[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 206 (Tuesday, November 30, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6693-H6694]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SYNTHETIC OPIOID DANGER AWARENESS ACT

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2364) to amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to 
direct the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention, to provide for a public education 
campaign to raise public awareness of synthetic opioids, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2364

       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 ``Synthetic Opioid Danger 
     Awareness Act''.

     SEC. 2. SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.

       Part B of title III of the Public Health Service Act is 
     amended by inserting after section 317U (42 U.S.C. 247b-23) 
     the following new section:

     ``SEC. 317V. SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.

       ``(a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date 
     of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall provide 
     for the planning and implementation of a public education 
     campaign to raise public awareness of synthetic opioids 
     (including fentanyl and its analogues). Such campaign shall 
     include the dissemination of information that--
       ``(1) promotes awareness about the potency and dangers of 
     fentanyl and its analogues and other synthetic opioids;
       ``(2) explains services provided by the Substance Abuse and 
     Mental Health Services Administration and the Centers for 
     Disease Control and Prevention (and any entity providing such 
     services under a contract entered into with such agencies) 
     with respect to the misuse of opioids, particularly as such 
     services relate to the provision of alternative, non-opioid 
     pain management treatments; and
       ``(3) relates generally to opioid use and pain management.
       ``(b) Use of Media.--The campaign under subsection (a) may 
     be implemented through the use of television, radio, 
     internet, in-person public communications, and other 
     commercial marketing venues and may be targeted to specific 
     age groups.
       ``(c) Consideration of Report Findings.--In planning and 
     implementing the public education campaign under subsection 
     (a), the Secretary shall take into consideration the findings 
     of the report required under section 7001 of the SUPPORT for 
     Patients and Communities Act (Public Law 115-271).
       ``(d) Consultation.--In coordinating the campaign under 
     subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the 
     Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use to 
     provide ongoing advice on the effectiveness of information 
     disseminated through the campaign.
       ``(e) Requirement of Campaign.--The campaign implemented 
     under subsection (a) shall not be duplicative of any other 
     Federal efforts relating to eliminating the misuse of 
     opioids.
       ``(f) Evaluation.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
     campaign implemented under subsection (a) is subject to an 
     independent evaluation, beginning 2 years after the date of 
     the enactment of this section, and every 2 years thereafter.
       ``(2) Measures and benchmarks.--For purposes of an 
     evaluation conducted pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary 
     shall--
       ``(A) establish baseline measures and benchmarks to 
     quantitatively evaluate the impact of the campaign under this 
     section; and
       ``(B) conduct qualitative assessments regarding the 
     effectiveness of strategies employed under this section.
       ``(g) Report.--The Secretary shall, beginning 2 years after 
     the date of the enactment of this section, and every 2 years 
     thereafter, submit to Congress a report on the effectiveness 
     of the campaign implemented under subsection (a) towards 
     meeting the measures and benchmarks established under 
     subsection (e)(2).
       ``(h) Dissemination of Information Through Providers.--The 
     Secretary shall develop and implement a plan for the 
     dissemination of information related to synthetic opioids, to 
     health care providers who participate in Federal programs, 
     including programs administered by the Department of Health 
     and Human Services, the Indian Health Service, the Department 
     of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the 
     Health Resources and Services Administration, the Medicare 
     program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act, and the 
     Medicaid program under title XIX of such Act.''.

     SEC. 3. TRAINING GUIDE AND OUTREACH ON SYNTHETIC OPIOID 
                   EXPOSURE PREVENTION.

       (a) Training Guide.--Not later than 18 months after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health 
     and Human Services shall design, publish, and make publicly 
     available on the internet website of the Department of Health 
     and Human Services, a training guide and webinar for first 
     responders and other individuals who also may be at high risk 
     of exposure to synthetic opioids that details measures to 
     prevent that exposure.
       (b) Outreach.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services shall also conduct outreach about the availability 
     of the training guide and webinar published under subsection 
     (a) to--
       (1) police and fire managements;
       (2) sheriff deputies in city and county jails;
       (3) ambulance transport and hospital emergency room 
     personnel;
       (4) clinicians; and
       (5) other high-risk occupations, as identified by the 
     Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include any extraneous material on H.R. 2364.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we have hit a tragic milestone in our battle against the 
opioid overdose crisis. From April 2020 to April 2021, the Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention estimated that over 100,000 people died 
due to drug overdoses, no doubt exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  Synthetic opioids like fentanyl and fentanyl analogs significantly 
contributed to overdose deaths. In 2019, the CDC estimated that more 
than half of overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids and drugs mixed 
with synthetic opioids, such as methamphetamine and cocaine mixed with 
fentanyl.
  The Energy and Commerce Committee has worked throughout the pandemic 
to address this crisis. The American Rescue Plan, passed and signed 
into law earlier this year, included the largest-ever funding boost of 
over $3 billion for mental health and substance abuse block grants to 
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or 
SAMHSA. That $3 billion in funding has gone to critical services for 
addiction treatment, prevention, harm reduction, and recovery.
  H.R. 2364, the Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness Act, provides an 
additional tool to address one piece of the opioid crisis. This bill 
requires the Department of Health and Human Services to launch a public 
education campaign on the health risks associated with synthetic 
opioids and services available to address misuse of these products. 
Further, HHS would be required to disseminate information regarding 
synthetic opioids to healthcare providers.
  The bill also directs HHS to produce training materials for first 
responders and other professionals at a higher occupational risk of 
coming into contact with synthetic opioids. It also requires the agency 
to conduct outreach about the availability of these materials in order 
to help those on the front lines be aware of the risks associated with 
synthetic opioids.
  The bill is another step the Energy and Commerce Committee has taken 
to address the opioid crisis and protect the health and safety of our 
communities. The committee passed this legislation with unanimous, 
bipartisan support in July.
  I want to thank my New Jersey delegation colleague, Representative 
Kim, and Representative Pappas of New Hampshire for leading this 
important legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2364, the 
Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness Act, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2364, the Synthetic 
Opioid Danger Awareness Act. Synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and 
fentanyl-related substances, have been the primary drivers of the rise 
in overdose deaths that we have seen over the past year and beyond.

[[Page H6694]]

  H.R. 2364 requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to 
implement a public education campaign related to synthetic opioids. 
Additionally, the Secretary is required to publish a training guidance 
and webinar for first responders and other individuals to better 
understand synthetic opioid exposure prevention. This campaign will 
promote awareness around the dangers of synthetic opioids and provide 
information about available services to address synthetic opioid abuse.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2364, the 
``Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness Act'', which will require several 
federal agencies to provide education and training related to synthetic 
opioids, including fentanyl and its analogues.
  The CDC reports that more than 93,000 Americans died from drug 
overdoses in 2020, an almost 30 percent increase from 2019.
  Regardless of income, race, gender, education, or other demographics, 
America's opiate problem has morphed into a full-blown public health 
crisis.
  Synthetic opioids contribute greatly to this drug crisis and are a 
serious threat to fire fighters and emergency medical responders who 
are susceptible to encountering these deadly substances.
  Increased rates of opiate usage impact the types and volume of calls 
the fire service responds to and the dangers they encounter when they 
arrive on the scene, both of which stretch already limited resources 
even thinner.
  A 2021 Statista study found that nearly two-thirds of all fire 
department responses are for medical aid.
  When firefighters or EMS personnel come in contact with opioids--
either through direct contact or secondary contamination--this creates 
a unique, and often unknown, risk for these individuals because many 
opioids can be ingested either by skin contact (namely fentanyl) or via 
inhalation, making it challenging to help the victim.
  Firefighters must be properly trained on how to safely respond to 
these life-threatening emergencies in a way that both helps the victim 
and minimizes risk to their health and safety.
  The Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness Act would require the National 
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to produce training 
materials to prevent exposure to synthetic opioids for first responders 
and others who are at high risk of exposure.
  In addition, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
Administration will be required to disseminate the mentioned training 
materials to ambulance transport personnel, local sheriff deputies, and 
other first responders and individuals in high-risk occupations.
  H.R. 2364 would also direct the CDC to conduct a public education 
campaign that raises public awareness of the dangers of synthetic 
opioids and explains the services available, with respect to opioid 
treatment.
  The health of American citizens is one of the most pressing issues 
facing this country.
  Continuing education on fentanyl and synthetic opioids is essential 
for ensuring the health and safety of fire fighters and paramedics.
  Passing the Synthetic Opioid Danger Awareness Act is a step towards 
ensuring the health and wellness of American citizens and reducing the 
impact synthetic opioids impose on American communities.
  I urge my colleagues to pass this bill and I thank Congressman Andy 
Kim for introducing such an important piece of legislation.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2364, 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.
  Mrs. BOEBERT. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

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