[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3232-S3233]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6025. Mr. CRAPO (for himself and Mrs. Shaheen) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4784, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place in subtitle G of title X, insert 
     the following:

     SEC. __. PILOT PROGRAM ON PROVISION OF OPIOID RESCUE 
                   MEDICATIONS TO VETERANS.

       (a) In General.--Commencing not later than 120 days after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
     Veterans Affairs shall carry out a one-year pilot program 
     under which the Secretary shall make covered medications 
     available to any veteran at no charge (in this section 
     referred to as the ``pilot program'').
       (b) Provision of Medication Prior to Confirmation of 
     Status.--The Secretary may provide covered medication to an 
     individual under the pilot program prior to confirming the 
     status of the individual as a veteran if the individual 
     provides contact information for the individual and a written 
     self-attestation of veteran status.
       (c) Site Selection.--The Secretary shall prioritize 
     carrying out the pilot program in geographical areas where 
     data indicates a disproportionately high risk of overdose 
     among the veteran population.
       (d) Limitation on Use of Information.--
       (1) In general.--In carrying out this section, the 
     Secretary may only collect the personally identifiable 
     information needed for prescribing covered medication under 
     the pilot program, and any personally identifiable 
     information collected under this section may be used solely 
     for the purpose of delivering, evaluating, and enhancing the 
     quality of health care.
       (2) Exclusion.--The Secretary may not use any personally 
     identifiable information collected under this section--
       (A) for the purpose of preventing a veteran from 
     employment;
       (B) as evidence of a history of drug use; or
       (C) as evidence that an individual is an unlawful user of 
     or addicted to any controlled substance.
       (e) Provision of Information.--The Secretary shall ensure 
     that any individual who receives covered medication under the 
     pilot program also receives--
       (1) information about addiction services, suicide 
     prevention services, mental health services, and other 
     related services provided by the Department of Veterans 
     Affairs; and
       (2) information on the use and application of covered 
     medications.
       (f) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days before the 
     completion of the pilot program under this section, the 
     Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the pilot 
     program.
       (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include the following:
       (A) The number of veterans who received a covered 
     medication under the pilot program, disaggregated by those 
     enrolled in the system of annual patient enrollment of the 
     Department of Veterans Affairs under section 1705(a) of title 
     38, United States Code, and those not enrolled in such 
     system.
       (B) An assessment of the feasibility of expanding the pilot 
     program to provide covered medications to immediate family 
     members of veterans.
       (C) Any considerations associated with continuing, 
     expanding, or making permanent the pilot program.
       (D) Any other recommendations of the Secretary with respect 
     to modifying or continuing the pilot program.
       (g) Definitions.--In this section:

[[Page S3233]]

       (1) Covered medication.--The term ``covered medication'' 
     means any opioid overdose rescue medication, such as 
     naloxone.
       (2) Veteran.--The term ``veteran'' has the meaning given 
     that term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
                                 ______