CongressmanBob Goodlatte

The House of Representatives today approved by a vote of 413-5 the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act (H.R. 5046). This bipartisan bill combats the opioid epidemic by establishing a streamlined, comprehensive opioid abuse grant program that encompasses a variety of new and existing purposes, such as: vital training and resources for first responders and law enforcement; criminal investigations for the unlawful distribution of opioids; drug courts; and residential substance abuse treatment. The bill authorizes $103 million annually for the grant program and is fully offset.

Additionally, as a growing number of new abusers of prescription drugs get their first pills by pilfering friends or family members’ prescriptions, the bill as passed contains an amendment allowing states to use funds under the comprehensive opioid abuse grant program to prevent prescription drug pilfering.

Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) praised the passage of the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act:

“The Comprehensive Opioid Abuse and Reduction Act represents government at its best. Not only does this bipartisan bill provide necessary resources to state and local governments to help prosecute opioid drug traffickers and help prevent and treat opioid addiction, it also saves taxpayers’ dollars by streamlining the grant program to eliminate government waste and red tape. I thank Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner and Congressman Mike Bishop for their work to end our nation’s opioid epidemic and look forward to working with the Senate to send this bill to the President’s desk.”

Passage of H.R. 5046 follows House approval of several House Judiciary Committee bills that curtail international drug trafficking into the United States, protect classified information about drug kingpins, increase the transparency and accountability of the comprehensive opioid abuse grant program, and study Good Samaritan laws that protect those who report or treat an overdose from criminal or civil liability.