[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 105 (Tuesday, July 8, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H5834-H5836]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
VETERINARY MEDICINE MOBILITY ACT OF 2014
Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 1528) to amend the Controlled Substances Act to allow a
veterinarian to transport and dispense controlled substances in the
usual course of veterinary practice outside of the registered location,
as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1528
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 ``Veterinary Medicine Mobility
Act of 2014''.
SEC. 2. TRANSPORT AND DISPENSING OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES IN
THE USUAL COURSE OF VETERINARY PRACTICE.
Section 302(e) of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C.
822(e)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``(e)'' and inserting ``(e)(1)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a registrant who is a
veterinarian shall not be required to have a separate
registration in order to transport and dispense controlled
substances in the usual course of veterinary practice at a
site other than the registrant's registered principal place
of business or professional practice, so long as the site of
transporting and dispensing is located in a State where the
veterinarian is licensed to practice veterinary medicine and
is not a principal place of business or professional
practice.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
General Leave
Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
[[Page H5835]]
There was no objection.
Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to include an exchange of
letters between the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee
on the Judiciary.
House of Representatives,
Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC, April 28, 2014.
Hon. Fred Upton,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Upton, On April 3, 2014, the Committee on
Energy and Commerce ordered reported H.R. 1528, the
``Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act of 2013.'' As you know,
the Committee on the Judiciary was given an additional
referral on this measure upon introduction. As a result of
your having consulted with the Judiciary Committee concerning
provisions of the bill that fall within our Rule X
jurisdiction, I too agree to discharge the Committee on the
Judiciary from further consideration of H.R. 1528.
The Judiciary Committee takes this action with our mutual
understanding that, by foregoing consideration of H.R. 1528
at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over the
subject matter contained in this or similar legislation, and
that our committee will be appropriately consulted and
involved as the bill or similar legislation moves forward.
Our committee also reserves the right to seek appointment of
an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate
conference involving this or similar legislation, and
requests your support for any such request.
Finally, I would appreciate your response to this letter
confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 1528, and
would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this
matter be included in the Congressional Record during
consideration of the legislation on the House floor.
Sincerely,
Bob Goodlatte,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Energy and Commerce,
Washington, DC, April 29, 2014.
Hon. Bob Goodlatte,
Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Goodlatte, Thank you for your letter
regarding H.R. 1528, the ``Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act
of 2013.'' As you noted, the Committee on the Judiciary was
given an additional referral on this measure upon
introduction.
I appreciate your willingness to forgo action on H.R. 1528,
and I agree that your decision is not a waiver of any of the
Committee on the Judiciary's jurisdiction over the subject
matter contained in this or similar legislation, and that the
Committee will be appropriately consulted and involved as the
bill or similar legislation moves forward. In addition, I
understand the Committee reserves the right to seek
appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any
House-Senate conference involving this or similar
legislation, and you will have my support for any such
request.
I will include a copy of your letter and this response in
the Congressional Record during consideration of H.R. 1528 on
the House floor.
Sincerely,
Fred Upton,
Chairman.
Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1528, the Veterinary
Medicine Mobility Act of 2014, introduced by Representative Kurt
Schrader of Oregon.
This is a commonsense bill that is supported by the veterinary
community and will bring clarity to the sometimes conflicting guidance
from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the DEA, relative to the
Controlled Substances Act and the ability of a licensed veterinarian to
transport and dispense controlled substances in the usual course of
veterinary practice outside of the registered location. Simply put, the
bill allows veterinarians to legally carry and dispense controlled
substances in the field.
This bill has a direct impact on my district--home of the University
of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine, New Bolton Center.
Vets are often required to provide ambulatory services in the field,
especially in rural areas and for the care of large animals such as
cows or horses. Sometimes it is not feasible for owners to bring the
animals to a hospital or a clinic like New Bolton Center, and so vets
provide essential house call visits.
Clarification of the law is necessary to allow vets to transport,
administer, and dispense controlled substances outside of their
registered location whether to provide pain management, anesthesia, or
euthanasia. Passage of this important legislation will allow
veterinarians the complete ability to provide care to their animal
patients beyond their clinics. This will protect the health and welfare
of the Nation's animals, ensure public safety, and safeguard the
Nation's food supply.
A companion bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent on January 8,
2014. H.R. 1528 includes 185 cosponsors and is supported by the
American Veterinary Medical Association, the ASPCA, the American Animal
Hospital Association, the American Association of Equine Practitioners,
and a veterinary coalition coordinated by the AVMA of over 110
organizations.
I urge all of my colleagues to support this important bipartisan
legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 1528, the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act.
This bipartisan legislation will permit veterinarians to treat
animals in the most appropriate setting. This is particularly important
for veterinarians when responding to emergencies, treating livestock
and wildlife, or working in rural areas.
H.R. 1528 amends the Controlled Substances Act to allow veterinarians
to legally carry and administer controlled substances in States in
which they are licensed so they can provide care at the location of the
animal patient.
The Senate unanimously passed a companion bill, and I am pleased the
House is voting on this important legislation. Veterinarians must be
able to legally provide complete veterinary care in a way that best
protects animal welfare and public safety.
I would like to thank the sponsors, both Representative Kurt Schrader
and Ted Yoho. I would also like to acknowledge the leadership of
Chairman Upton, Chairman Pitts, Ranking Member Waxman, Ranking Member
Pallone, and the work of the committee's staff in advancing this bill
through the Energy and Commerce Committee and bringing it to the floor
today.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1528, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Yoho), who is a veterinarian himself.
Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in full support of H.R. 1528, the
Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act.
I want to thank my colleagues--Chairman Upton, Chairman Goodlatte,
and Mr. Pitts--for helping to bring this important measure to the
floor, and a special thank you to my friend and fellow vet, Kurt
Schrader. I also want to thank the Senate for unanimously passing this
important piece of legislation out of that Chamber.
I spent over 30 years in the veterinary profession, and the passage
of this bill will allow for the continued use of drugs necessary to
perform the work we do for our four-legged patients. The animals I have
helped on ranches and in the field have no voice of their own, and they
require a certain degree of service that only veterinarians can
provide.
Vets must have the ability to treat animals on-site and in the field.
Limit that ability and you hurt a profession, you cripple ranchers
across the country, and, most of all, you unfairly restrict lifesaving
treatments for the animals, the patients, who need them the most.
Imagine what it would be if the cattle ranchers were required to bring
their cattle in or the horse owners to bring their horse to the vet
every time they needed services. It directly affects their patient and
their livelihood.
My friends, take it from me, I have practiced veterinary medicine in
the field. If anything, we need more vets in the field, not less. This
bill simply allows those in our profession to continue to do the
lifesaving work that we were trained to do on the animals that so badly
require it.
Join me in voting for this commonsense measure.
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may
consume to my colleague from Oregon, Congressman Schrader.
Mr. SCHRADER. Mr. Speaker, this really was a truly bipartisan,
bicameral effort, including, as you have already heard, an impressive
coalition ranging from the American Farm Bureau and the ASPCA down to
all 50 State veterinary medical associations.
It is nice, I think the public should be reminded, that while we have
great differences in this body on many issues, there are also a lot of
issues we agree on. I think this first 6 months
[[Page H5836]]
has been a very productive session for this Congress, and this
particular bill I think is noteworthy.
It is a little bit of a shame we are actually here in the early
stages of the Drug Enforcement Agency's efforts to control the
distribution and abuse of controlled substances. They issued a very
blanket type of rule that, unfortunately, scooped up veterinary
medicine and animals. We have been able to avoid this issue for many,
many years. It is one of those where for the last 100-150 years
veterinarians have gone out to the farms and ranches--nowadays, even
within the cities, going home to home with mobile veterinary clinics--
making sure those patients got the care with the appropriate medication
that they deserve to be treated humanely.
DEA, in its exuberance, unfortunately, was unwilling to grant a
waiver, a commonsense waiver, administratively, and forced Congressman
Yoho and myself to go to a statutory change--lots of taxpayer money,
lots of time by the committees. But it, unfortunately, is necessary.
The good news I think for America is that common sense does prevail a
lot of times in this great Congress. As alluded to, they have over 185
cosponsors of this legislation, the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act,
allowing veterinarians simply to do what they have done before, which
is carry controlled substances safely to treat, dispense, and protect
their patients in the field.
I think America would wonder why we are here. I think America is glad
we are here, making sure that their pets, their livestock, get the care
and treatment they need so they can have safe food and fiber and take
care of the pets that they love and live with on a daily basis.
I am not going to go into the bill itself. I think Mr. Pitts did an
excellent job of outlining things, as did Mr. Green.
I want to make sure I recognize a few folks that have been critical
in the role here getting this to the floor. First and foremost, my good
friend and colleague, Ted Yoho from Florida, and his right-hand man,
Larry Calhoun, did a yeoman's job making sure this was a good
bipartisan effort; Chairman Goodlatte and his staff for their
unwavering support throughout the process; Chairman Lucas and Ranking
Member Peterson were invaluable--as a matter of fact, I think we had
all but four members of the Agriculture Committee sign on, Republican,
Democrat, city, rural; this is a great bill--Senators Moran and King
for their efforts on the Senate side; Chairman Upton and Ranking Member
Waxman on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
And finally, I extend my personal gratitude and a very special thank
you to Dr. Ashley Morgan at the American Veterinary Medical Association
for her tireless efforts through several years' worth of time to make
sure that this bill actually got to the floor and got the vote that our
animal friends actually deserve and, frankly, on behalf of all
veterinarians in this great country.
Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close.
Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, we have no other speakers, and
we are prepared to close.
I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to ask all of the Members to
support this commonsense bill that is on behalf of the life and safety
of our animal patients and the safety of our food supply.
I urge bipartisan support, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1528, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________