[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 168 (Wednesday, October 23, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6133]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 1066. Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Brown) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3055, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, 
and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and 
for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING OPIOID LITIGATION 
                   SETTLEMENTS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) Thousands of lawsuits have been brought by governmental 
     entities in every State against manufacturers and suppliers 
     of opioids seeking compensation for costs and damages that 
     governments have incurred due to the defendants' alleged role 
     in the current public health crisis of opioid addiction and 
     abuse.
       (2) Opioid litigation settlements have resulted in payments 
     of hundreds of millions of dollars, to date, from opioid 
     manufacturers and suppliers to governmental entities, with 
     the potential for additional settlements providing more funds 
     to government entities.
       (3) Only 8 percent of tobacco litigation settlement funds 
     paid to government entities as part of the 1998 Master 
     Settlement Agreement have been devoted toward addressing the 
     public health harms of tobacco addiction and death and 
     preventing further harm.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that, to the greatest extent practicable, any potential funds 
     paid by opioid industry defendants to government entities 
     pursuant to opioid litigation settlements should be 
     prioritized for activities and services that respond to the 
     public health crisis of opioid addiction and abuse and that 
     help prevent further drug addiction-related harms.

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