[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 83 (Monday, May 21, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H4250-H4251]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  VETERANS OPIOID ABUSE PREVENTION ACT

  Mr. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 3832) to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into a 
memorandum of understanding with the executive director of a national 
network of State-based prescription monitoring programs under which 
Department of Veterans Affairs health care providers shall query such 
network, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3832

       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 ``Veterans Opioid Abuse 
     Prevention Act''.

     SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PARTICIPATION IN 
                   NATIONAL NETWORK OF STATE-BASED PRESCRIPTION 
                   DRUG MONITORING PROGRAMS.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 17 of title 38, United States 
     Code, is amended by inserting after section 1730A the 
     following new section:

     ``Sec. 1730B. Access to State prescription drug monitoring 
       programs

       ``(a) Access to Programs.--(1) Any licensed health care 
     provider or delegate of such a provider shall be considered 
     an authorized recipient or user for the purpose of querying 
     and receiving data from the national network of State-based 
     prescription drug monitoring programs to support the safe and 
     effective prescribing of controlled substances to covered 
     patients.
       ``(2) Under the authority granted by paragraph (1)--
       ``(A) licensed health care providers or delegates of such 
     providers shall query such network in accordance with 
     applicable regulations and policies of the Veterans Health 
     Administration; and
       ``(B) notwithstanding any general or specific provision of 
     law, rule, or regulation of a State, no State may restrict 
     the access of licensed health care providers or delegates of 
     such providers from accessing that State's prescription drug 
     monitoring programs.
       ``(3) No State shall deny or revoke the license, 
     registration, or certification of a licensed health care 
     provider or delegate who otherwise meets that State's 
     qualifications for holding the license, registration, or 
     certification on the basis that the licensed health care 
     provider or delegate has queried or received data, or attempt 
     to query or receive data, from the national network of State-
     based prescription drug monitoring programs under this 
     section.
       ``(b) Covered Patients.--For purposes of this section, a 
     covered patient is a patient who--
       ``(1) receives a prescription for a controlled substance; 
     and
       ``(2) is not receiving palliative care or enrolled in 
     hospice care.
       ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) The term `controlled substance' has the meaning given 
     such term in section 102(6) of the Controlled Substances Act 
     (21 U.S.C. 802(6)).
       ``(2) The term `delegate' means a person or automated 
     system accessing the national network of State-based 
     prescription monitoring programs at the direction or under 
     the supervision of a licensed health care provider.
       ``(3) The term `licensed health care provider' means a 
     health care provider employed by the Department who is 
     licensed, certified, or registered within any State to fill 
     or prescribe medications within the scope of his or her 
     practice as a Department employee.
       ``(4) The term `national network of State-based 
     prescription monitoring programs' means an interconnected 
     nation-wide system that facilitates the transfer to State 
     prescription drug monitoring program data across State lines.
       ``(5) The term `State' means a State, as defined in section 
     101(20) of this title, or a political subdivision of a 
     State.''.

[[Page H4251]]

       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by inserting 
     after the item relating to section 1730A the following new 
     item:

``1730B. Access to State prescription drug monitoring programs.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Dunn) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.


                             General Leave

  Mr. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 
5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert 
extraneous material into the Record on H.R. 3832, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 3832, as 
amended, the Veterans Opioid Abuse Prevention Act. More than 140 
individuals every day are dying from opioid abuse in the United States, 
and opioids have resulted in the deaths of more Americans than the 
Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam wars put together over the same period 
of time.
  Unfortunately, the news is even worse for our veterans. Former VA 
Secretary McDonald stated: Veterans are 10 times more likely to abuse 
opioids than the average American, and that is among the leading cause 
of homelessness among veterans.
  In 2016 alone, the VA treated 66,000 veterans for opioid addiction. 
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that we are failing our Nation's heroes, and, 
frankly, that is unacceptable.
  That is why I introduced the Veterans Opioid Prevention Act, to 
ensure that no veteran slips through the cracks. My bill increases 
opioid prescribing transparency at the VA and allows Veterans 
Administration doctors to do what most private sector doctors are 
already doing. They access State databases listing all opioid 
prescriptions from all providers. This allows physicians to easily 
identify patterns of opioid use that puts patients at risk for 
addiction. Once physicians are able to accurately identify patterns of 
use and abuse, we can curb this epidemic and ensure our veterans are 
getting the best possible care.
  Mr. Speaker, as a veteran and a doctor, I take my responsibility to 
serve those who fought for our freedoms very seriously. We can do more 
for our veterans, and we must do more to support them and to protect 
them.
  I believe my Veterans Opioid Prevention Act does exactly that. I urge 
all of my colleagues to support this important legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the gentleman's Veterans 
Opioid Abuse Prevention Act. It was about 10 years ago to the day that 
we stood on this floor when I had a piece of legislation, one of the 
first ones I authored as a Member of Congress, the stepped-care pain 
management for the prescription of opioids in the VA, and I remember 
delivering a speech right here that if we don't do something about what 
is happening with the overprescription, we are going to be in a 
situation of crisis, I think, were the terms that I used.
  At that time, we started talking about multiple approaches to pain 
management. At the time we brought it up, the VA did not even want to 
consider things like acupuncture and yoga, and now we are at a 
situation where the gentleman is exactly right. Even with that, moving 
forward, according to the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law, 
between 2010 and 2015, the number of veterans addicted to opioids rose 
55 percent to a total of roughly 68,000. This represents about 13 
percent of all veterans currently prescribed opioids.
  Various published studies have found that there is a significant 
increased risk of suicide among our veterans and the general U.S. 
population when opioid use disorders are apparent.
  H.R. 3832, as amended, will require VA to enter into a memorandum of 
understanding with a State-based prescription drug monitoring program 
in order to further reduce opioid misuse and dependency.
  By requiring VA to partner with the prescription drug program, the VA 
can better ensure veterans are receiving the most appropriate treatment 
available while significantly reducing the likelihood of abuse.
  We have an ethical responsibility to do everything we can in this 
country to reduce the opioid epidemic, certainly amongst our veterans. 
It is a step in the right direction to prevent the overprescription of 
opioids to veterans so that we can start preventing those veterans 
becoming addicted in the first place. I stand in strong support of 
this.
  Mr. Speaker, as stated, this is a good piece of legislation, smart 
move forward, and I encourage my colleagues to vote for it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all Members to support 
H.R. 3832, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3832, 
the Veterans Opioid Abuse Prevention Act.
  Mr. Speaker, it is undeniable that our military veterans deserve our 
deepest gratitude for the courage and valor they demonstrate while 
defending the United States of America.
  H.R. 3832 directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into a 
memorandum of understanding with the executive director of a national 
network of State-based prescription monitoring programs under which 
Department of Veterans Affairs health care providers shall query the 
network in order to prevent opioid abuse.
  Veterans are truly heroes walking among us and they deserve our 
utmost respect as well as assistance in any recovery or treatment they 
require.
  Mr. Speaker, our veterans bravely put their lives on the line to 
defend our freedoms and to keep our nation safe.
  There are over 20 million veterans in the United States, with a large 
number residing in my home state of Texas.
  Texas has more than 1.4 million veterans, making it the state with 
the second largest veteran population.
  Harris County, the county which contains my district, is home to over 
187,000 veterans, the most of any county in the state.
  There is no doubt that these fearless men and women suffering from 
burdensome health problems deserve not only our gratitude, but also our 
support throughout recovery and treatment.
  By passing H.R. 3832, health care providers will receive additional 
information so they may provide veterans with assistance which will 
enhance their rehabilitation.
  This bill would enable the VA to monitor drug prescriptions in order 
to ensure that veterans' risk of addiction is minimized.
  The Veterans Opioid Abuse Prevention Act would allow VA providers to 
better track and prevent excess opioid prescribing.
  The provisions of this bill will serve as a vital resource to our 
veterans and their health care providers as they overcome burdensome 
health problems.
  These provisions would help prevent opioid abuse by allowing for 
greater information sharing between VA and state-based prescription 
drug monitoring programs.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3832 to show their 
support and gratitude for the sacrifices made by our service men and 
women, and to ensure that veterans battling health problems receive the 
care and rehabilitation they deserve.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Dunn) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 3832, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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