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Some Congressional Republicans See Re-election Path in Opioid Bills Some Congressional Republicans See Re-election Path in Opioid Bills
(35 minutes later)
It is a situation that would have been unthinkable a decade ago, but some House and Senate Republicans are placing part of their re-election strategies in sponsoring and passing bills to help drug addicts. This week, the House and Senate are expected to begin work on a conference committee to reconcile a batch of bills passed in the two chambers aimed at helping people addicted to heroin and opioids. It is a situation that would have been unthinkable a decade ago, but some House and Senate Republicans are basing part of their re-election strategies on sponsoring and passing bills to help drug addicts. This week, the House and Senate are expected to begin work on a conference committee to reconcile a batch of bills passed in the two chambers aimed at helping people addicted to heroin and opioids.
Last week, the House passed 18 opioid bills, giving an array of vulnerable House Republicans measures to attach their names to. That comes on the heels of a single bill that passed overwhelmingly in the Senate in March, authorizing money for various treatment and prevention programs for a broad spectrum of addicts, including those in prison.Last week, the House passed 18 opioid bills, giving an array of vulnerable House Republicans measures to attach their names to. That comes on the heels of a single bill that passed overwhelmingly in the Senate in March, authorizing money for various treatment and prevention programs for a broad spectrum of addicts, including those in prison.
The pure scope of the epidemic motivates lawmakers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdose was the leading cause of injury death in 2013, the most recent data available, among Americans ages 25 to 64, surpassing deaths by motor vehicle crashes; 71 percent of the overdoses involved opioid painkillers.The pure scope of the epidemic motivates lawmakers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdose was the leading cause of injury death in 2013, the most recent data available, among Americans ages 25 to 64, surpassing deaths by motor vehicle crashes; 71 percent of the overdoses involved opioid painkillers.
The congressional measures include provisions for prescription drug monitoring programs and assistance to states that want to expand the availability of the drug naloxone, which helps reverse overdoses.The congressional measures include provisions for prescription drug monitoring programs and assistance to states that want to expand the availability of the drug naloxone, which helps reverse overdoses.
While the House bills include an authorization for $103 million in grants for a range of drug addiction services, President Obama, reflecting the constant tension between Democrats and Republicans over authorizing money rather than handing it over, said the House bills were insufficient “unless they also make actual investments in more treatment.”While the House bills include an authorization for $103 million in grants for a range of drug addiction services, President Obama, reflecting the constant tension between Democrats and Republicans over authorizing money rather than handing it over, said the House bills were insufficient “unless they also make actual investments in more treatment.”
At least some Senate Republicans invested in this conference committee agree. “While I remain concerned that the House approach is not truly comprehensive,” said Senator Rob Portman, Republican of Ohio, in a tough re-election fight, “I am hopeful we can resolve our differences rather quickly. Heroin and prescription drugs are devastating our families and communities, and I remain committed to ensuring that we deliver a bill to the president’s desk that combats this epidemic in a comprehensive way.”At least some Senate Republicans invested in this conference committee agree. “While I remain concerned that the House approach is not truly comprehensive,” said Senator Rob Portman, Republican of Ohio, in a tough re-election fight, “I am hopeful we can resolve our differences rather quickly. Heroin and prescription drugs are devastating our families and communities, and I remain committed to ensuring that we deliver a bill to the president’s desk that combats this epidemic in a comprehensive way.”
Stay tuned.Stay tuned.