Goodlatte Statement at Markup of the “Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act”

Chairman Goodlatte: Today we continue with the Committee’s efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.  H.R. 5046, the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act, was authored by our colleague, Crime Subcommittee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner, to provide resources to states, localities, Indian tribes, and others to help fight this historic problem.  I am pleased to be an original cosponsor of this bill, along with Ranking Member John Conyers, Crime Subcommittee Ranking Member Sheila Jackson Lee, and Congressmen Steve Chabot, Randy Forbes, and Mike Bishop.  I thank my colleagues for their partnership and support. Today, the United States is in the throes of an epidemic of prescription opioid and heroin abuse.  Every Member on this dais has heard a tragic story about a constituent who has become addicted to opioids, and tragically, many have lost their lives to the addiction.  In fact, statistics show that approximately 46,000 Americans die from a drug overdose each year.  That amounts to nearly 130 overdose deaths every day.  Recent studies have shown that more than half of chronic prescription drug abusers received those pills from prescriptions written for them or for friends and family. In 2014, in my home state of Virginia, the number of drug overdose deaths surpassed the number of traffic fatalities for the first time.  This is a problem that affects Americans in all regions of the country, across all socioeconomic levels, and one that has rightfully gained Congress’s attention. 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 directly at the opioid problem.  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 programs, including alternatives to incarceration, treatment programs for incarcerated individuals, juvenile opioid abuse, investigation and enforcement of drug trafficking and distribution laws, and, significantly, 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 five years. The comprehensive grant program created by H.R. 5046 is fully offset.  This means that we have 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. H.R. 5046 is thoughtful, responsible legislation that, once enacted, will help fulfill Congress’s duty to protect the American people. I would also like to remind Members that today, from 10am to 2pm, House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers and I are sponsoring a “Federal Take-Back Day,” in 2359 Rayburn, where Members and congressional staff can return their unused prescription medications.  We all know that prescription drugs that linger in homes are susceptible to diversion and abuse.  As Congress considers legislation to tackle the opioid epidemic, I encourage my colleagues to attend this important event to show your support for the “Take-Back” program. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5046. For more on today’s markup, click here. ###