had over 190 Hoosiers diagnosed with
HIV primarily due to intravenous drug use. It is a tragedy the CDC has
cited as one of the worst documented HIV outbreaks among users in the
past 2 decades.
This localized epidemic, similar to others across the country, is
linked to the use of a powerful painkiller, a very highly addictive
opiate.
In addressing this nationwide problem, we are going to have to
overcome the negative stigmas of drug addiction. We need to treat these
individuals--and I say this literally--treat them as patients who need
our encouragement and our support to get well.
That is what this amendment accomplishes. Under this amendment,
thousands of children who would otherwise see their parent destined for
a prison cell will instead see the parent they love and depend on get
the treatment they need.
The need for this amendment is urgent. The Indiana Department of
Child Services estimates 2,600 children had to be removed from homes
due to parental drug abuse in just a 6-month period that ended last
March. That is a 71 percent jump from 2 years earlier.
We, as legislators, have a real responsibility to look out for these
children.
When States develop a substance abuse treatment program that can be
an alternative to incarceration, this amendment allows them to focus on
treating parents whose incarceration could result in their children
languishing in an overwhelmed child welfare system. More than a dozen
child welfare organizations support this bipartisan endeavor.
I want to thank Mr. Davis, as I close here, and his staff for
collaborating with me and Jaymi Light in my office in order to ensure
that we can help this vulnerable population.
I ask my colleagues to support the amendment and help us ensure our
most vulnerable children are no longer caught up in this epidemic.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the
balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 3 Offered by Ms. DelBene
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 3
printed in part B of House Report 114-551.
Ms. DelBENE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 2, line 14, strike ``and''.
Page 2, line 17, strike the period at the end and insert
``; and''.
Page 2, after line 17, insert the following:
``(F) a community-based substance use diversion program
sponsored by a law enforcement agency.''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 720, the gentlewoman
from Washington (Ms. DelBene) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Washington.
Ms. DelBENE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer a simple clarifying
amendment to ensure that State, local, and tribal governments can
develop and implement community-based programs that have demonstrated
success in reducing recidivism and getting people the help that they
need. I am hopeful everyone in this Chamber can support it.
The growing epidemic of heroin use and prescription drug abuse is
having a devastating effect on the health and safety of our families
and our communities both in my home State of Washington and across the
country.
The problem has become so severe that adults in the United States are
now more likely to die from a drug overdose than a car accident. With
more than 120 deaths occurring from drug overdoses in this country
every day--more than half of which are from prescription drugs--it is
clearer than ever that Congress must take action.
[[Page H2307]]
That is why I am so pleased to see my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle coming together to combat the epidemic of addiction. This
legislation represents an important first step. It authorizes much-
needed funding for the opioid abuse reduction programs that will expand
substance abuse prevention and intervention efforts, boost resources
for law enforcement officers and first responders to administer
overdose reversal drugs, improve substance abuse treatment for
individuals in the criminal justice system, and help prevent the
illegal distribution of opioids in our streets.
Among the programs authorized under the bill are treatment
alternative to incarceration programs, an important tool for law
enforcement agencies in the fight against opioid abuse. My amendment
simply clarifies that this provision includes a model with demonstrated
success in Seattle and King County.
First launched in 2011, the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion
program, or LEAD, is a community-based pilot program that offers a
helping hand rather than jail time for those suffering from substance
abuse.
According to an initial study, it successfully reduces recidivism by
as much as 60 percent. Other cities have taken notice, with Santa Fe
and Albany already working to implement the model in their communities.
Instead of arresting and prosecuting low-level drug offenders, we
should be supporting successful programs like LEAD that direct them to
the community-based services and help that they need.
My amendment will do just that. It will ensure resources are
available to expand successful models that are already working and make
a meaningful difference in addressing this crisis.
I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the
time in opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from
Washington for offering this amendment, and I support it.
This amendment clarifies that grant monies authorized by H.R. 5046
can be used to fund community-based substance abuse diversion programs
sponsored by law enforcement agencies.
There are a variety of programs across the country administered by
State and local law enforcement and prosecuting agencies that offer
diversion to drug treatment and other services as an alternative to
incarceration.
In my home State of Wisconsin, Treatment Alternatives and Diversion,
or TAD, programs ``offer offenders the opportunity to enter and do
voluntary substance abuse treatment, case management, and other risk
reduction services as a safe alternative to jail or prison confinement.
Diverting nonviolent offenders into substance abuse treatment keeps
them out of jail and correctional facilities, thereby saving bed space
and taxpayer dollars, as well as treating the underlying addiction that
may have influenced the commission of a crime or may contribute to
future criminal behavior.''
These are precisely the types of treatment alternatives to
incarceration programs that I believe should be eligible for funding
through this new Department of Justice grant.
I thank the gentlewoman from Washington for working with us on
drafting the amendment.
I urge my colleagues to join me in support of it.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. DelBENE. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson).
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman. I rise
in support of her amendment. I also rise to state my unyielding support
for the underlying legislation introduced by my friend, Jim
Sensenbrenner from Wisconsin, literally an institution of statutory
production in the halls of this Congress. I appreciate it.
This DelBene amendment would enable States and local governments to
use grant monies for treatment alternatives to incarceration programs,
including community-based abuse diversion programs sponsored by a law
enforcement agency.
H.R. 5046 authorizes the attorney general to make grants to State and
local governments for the development, expansion, or implementation of
opioid abuse treatment programs as an alternative to incarceration.
This amendment would expand eligibility for such grants to community-
based substance abuse diversion programs sponsored by a law enforcement
agency.
The cooperation and involvement of local law enforcement agencies is
an important component in any comprehensive effort to combat opioid
abuse. Diversion programs can play a key role in improving outcomes and
rehabilitating opioid drug offenders.
Diversion programs also benefit law enforcement by conserving law
enforcement resources, judicial and penal resources, while enabling
police agencies and courts to focus on drug traffickers and other
serious criminals.
Based on those facts, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. DelBENE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. DelBene).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 4 Offered by Mr. DeSaulnier
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 4
printed in part B of House Report 114-551.
Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 3, line 21, insert after ``providing for'' the
following: ``interoperability and''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 720, the gentleman
from California (Mr. DeSaulnier) and a Member opposed each will control
5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
{time} 1400
Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Chairman, let me say how happy I am to be here in
a bipartisan spirit on this important issue of the opioid epidemic in
this country.
I rise, obviously, to support this particular amendment, and I thank
my colleague from Georgia (Mr. Carter) for being a partner in this
effort.
Our amendment simply clarifies that grants authorized under this bill
may be used to develop multi-State interoperable Prescription Drug
Monitoring Programs. PDMPs are one of the most important tools in the
fight against prescription drug abuse.
All of us come here today from separate starting points. For me, like
many others, it was because of parents of children who were lost to
this epidemic.
Bob and Carmen Pack were constituents in an affluent suburb of San
Francisco, which is in my district and is formerly in my State
legislative district, who took their two young children, Troy and Alana
Pack, out for a walk to the local ice cream shop for a treat on a
beautiful Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, a woman, who was later
convicted of abusing and doctor shopping for opioids and also of using
alcohol, swerved across the street, killing Troy and Alana and almost
killing Carmen Pack, who was expecting at the time. Fortunately, she
survived and had a child.
Bob, a software engineer, proceeded to put his energies into updating
the California PDMP to make it electronic, to make usable in realtime,
and to make it effective in trying to control opioid addictions. He
partnered with multiple attorneys general in California to see this
effected.
As a State senator, I was able to partner with them to institute a
program and fully fund CURES, the California PDMP that allows for the
realtime monitoring of prescriptions. It went from 13,000 users in the
course of a year to over 200,000 users, and it is now fully
implemented.
One of the weak points of the CURE system in California is its
inability to
[[Page H2308]]
communicate with other systems as they are developed around the country
and the ability for people who abuse these products, including
organized crimes, to go to other States. So it is important at this
point, as States start to develop these sophisticated but very cost-
effective systems, that we establish them in such a way that they are
interoperable.
While doctors and pharmacies work hard to prevent anyone from filling
unneeded orders, it is more difficult to stop doctor shopping by
individuals who visit multiple doctors and pharmacists in an attempt to
obtain more opioids. Some individuals who are addicted will cross State
lines--and, obviously, organized crime will do so--to avoid their
States' prescription drug monitoring systems. Unfortunately, many State
programs are not interoperable with neighboring States and do not
coordinate and share this information effectively.
To improve the success of these programs, our amendment explicitly
states that these funds can be used to promote interoperability and
data sharing between States. Our amendment is a small step towards
improving existing systems, and it will help States better understand
patterns of interstate drug trafficking.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the
time in opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Westmoreland). Is there objection to the
request of the gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Virginia is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I thank the gentleman from California and the gentleman from Georgia
for offering this amendment.
This amendment makes a small but important change to H.R. 5046 to
clarify that grants can be used to improve the interoperability of
Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, or PDMPs, which are a valuable
tool in combating the opioid epidemic and have been established across
the country. This amendment will help medical practitioners see what
potentially dangerous medications a patient has received in another
State before writing a prescription.
I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to
the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).
Mr. CARTER of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I
thank him for his support of what I consider to be a very important
amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment to H.R. 5046
because Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs and their effectiveness
are key to fighting prescription drug abuse in this country.
As a lifelong pharmacist and as the author of the Georgia
Prescription Drug Monitoring Program while I was a member of the
Georgia General Assembly, I believe PDMPs are one of the most important
tools in the fight against prescription drug abuse. To increase the
success of these programs throughout the country, interoperability and
data sharing between States is paramount.
I commend Chairman Goodlatte and the Judiciary Committee for their
work on this bill; but to continue the growth and the success of PDMPs,
interoperability should be included in any discussion to improve these
systems so States can better share information about patients and the
patterns that occur with interstate prescription drug trafficking.
I thank the gentleman from California for his work on this important
issue, and I encourage my colleagues to support this commonsense
amendment.
Mr. DeSAULNIER. I thank Mr. Carter and my colleagues on the other
side of the aisle for supporting this commonsense amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the
amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 5 Offered by Mr. Bishop of Michigan
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 5
printed in part B of House Report 114-551.
Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the
desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 4, after line 3, insert the following:
``(9) Developing, implementing, or expanding a program
(which may include demonstration projects) to utilize
technology that provides a secure container for prescription
drugs that would prevent individuals, particularly
adolescents, from gaining access to opioid medications that
are lawfully prescribed for other individuals.''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 720, the gentleman
from Michigan (Mr. Bishop) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. I thank the chairman of the Judiciary
Committee, Chairman Goodlatte, and Mr. Sensenbrenner, the chairman of
the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and
Investigations, for their leadership in bringing this bill to the floor
today.
Mr. Chairman, I am also pleased to be here in the spirit of
bipartisanship because, as you all know, this problem affects all
Members' districts. It is a problem that sheriffs and local law
enforcement in my district deal with on a daily basis. Admittedly, my
amendment is not the silver bullet that will end this epidemic, but it
is a commonsense step in the right direction, something we can take to
address the problem at its roots, which is within the home.
The National Institutes of Health estimates that 800,000 children
between the ages of 12 and 17 try opioids for the first time each year
and that 70 percent of the opioids obtained by kids are from their
families, friends, and relatives. It also found that 62 percent of kids
say prescription medicines are easy to get from their families'
medicine cabinets and that one in two kids, alarmingly, thinks pills
are available everywhere.
In response to these statistics, my amendment would allow the State
and local governments to invest in programs that utilize secure
containers for prescription drugs. It is important to note that this
amendment does not mandate such programs; it merely makes available the
opportunity should local governments voluntarily choose to take
advantage of the program.
While there may not be an easy fix to cure all of the alarming
statistics, there are things that we can do and have done. In fact, in
the 1960s, children were dying at an alarming rate from ingesting
medications that were not meant for them. Congress responded, and it
responded by passing the Poisoning Prevention Packaging Act of 1970,
which requires child-resistant caps for a number of different
medications. That was the last time major changes were made to drug
containers.
As we all know, technology has advanced significantly in every
category since 1970. Today, new technologies exist that make it harder
to steal medications out of the family medicine cabinet, but they are
not widely used. Secure containers, clearly, will not fix this problem,
but they will act as a deterrent to the source of the problem.
As a father of three, I know that kids face all sorts of pressures at
school and in their daily lives. Oftentimes, they don't respond in the
appropriate way, and they sometimes give in to those pressures. That
doesn't make them bad kids, but we cannot continue to turn a blind eye
in denial while it is happening. My amendment would allow for the
implementation and the development of a program that utilizes secure
containers for prescription drugs.
This is a commonsense solution that addresses a problem at its
source. It is a common practice to lock up things that we deem valuable
and that could be dangerous to others. We lock up our cars, we lock up
our bikes, we lock the doors of our homes; some of us may
[[Page H2309]]
even lock the drawers of our desks or lock up valuables and weapons in
safe places in our homes. Therefore, it only makes sense when it comes
to dangerous pills that are being stolen and that are leading us down
dangerous paths to addiction, that we lock up these medicines and deter
them from being stolen in the first place.
This is not a mandate and it is not a directive for anyone to do
this. My amendment simply allows States and localities to utilize funds
or programs that provide for secure containers. Again, it is not to be
considered the be-all and end-all solution, but it is a genuine step in
the right direction to thwart this tragic epidemic.
I urge all Members to support my amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the
gentleman's amendment, though I do not oppose the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for
5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, this amendment authorizes
grants for programs to develop secure prescription drug containers to
prevent individuals, particularly children, from gaining access to
opioid medications that have been lawfully prescribed to others.
This amendment addresses a serious problem--the unauthorized access
to or use of lawfully prescribed prescription opioid medications by a
person other than the individual for whom the drugs were prescribed.
The use of prescription opioid medications is controlled for a good
reason. The misuse of such medications can have serious, even fatal,
consequences. Perhaps the most tragic situation is one in which a child
finds and, out of innocent curiosity, takes a prescription medication
that is in the home, with the drugs having been prescribed for a parent
or other family member, and that person then suffers an overdose. This
amendment will help prevent this problem by providing funding for
programs that utilize technology to help develop secure containers for
prescription drugs.
The advancement of such potentially lifesaving technology deserves
our full support. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to support this
amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), the chairman of
the Judiciary Committee.
Mr. GOODLATTE. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I commend the gentleman from Michigan for offering this
amendment and for his commitment to combating opioid abuse, including
joining as an original cosponsor of H.R. 5046.
In a recent poll, 62 percent of American teenagers stated that
prescription drugs are easy to get from the family medicine cabinet.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, a full 70 percent of
prescription drug medications that are obtained by adolescents are
acquired from family, relatives, or friends.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, of the 2.4 million
people annually who use prescription drugs nonmedically and for the
first time, a shocking 800,000 are aged 12 to 17. Often, the drugs are
pilfered, which means a child or a visitor takes one or two from a
bottle at a time in order to escape detection from a parent or a
friend.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment that addresses this
problem.
Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my
time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bishop).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 6 Offered by Mr. Guinta
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 6
printed in part B of House Report 114-551.
Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 4, line 3, insert before the period at the end the
following: ``, including prevention and recovery programs''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 720, the gentleman
from New Hampshire (Mr. Guinta) and a Member opposed each will control
5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Hampshire.
Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment that I
introduced with my colleague, Congresswoman Kuster.
This amendment would add prevention and recovery programs to the list
of allowable uses in this legislation.
While the opioid misuse and overdose epidemic is taking a terrible
toll on our Nation, with proper treatment and recovery support systems,
individuals can and do recover.
{time} 1415
Today, 23 million Americans are in recovery from substance use
disorders and are contributing to our society and to our economy.
In my home State of New Hampshire, over 430 people died of opioid
overdose just last year. This number, unfortunately, is expected to
rise in 2016.
By allowing prevention and recovery programs to receive this
important grant money, individuals who need the long-term recovery
support have a better chance of surviving and thriving as they beat
their addiction.
Beyond the work that we are doing here in Congress, I would like to
thank all of those heroes who are helping our communities to address
this widening crisis. Specifically, in New Hampshire, people like my
friend, Melissa Cruz, are among the many who are working behind the
scenes to end this epidemic. Her work with Hope for New Hampshire
Recovery to create another treatment and recovery center in our State's
largest city, Manchester, my hometown, is essential to getting addicted
Granite Staters back on their feet for long-term success.
I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. GUINTA. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for offering
this amendment.
As the gentleman knows, addiction treatment and recovery in a
noncriminal justice context are not within the Judiciary Committee's
jurisdiction and, therefore, were not included in H.R. 5046, as
reported by the committee, since this bill establishes a grant program
in the Department of Justice.
I do not oppose the amendment since I recognize that treatment and
recovery are important functions in addressing this epidemic. However,
I would like to work with the gentleman in going forward to ensure that
treatment and recovery are appropriately tailored to DOJ functions or
are otherwise addressed through appropriate grant programs, such as
those administered by the Department of Health and Human Services.
We must ensure that the grant programs to address the opioid epidemic
are appropriately tailored to and administered by the Federal agencies
with expertise in the areas for which they will be awarding funding.
Otherwise, we are not fulfilling our duty to use taxpayer dollars
efficiently.
With that caveat, I support the amendment and urge my colleagues to
do the same.
Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr.
Sensenbrenner) for his support in this area and appreciate his
willingness to continue to work in this arena. I certainly will
continue to do that.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. KUSTER. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, although I
am not opposed to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentlewoman from New
Hampshire is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Ms. KUSTER. Mr. Chairman, I thank Congressman Guinta for introducing
this amendment. As my partner and as co-chair of the Bipartisan Task
Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic, we appreciate his tireless work on
this issue. I also want to thank the authors of this important
legislation, Congressman Sensenbrenner and Congressman Conyers, for
bringing forward the bill that
[[Page H2310]]
makes such important progress in authorizing $103 million annually in
grants through the Department of Justice.
I am proud of the work that we are accomplishing here together this
week. But that being said, we have many areas in which we have an
opportunity to improve upon the legislation on the floor. And one of
those areas is improved assistance for prevention, treatment, and
lifelong recovery programs.
Substance use disorder can be a lifelong challenge, and those
struggling with this illness need access to the lifelong support
required, just as we assist those with diabetes or heart disease.
This critical amendment makes a simple change that would allow the
grants authorized by this legislation to be used for prevention and
recovery programs. We must address this crisis in a holistic way that
includes efforts to treat addiction and strengthen lifelong recovery.
I urge my colleagues to pass this critical amendment and to pass the
underlying legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Goodlatte for his
leadership and work in this area.
Prevention and recovery is incredibly important as we try to help
those who deal with substance abuse challenges and addiction
challenges, not just in New Hampshire, but around the country.
I would urge again support of the amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Guinta).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Rothfus
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 7
printed in part B of House Report 114-551.
Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 4, after line 3, insert the following:
``(9) Developing, implementing, or expanding a program to
prevent and address opioid abuse by veterans.''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 720, the gentleman
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus) and a Member opposed each will control
5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend from Wisconsin for his
leadership on this very important piece of legislation, and the
chairman and ranking member of the Judiciary Committee for working
together to bring it to the floor today.
The United States is being ravaged by skyrocketing levels of
prescription opioid and heroin abuse. This brutal epidemic accounted
for more than 28,000 American deaths in 2014. It is destroying families
and devastating our local communities.
Tragically, our Nation's veteran population has been particularly
hard-hit by this crisis. Veterans suffer significantly higher rates of
opioid abuse than their civilian counterparts. And according to some
estimates, the number of opioid use disorders among veterans has
increased 55 percent in the past 5 years. Worst of all, the death rate
from opioid overdose among veterans is nearly double the national
average. Clearly our veteran population has a unique set of needs when
it comes to dealing with addiction that must be addressed through
specialized programming. We need meaningful and evidence-based
solutions, including treatment for co-occurring illnesses, such as
depression and PTSD.
I have been working to help develop those solutions as part of the
Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic and by holding a
series of roundtables with stakeholders in my district. I strongly
believe that the legislation we are considering here today is another
step forward in that process.
Specifically, the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act will
direct $103 million in Federal funds toward abuse programs focused
squarely on addressing the opioid epidemic. By structuring this funding
as a competitive grant program, the bill provides States and localities
with maximum flexibility to attack opioid abuse that is unique to their
communities.
Among other things, States will be able to use the grant funds for
various types of anti-opioid programs, including veteran treatment
courts. These specialized courts, which seek to divert veterans away
from traditional justice systems and provide them with both treatment
and tools for rehabilitation, are certainly worthwhile and should be
supported. But it is also my sincere hope that we can reach many
veterans who are at risk of opioid or heroin abuse long before they
enter our court system in the first place. And that is the goal of my
amendment.
Specifically, my amendment would expand the list of permissible uses
for funds from the newly created Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant
Program to include efforts to develop, implement, or expand programs to
prevent and address opioid abuse by veterans. As currently drafted, the
legislation permits similar funding for efforts to prevent and address
opioid abuse by juveniles. My amendment will simply ensure that the
same resources are available to treat our veterans.
We have a solemn obligation to stand with our veterans. It is the
principle of solidarity. They stood for us; we need to stand for them.
Let us keep that commitment today by ensuring that our veterans have
the resources and support they need to combat this horrible epidemic.
I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr.
Sensenbrenner).
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus) for yielding and for offering this
amendment.
The amendment adds a purpose area to the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse
Grant Program established under H.R. 5046, which would allow grantees
to use funds awarded under the program to develop, implement, or expand
the program to prevent and address opioid abuse by veterans.
I strongly support programs to provide services to our Nation's
veterans, who have done so much to protect our freedom and our way of
life. As the gentleman is no doubt aware, the underlying bill
recognizes that many veterans, particularly those who have been wounded
in defense of our Nation, in a tragic irony, have become addicted to
the medications they were prescribed to deal with pain from their
wounds of war. And the bill includes provisions supporting Veterans
Treatment Courts and other mechanisms to provide services to veterans.
I would like to work with the gentleman going forward as we move to
conference with the Senate to streamline the provisions in my bill with
the gentleman's amendment and to ensure that the bill contains
appropriate, non-redundant provisions to protect our Nation's veterans.
I support the amendment and urge my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr.
Sensenbrenner) for his work on this important legislation.
To close, I simply urge my colleagues to support this commonsense
amendment to ensure that the funds provided in this legislation can be
used for programs that will provide direct assistance to our veterans
in the fight against opioid and heroin abuse.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition, although
I don't oppose the underlying amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman is recognized for
5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would expand the
list of eligible grant uses for the new program under H.R. 5046 to
include efforts to develop, implement, or expand a program to prevent
and address opiate abuse by veterans. This amendment would add programs
for veterans to prevent and address opiate abuse to the list of grants
authorized under H.R. 5046.
The bill creates a grant program geared toward addressing opiate
abuse. As currently drafted, the bill defines eight areas of uses for
which grants may be awarded.
This amendment makes clear that veterans programs are among the
purposes for which the grants may be used. Our veterans have sacrificed
for us, and we should take appropriate
[[Page H2311]]
steps to assist those veterans who suffer from opiate abuse and heroin
abuse.
I support this amendment and I encourage my colleagues to support it.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 8 Offered by Mr. Keating
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 8
printed in part B of House Report 114-551.
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 4, after line 3, insert the following:
``(9) Developing, implementing, or expanding a prescription
drug take-back program.''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 720, the gentleman
from Massachusetts (Mr. Keating) and a Member opposed each will control
5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer an amendment to H.R. 5046
to include drug take-back programs in the list of funds made available
under the bill's Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program.
The Centers for Disease Control reports that healthcare providers in
the U.S. write 259 million prescriptions for opioids a year, enough for
every American adult to have their own bottle of pills.
In Massachusetts alone, 4.4 million opioid prescriptions, including
240 million pills, capsules, or tablets were dispensed in 2014.
Further, nearly half of the people in my State report that it is too
easy to get prescription opioids from those who have leftover pills.
And the people who share these leftover pills are usually unaware of
the significant dangers that they represent.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that nearly 4 in 5
people addicted to heroin say their habit began by misusing
prescription medications. Over half of those people report they got
their prescription painkillers from a friend or a relative for free.
And this includes adolescents.
My amendment would help give these people ways to stop their problem
before it starts. More than ever, communities need to supply safe
disposal services to their residents to get excess pills out of the
hands of people who don't need them. My amendment would make sure that
our communities have access to the resources they need to do so.
The American Medical Association recognizes this point in its strong
support of drug take-back programs, and the FDA has published
information regarding proper disposal of unused medications as well.
When I was a district attorney, I worked with local and State police
to combat the flow of drugs coming into our neighborhoods. Yet, as the
public supported these efforts to keep dangerous drugs off the streets,
they didn't realize that the greatest supply of these dangerous drugs
was sitting in their own medicine cabinets.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Goodlatte and Chairman Sensenbrenner. I
also thank my colleagues--Mr. Rothfus, Mr. Blumenauer, Dr. Roe of
Tennessee, and Mr. Bera--for cosponsoring this amendment and joining me
in this effort to add a commonsense step toward solving this important
public health epidemic.
I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1430
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy, and
I strongly support everything he just said. We are in a situation today
where we have a massive epidemic of opioid abuse. We are prescribing it
in unimaginable volumes, and many times people are getting supplies
that are far more than they need.
We are finding that young people, in particular, 62 percent of teens
who abuse prescription drugs do so because they are easy to get from a
parent's medicine cabinet or from a medicine cabinet of a neighbor or a
friend or people who break into homes. We need to have a systematic
effort to be able to safely dispose of drugs.
One of the problems in some cases is people are flushing them down
the toilet. As a result, we are finding in our water supply traces of
these medications. We are slowly medicating the American population.
That itself is extraordinarily dangerous, and it is expensive for our
water treatment systems.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chair, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the
gentleman.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chair, I hope this is a first step for us to have
a systematic effort at the Federal level to be able to support these
important programs to keep it out of the medicine cabinets and out of
the sewer systems.
I have introduced legislation that would provide a tax credit for
providers to be able to provide these services. I hope that we can
continue this conversation going forward.
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Bera).
Mr. BERA. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank my colleagues. I would
also like to thank my colleague and fellow physician, the gentleman
from Tennessee (Mr. Roe), for partnering with me on the Dispose
Responsibly of your Pills Act, the DROP Act.
As a doctor, I have seen firsthand the devastation that misused
prescription drugs can have on families. Deb Simpson, from Sacramento
County, shared her family's story with me. Her son became addicted to
prescription medications he found in the family's medicine cabinet. By
the time Deb realized what was happening, he was already addicted.
Thankfully, through help and rehabilitation facilities, her son
recovered, but far too many families suffer the tragic loss of a child
or a loved one. We can easily prevent this. Let's make it easier to
dispose of medications by supporting this simple amendment.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the
time in opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Virginia?
There was no objection.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Virginia is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Mr. Keating) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus) for
offering this amendment, and I support it.
According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, more
Americans are now dying every year from drug overdoses than in car
accidents, and a majority of those overdoses involve prescription
medications. In 2012, healthcare providers wrote 259 million
prescriptions for opioid pain medications, enough for every American
adult to have a bottle of pills.
In 2010, the House Committee on the Judiciary and Committee on Energy
and Commerce shepherded through Congress the Secure and Responsible
Drug Disposal Act, which amended the Controlled Substances Act to allow
patients to legally return unused or expired prescription drugs to
local pharmacies, police stations, and community drug disposal
programs.
That same year, the Drug Enforcement Administration began hosting
National Prescription Drug Take-Back events. At the previous 10 take-
back day events, over 5.5 million pounds of unwanted, unneeded, or
expired medications were surrendered for safe and proper disposal. On
April 27, I was pleased to host, along with Committee on Appropriations
Chairman Rogers, a drug take-back event here on Capitol Hill.
At this year's National Take-Back Day, held on April 30, Americans
disposed of more unused prescription drugs than during any of the
previous 10 events. The DEA and over 4,200 State, local, and tribal law
enforcement agencies collected 893,498 pounds of unwanted medicines,
about 447 tons, at almost 5,400 sites spread through all 50 States,
surpassing the previous high of 390 tons in the spring of 2014.
This amendment will allow grant funds to be used to sponsor these
important drug take-back events. I urge my colleagues to support the
amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr.
[[Page H2312]]
Rothfus), a lead sponsor of this amendment.
Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman. I also want to thank my
colleagues, particularly the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
Keating), my friend, for inviting me to work with him on this important
amendment, which adds drug take-back programs to the list of authorized
uses under the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program created by this
legislation.
While prescription drugs can be lifesaving when used properly, they
can also be harmful and even lethal if they end up in the wrong hands.
As recognized by Mr. Keating, unused prescription medications can pose
a real safety concern and public health risk, particularly in homes
with children. These unused drugs can be accidentally ingested, stolen,
or misused, which is why it is absolutely essential that we take
appropriate steps to provide both a safe and responsible means of
disposing of them. This amendment ensures that Federal grant funds can
be used for that purpose.
I believe this is a positive step and will offer real benefits in
reducing accidental overdose deaths. For that reason, I urge my
colleagues to support this important amendment.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Roe), a sponsor of the amendment.
Mr. ROE of Tennessee. I thank the chairman for yielding. I rise in
support of this amendment.
Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem throughout the United
States, particularly in east Tennessee, where I live. There is no
question that a significant source of the supply for prescription drug
abuse is unused prescriptions. We need to do everything possible to
encourage the safe disposal of drugs that may be ripe for abuse.
I worked with the gentleman from California (Mr. Bera), my friend, on
a bill to establish a grant program to fund programs to help law
enforcement agencies, pharmacies, narcotic treatment programs,
hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities to properly dispose
of outdated or unused prescription medications. I am pleased that the
passage of this amendment will create a similar funding stream.
Currently there are no existing grants available for programs to
properly dispose of prescription drugs, and I believe this effort could
help curb the widespread prescription drug abuse we are seeing
throughout the country.
I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. KEATING. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Keating).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 9 Offered by Mr. Lynch
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 9
printed in part B of House Report 114-551.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 4, after line 3, insert the following:
``(9) Developing, implementing, or expanding a program to
ensure the security of opioids in medical facilities.''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 720, the gentleman
from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chairman, first, I would like to commend Chairman Bob
Goodlatte and Mr. Sensenbrenner, as well as Mr. Conyers and Mr.
Johnson, for their effort in bringing this important bill to the floor.
I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 5046, the
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act of 2016. Mr. Chairman, my
amendment, if adopted, will allow grants authorized under the
underlying bill to provide for developing, implementing, or expanding
programs to ensure security and custody of opioids at medical
facilities.
The issue of abuse of prescription painkillers is not a new one, but
the rise of this epidemic has really been fueled by the increased
strength of and proliferation of these addictive drugs. It is well
documented that the road to the use and abuse of an illicit opioid drug
like heroin frequently begins with the legitimate use or diverted use
of prescription opioid painkillers like OxyContin or Vicodin.
Through a variety of ways, these powerful drugs end up in the hands
of individuals struggling with their disease. One of the most frequent
ways that these drugs make it to the street is after they have been
stolen from a medical facility in which they are stored for legitimate
use.
In the wake of our nationwide prescription drug abuse epidemic, these
drug diversion crimes have increased across the country. I will give
you a few examples, but there are many.
At a Georgia hospital, according to the Georgia Board of Pharmacy
consent order, a theft scheme lasted for more than 4 years and diverted
more than 1 million doses of controlled drugs.
In my own district at home, two nurses at the Massachusetts General
Hospital diverted nearly 16,000 pills, mostly OxyContin, resulting in
the hospital paying a $2.3 million fine.
In New York, a doctor stole 200,000 pills of oxycodone with a $5.6
million street value.
In Utah, at the Utah VA, a pharmacist there stole 7,000 units of
prescription drugs for sale on the street.
I am not criticizing these institutions. I am merely underscoring
that the addictive nature and the power of these drugs is really
driving these crimes. I am just trying to underscore that there is a
need to address the drug diversion issue.
The Controlled Substances Act requires that registrants notify the
Drug Enforcement Agency in writing of a theft or significant loss of
any controlled substance, but we need to try to prevent the diversion
of these drugs and work together to improve and strengthen the systems
in place to deter the thefts that put these addicts in this position
and put the addictive drugs on the street.
If adopted, my amendment will help do that. My amendment will give
States and local governments the resources to work with their hospitals
and community health centers, physician clinics, and treatment
facilities to identify areas in which they can improve the security and
custody of these prescription drugs. By regularly reviewing best
practices and updating protocols and existing systems, we can keep
these drugs secure and save some lives in the process.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the cities I represent and
others across the country are combating this effort from all sides. My
amendment is another tool in the toolbox. Quite simply, we need to do
everything we can to keep these drugs off the street.
I urge my colleagues to support my amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the
amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Virginia is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I first want to commend the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch)
for his support of this underlying bill and for his sincere desire to
improve the bill.
While I appreciate that desire to ensure that opioids are secured
appropriately in medical facilities, that is the responsibility of the
Drug Enforcement Administration, and there are already rigorous
standards in place to ensure this. So I must oppose the amendment as
being duplicative and causing waste of resources and diverting some of
the resources provided under this bill from some of the other good
purposes that are already provided for in the bill. The amendment
creates a new grant purpose area for developing, implementing, or
expanding a program to ensure the security of opioids in medical
facilities.
The DEA regulations set forth extensive physical security
requirements for the transportation, storage, and dispensing of opioids
and other narcotic prescription drugs. The DEA regulations also place
tight restrictions on which individuals can access and handle these
drugs.
[[Page H2313]]
The responsibility for regulating and enforcing the rules governing
the distribution and storage of schedule II and schedule III narcotics,
including opioids, lies with the DEA, and it is not a task that can be
undertaken by a grant recipient through the program created by H.R.
5046.
For these reasons, I must oppose the amendment; although, I would say
to the gentleman that, if he would like to withdraw the amendment, as
we move to conference with the Senate, I would be happy to undertake
his concerns and see if there was some other way to work to incorporate
them into the bill that we ultimately send to the President's desk.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chairman, I have great respect for the gentleman from
Virginia, and I applaud him on the great work he has done here.
However, I started up an adolescent rehab center because of the huge
problem I have got in my district with young people. I understand this
bill is focused on veterans as well. That is another very vulnerable
population, with our folks coming back after multiple tours, but I
really feel strongly about the need for securing these opioids.
I have got a lot of hospitals in my district. We are having problems
with the clinics and hospitals. This is really a problem that we all
own and not just the DEA. So I would have to insist on my amendment and
ask Members to support it.
Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time I have remaining.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Massachusetts has 2 minutes
remaining.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1445
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Johnson).
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Lynch amendment. It expands
the list of eligible grant uses for the grant program created by H.R.
5046 to include programs that ensure the security of opioids in medical
facilities.
This amendment would add programs that ensure the security of opioids
in medical facilities to the list of grant uses authorized under H.R.
5046. Maintaining opioids securely in medical facilities protects the
public by helping to ensure that the drugs will not fall into the hands
of individuals who will use them or sell them improperly or illegally.
If State or local governments wish to take steps to better secure
these facilities, grant funding under this program should be available
to them.
Therefore, I support the amendment.
Mr. LYNCH. In closing, Mr. Chairman, there is a gap out there in
terms of the security and custody of these opioids within medical
facilities. I am trying my best, just as the chairman is trying his
best, to address the problem that we have in our districts. It is a
real problem.
So it is a great bill. There is just this one gap, and I am trying to
close that.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I appreciate the gentleman's dedication to the issue. However,
according to the DEA, the vast majority of diversion does not occur
because employees are stealing drugs from hospitals or distribution
centers. The vast majority of diversion occurs through the
overprescribing of opioid pain medication.
Is this amendment intended to prevent pharmacy robberies? Who is the
grantee that the gentleman believes will be able to do what this
amendment contemplates?
Given the limited resources available, I very strongly believe
grantees must use their money for the most appropriate and efficient
purposes available and not for a purpose that is already covered by the
strict regulations administered by a Federal agency.
So I oppose the amendment.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes
appeared to have it.
Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from
Massachusetts will be postponed.
Amendment No. 10 Offered by Mr. Israel
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 10
printed in part B of House Report 114-551.
Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 7, strike lines 3 through 7, and insert the following:
``SEC. 3024. EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.
``In awarding grants under this part, the Attorney General
shall ensure equitable distribution of funds based on the
following:
``(1) The geographic distribution of grants under this
part, taking into consideration the needs of underserved
populations, including rural and tribal communities.
``(2) The needs of communities to address the problems
related to opioid abuse, taking into consideration the
prevalence of opioid abuse and overdose-related death in a
community.''.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 720, the gentleman
from New York (Mr. Israel) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to offer a commonsense,
bipartisan amendment that I think will have significant impact on the
Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program.
I want to thank the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley) and
the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Mullin) for working with me on this.
This amendment basically would direct the Attorney General, when
awarding grants, to consider the prevalence of opioid abuse and opioid-
related overdoses in a community.
The underlying legislation already properly ensures an equitable
geographic distribution of funds. This amendment simply makes sure that
the areas hardest hit by the epidemic are getting the resources that
they need.
I happen to represent Suffolk County on Long Island in New York. We
have suffered with more opioid and related deaths than any other county
in my State. Between 2009 and 2013, 334 people lost their lives to
heroin or opioids. By comparison, Brooklyn, which has 1 million more
residents, had only one-half the number of opioid deaths in the same
time.
Treatment admissions for opioid addiction on Long Island rose from
12,887 in 2010 to 16,681 in 2014. That is a 29 percent increase. These
are percentages and statistics, Mr. Chairman, and all of us in this
body know how this epidemic is affecting real lives.
Just over 2 weeks ago I met with students from Half Hollow Hills High
School West's One World Youth Organization. I met with a young woman
named Alexa Wasser. She shared with me that her brother, Zachary
Wasser, died of an overdose in January at 23 years old.
He was friendly. He was outgoing. He loved to spend time with his
family. He was a good kid who got caught up in an epidemic that is
impacting way too many Long Island families and way too many American
families, so much so that they have nicknamed the Long Island
Expressway the ``Heroin Highway.''
Mr. Chairman, for the sake of the Wassers and for the hundreds of
Long Island families whose lives have changed forever, I urge support
for my amendment and I urge passage of the underlying bill. I again
want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their
cooperation and support for this amendment.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition even
though I do not oppose the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Without objection, the gentleman from Virginia is
recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, as we have said repeatedly, the opioid
epidemic affects every Member's district,
[[Page H2314]]
every region of our country, and every socioeconomic level.
In order to ensure these grants are dispensed broadly, as is needed,
the underlying bill includes language requiring the Attorney General to
also consider the needs of rural and tribal communities in making
grants.
This amendment builds upon that requirement by directing the Attorney
General to also consider the prevalence of opioid abuse and overdose-
related deaths in a community. This is a good amendment which will help
ensure these grant funds reach across the Nation and are directed where
they will help the most.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr.
Mullin), a strong supporter of this amendment and the underlying
purpose.
Mr. MULLIN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my colleague's
amendment to this important bill.
This amendment would make sure that rural and tribal areas receive
the funding they need to combat the growing drug use epidemic.
My district is very rural. My district also has two of the five
counties in the entire State that have the highest rates of
unintentional painkiller overdoses.
In 2014, Oklahoma had the 10th highest drug overdose rate in the
Nation and more people died from unintentional overdoses than in car
crashes.
Rural areas have some of the highest overdose death rates in the
entire country, and this is a growing epidemic. We must ensure that
these rural areas are getting the tools they need.
This is why I am offering this amendment with my colleagues, Mr.
Israel and Mr. McKinley, to ensure that rural and tribal areas receive
the proper Federal drug abuse prevention efforts they deserve.
I urge all my colleagues to support this amendment.
Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Chairman, I again want to commend the chairman, the
gentleman from Oklahoma, and the gentleman from West Virginia for their
cooperation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 11 Offered by Ms. Clark of Massachusetts
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 11
printed in part B of House Report 114-551.
Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the
desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Add at the end of the bill the following:
SEC. 6. GAO STUDY AND REPORT ON DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH RELATIVE TO SUBSTANCE USE
AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AMONG ADOLESCENTS
AND YOUNG ADULTS.
(a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States
shall conduct a study on how the Department of Justice,
through grant programs, is addressing prevention of,
treatment for, and recovery from substance use by and
substance use disorders among adolescents and young adults.
Such study shall include an analysis of each of the
following:
(1) The research that has been, and is being, conducted or
supported pursuant to grant programs operated by the
Department of Justice on prevention of, treatment for, and
recovery from substance use by and substance use disorders
among adolescents and young adults, including an assessment
of--
(A) such research relative to any unique circumstances
(including social and biological circumstances) of
adolescents and young adults that may make adolescent-
specific and young adult-specific treatment protocols
necessary, including any effects that substance use and
substance use disorders may have on brain development and the
implications for treatment and recovery; and
(B) areas of such research in which greater investment or
focus is necessary relative to other areas of such research.
(2) Department of Justice non-research programs and
activities that address prevention of, treatment for, and
recovery from substance use by and substance use disorders
among adolescents and young adults, including an assessment
of the effectiveness of such programs and activities in
preventing substance use by and substance use disorders among
adolescents and young adults, treating such adolescents and
young adults in a way that accounts for any unique
circumstances faced by adolescents and young adults, and
supports long term recovery among adolescents and young
adults.
(3) Gaps that have been identified by officials of the
Department of Justice or experts in the efforts supported by
grant programs operated by the Department of Justice relating
to prevention of, treatment for, and recovery from substance
use by and substance use disorders among adolescents and
young adults, including gaps in research, data collection,
and measures to evaluate the effectiveness of such efforts,
and the reasons for such gaps.
(b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit
to the appropriate committees of the Congress a report
containing the results of the study conducted under
subsection (a), including--
(1) a summary of the findings of the study; and
(2) recommendations based on the results of the study,
including recommendations for such areas of research and
legislative and administrative action as the Comptroller
General determines appropriate.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 720, the gentlewoman
from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Massachusetts.
Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the
gentleman from Virginia for his work and leadership on the underlying
bill.
We know that addiction does not wait until adulthood. A majority of
adults in substance use treatment start using before turning 18.
My amendment would direct the GAO to study research and programs
carried out by the Department of Justice and its grantees and report on
those programs' findings and work regarding substance use and substance
use disorders among adolescents and young adults.
The amendment would require GAO to report on any gaps in the research
around adolescent and young adult substance use that have been
identified by experts or Department of Justice officials.
We need to understand what extended opioid use means for young brains
and how it affects development and growth. We also need to understand
how early exposure to opioids might change young people's needs with
respect to treatment and support on the road to recovery.
I would like to tell you about a constituent of mine named Chip. Chip
was an athlete. He excelled at hockey and baseball. Playing sports was
extremely important to him. But then, in eighth grade, he started
drinking. Shortly after, drugs entered the picture, and Chip stopped
caring about everything.
As a young husband and father by the time he was 22, Chip always felt
like something was missing. Anytime there was a problem, Chip reached
for drugs as a solution. He received two OUIs in 1 year. He lost his
license. He lost his family. He overdosed on heroin and became
homeless.
The addiction ruined his life and devastated anyone who cared for
him. It was only when serving a jail sentence for a third OUI that Chip
finally heard a recovering addict who came to speak to inmates, and for
some reason he connected.
Chip has been in recovery and has been clean and sober for 7 years.
He works today as a recovery coach in my district, walking together
with others with substance use disorder on the long road to recovery
and a future.
We owe it to young adults like Chip who were successful, ambitious,
and energetic before opioids to understand what happened to them and
how we can prevent it from happening to other adolescents and young
adults. We owe it to them to understand how to help them seek and gain
effective treatment.
The more information we can collect about how addiction begins in
adolescents and how to treat young adults, the clearer we can see where
there are gaps in our understanding and the better chance we have of
combating this horrific epidemic.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim
time in opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman
from Wisconsin?
There was no objection.
[[Page H2315]]
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Wisconsin is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for offering
this amendment.
The amendment directs the Government Accountability Office to study
and report on Justice Department programs and research relative to
substance abuse and substance use disorders among adolescents and young
adults.
I share the gentlewoman's desire for additional information on the
programs available to combat the opioid epidemic. This is an
appropriate piece of the legislative package.
Having said that, I am concerned that, as drafted, the amendment
requires the GAO to study things DOJ might not be doing and does not
have the expertise to do so effectively.
Specifically, the amendment directs the GAO to study and report on
DOJ programs relative to substance abuse and substance use disorders by
adolescents with no nexus to the criminal justice system.
I do not oppose the amendment, but I would like to work with the
gentlewoman going forward to ensure the provisions of the amendment are
appropriately tailored to the responsibilities and programs within the
Justice Department's jurisdiction.
I urge my colleagues to support the amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I am grateful to the
gentleman from Wisconsin not only for the support of this amendment,
but for all the work and leadership he has shown around this issue.
We look forward to working with him to make sure this amendment is
tailored to meet the needs of the underlying bill and to be in line
with the Department of Justice's work and research.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for her
offer of working together.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark).
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
The motion was agreed to.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr.
Holding) having assumed the chair, Mr. Westmoreland, Acting Chair of
the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported
that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R.
5046) to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968
to authorize the Attorney General to make grants to assist State and
local governments in addressing the national epidemic of opioid abuse,
and for other purposes, had come to no resolution thereon.
____________________