[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 97 (Tuesday, June 12, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5059-H5060]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       ELIMINATING OPIOID RELATED INFECTIOUS DISEASES ACT OF 2018

  Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 5353) to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize 
and expand a program of surveillance and education, carried out by the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regarding infections 
associated with injection drug use, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5353

       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 ``Eliminating Opioid Related 
     Infectious Diseases Act of 2018''.

     SEC. 2. REAUTHORIZATION AND EXPANSION OF PROGRAM OF 
                   SURVEILLANCE AND EDUCATION REGARDING INFECTIONS 
                   ASSOCIATED WITH ILLICIT DRUG USE AND OTHER RISK 
                   FACTORS.

       Section 317N of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
     247b-15) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 317N. SURVEILLANCE AND EDUCATION REGARDING INFECTIONS 
                   ASSOCIATED WITH ILLICIT DRUG USE AND OTHER RISK 
                   FACTORS.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary may (directly and through 
     grants to public and nonprofit private entities) provide for 
     programs for the following:
       ``(1) To cooperate with the States and Indian tribes in 
     implementing or maintaining a surveillance system to 
     determine the incidence of infections commonly associated 
     with illicit drug use, including infections commonly 
     associated with injection drug use such as viral hepatitis, 
     human immunodeficiency virus, and infective endocarditis, and 
     to assist the States in determining the prevalence of such 
     infections, which may include the reporting of cases of such 
     infections.
       ``(2) To identify, counsel, and offer testing to 
     individuals who are at risk of infections as a result of 
     injection drug use, receiving blood transfusions prior to 
     July 1992, or other risk factors.
       ``(3) To provide appropriate referrals for counseling, 
     testing, and medical treatment of individuals identified 
     under paragraph (2) and to ensure, to the extent practicable, 
     the provision of appropriate follow-up services.
       ``(4) To develop and disseminate public information and 
     education programs for the detection and control of 
     infections described in paragraph (1), with priority given to 
     high-risk populations as determined by the Secretary.
       ``(5) To improve the education, training, and skills of 
     health professionals in the detection and control of 
     infections and the coordination of treatment of addiction and 
     infectious diseases described in paragraph (1), with priority 
     given to substance use disorder treatment providers, 
     pediatricians and other primary care providers, obstetrician-
     gynecologists, infectious diseases clinicians, and HIV 
     clinicians.
       ``(b) Laboratory Procedures.--The Secretary may (directly 
     or through grants to public and nonprofit private entities) 
     carry out programs to provide for improvements in the quality 
     of clinical-laboratory procedures regarding infections 
     described in subsection (a)(1).
       ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) The term `Indian tribe' has the meaning given that 
     term in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and 
     Education Assistance Act.
       ``(2) The term `injection drug use' means--
       ``(A) intravenous administration of a substance in schedule 
     I under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act;
       ``(B) intravenous administration of a substance in schedule 
     II, III, IV, or V under section 202 of the Controlled 
     Substances Act that has not been approved for intravenous use 
     under--
       ``(i) section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic 
     Act; or
       ``(ii) section 351 of the Public Health Service Act; or
       ``(C) intravenous administration of a substance in schedule 
     II, III, IV, or V under section 202 of the Controlled 
     Substances Act that has not been prescribed to the person 
     using the substance.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of 
     carrying out this section, there are authorized to be 
     appropriated $40,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2019 
     through 2023.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Walden) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WALDEN. 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 Oregon?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5353, Eliminating Opioid 
Related Infectious Diseases Act, which will authorize the CDC, the 
Centers for Disease Control, to work with States to improve education, 
surveillance, and treatment of infections associated with injection 
drug use.
  Injection drug use is a well-known route for the transmission of 
blood-borne infections, particularly human immunodeficiency virus, or 
HIV, and hepatitis. By supporting a national elimination initiative, 
H.R. 5353 will help reduce the serious, costly, and life-threatening 
infections that can be associated with illicit drug use.
  I want to thank my colleague, Leonard Lance from New Jersey. He has 
been a real leader in this effort, bringing this to our attention. He 
wasn't alone. Representative Joe Kennedy, Chris Collins, Anna Eshoo, 
Joe Barton, and Doris Matsui also were very much involved in the 
creation of this legislative initiative.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from New Jersey (Mr. Lance) to speak on his legislation.
  Mr. LANCE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer legislation to combat 
another front in our battle against the scourge of opioid addiction.
  I commend Chairman Walden and Dr. Burgess, Mr. Pallone, and Mr.

[[Page H5060]]

Green for their leadership in bringing 26 bills to the floor addressing 
the many sides of the far-reaching opioid crisis. This epidemic has 
challenged every community and every walk of life in this Nation.
  Today, I offer the Eliminating Opioid Related Infectious Diseases 
Act, legislation I have had the honor of authoring. My cosponsor is our 
colleague on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Congressman Joseph P. 
Kennedy III of Massachusetts.
  We must do more to stop the spread of infectious diseases resulting 
from opioid abuse. I know this is a difficult subject because we are 
discussing HIV and other related topics, but we need to be honest and 
realistic about these public health challenges because this is not just 
about helping those with addiction. Families, including children, are 
being exposed to terrible infections at an alarming rate.
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must implement a plan 
to turn this tide and combat the public health consequences of these 
deadly trends. According to surveillance data released last month by 
the CDC, new cases of hepatitis C rose by a staggering 350 percent 
nationwide between 2010 and 2016. The time to move, obviously, is now.
  This bipartisan endeavor makes sure that the CDC has the tools it 
needs and that those facing an opioid addiction are educated for the 
safety of themselves and their families. Our efforts provide the CDC 
with $40 million, annually, to carry out this mission.
  The Energy and Commerce Committee has produced results for the 
American people in response to many public health challenges, but 
especially recently against opioid addiction. The Opioid State Targeted 
Response grants created by the 21st Century Cures Act delivered $13 
million to my home State of New Jersey and additional resources across 
the United States. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act was one 
of the most important pieces of legislation last Congress.
  This bill and the others we are discussing today are in the public 
health interest of the American people. This is the way Congress should 
operate: in a bipartisan capacity.
  I am very proud to have been involved in this effort. Those who have 
fallen victim to addiction must be able to reclaim their lives. 
Stopping the spread of deadly infections will mean one fewer hurdle to 
overcome.
  I urge a ``yes'' vote on this piece of legislation.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5353, Eliminating Opioid 
Related Infectious Diseases Act.
  As the opioid epidemic has grown, so have infectious diseases related 
to intravenous opioid drug abuse. These infectious diseases include 
serious blood-borne illnesses such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis 
C, which have devastating health consequences and require long-term 
treatment.
  In 2015, a community in Indiana experienced an outbreak of HIV in 
over 200 individuals related to intravenous use of oxymorphone. These 
infections also include infections from skin flora such as MRSA.
  Last week, CDC released a report finding that people who inject drugs 
are more than 16 times more likely to develop invasive MRSA infections. 
In the midst of an opioid epidemic, it is more important than ever to 
bolster national surveillance and education efforts on the infectious 
diseases related to use of IV drugs.
  The Eliminating Opioid Related Infectious Diseases Act of 2018, the 
bill before us, authorizes the CDC to improve surveillance of 
infections associated with intravenous drug use, such as HIV, infective 
endocarditis, and MRSA. The CDC can help reduce the rate of infectious 
diseases from intravenous drug use through the development and 
distribution of public educational materials on risks associated with 
intravenous drug use.
  This legislation, Mr. Speaker, would also help by improving the 
education and training of healthcare professionals on how to detect and 
treat intravenous drug use-associated infections, leading to better 
management, fewer complications, and overall improved quality of care 
for those suffering from IV-related infectious diseases.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I have 
no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1700



 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  June 12, 2018, on page H5060, the following appeared: 1500 Mr. 
WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers as well. I thank our 
colleagues for their good work on this bipartisan legislation, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  
  The online version has been corrected to read: 1700 Mr. WALDEN. 
Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers as well. I thank our 
colleagues for their good work on this bipartisan legislation, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 

  Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers as well. I thank 
our colleagues for their good work on this bipartisan legislation, and 
I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 5353, 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.

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