[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 82 (Tuesday, May 24, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E775]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017

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                               speech of

                         HON. BARBARA COMSTOCK

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 18, 2016

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4909) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2017 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense and for military 
     construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
     such fiscal year, and for other purposes:

  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer a bipartisan 
amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2017. My amendment seeks to protect our children and teens from access 
to opioids in hopes of reducing the number of individuals we see 
addicted to heroin and other drugs.
   This amendment directs the Secretary of Defense to study the 
feasibility and effectiveness of dispensing opioid medications in vials 
using affordable technologies designed to prevent access to stored 
medications by anyone other than the intended patient.
   Today, our prescription pill bottles use what are generally referred 
to as ``child-resistant'' standards but today's teens have remarkably 
easy access to pain medications that are stronger and more addictive 
than those of the past.
   It is not unusual for today's youth to find these opioids in the 
medicine cabinets of family members or friends. Technologies like 
locking prescription vials (LPVs) are already on the market and are a 
cheap efficient way to reduce the likelihood that our children and 
teens start down the path to addiction.
   The implementation of child-resistant standards generated a 45 
percent reduction in mortality rates. It is my hope that a feasibility 
study conducted by the Department of Defense would show additional 
benefits stemming from the implementation of more advanced LPVs.
   I urge my colleagues to protect our youth from this epidemic and 
support my amendment.

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