Substance Use-Disorder Prevention That Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, and I want to acknowledge Mr. Pallone, Mr. Walden, and Mr. Brady, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, for the good work that they have offered on this as well.

The opioid crisis is not a partisan issue. It is a health, safety, family, community, and economic issue. Everybody in this Chamber today has a family member or knows someone close to them who is connected to the opioid crisis.

H.R. 6 represents the best of bipartisan and bicameral negotiation. This is, indeed, the way policy can and should be done.

The bill includes a number of Democratic priorities to expand treatment options for our neighbors, family members, and friends suffering from opioid use disorders. It includes my bill, with Member Pallone, that would require Medicare to cover opioid treatment programs so that our Nation's seniors might have more outpatient options for treatment.

Opioid use disorders are rapidly growing among Medicare beneficiaries. In 13 States, the highest rate of opioid-related inpatient hospital stays is amongst those over 65. This policy would give Medicare beneficiaries increased access to a range of medication and behavioral treatment options, leading to more hope for long-term recovery.

I am also pleased that H.R. 6 includes the Securing the International Mail Against Opioids Act, which would help to stop the flow of opioids through the United States. This legislation stems from the STOP Act, a bill that I worked on with Mr. Tiberi before his retirement earlier this year. I want to commend him, in addition to Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Pascrell, for their work on this bipartisan legislation.

While the bill before us is a step in the right direction, this epidemic is not going to turn around overnight. It needs a thoughtful, long-term, sustainable approach that requires significant Federal investments. H.R. 6 represents the initial step in addressing this crisis, but it cannot be the end. Part of that long-term approach must include protecting and strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

I want to take a moment to thank the staff on both sides of the aisle for their usual good work in this Chamber, for the weeks of hard effort they put in bringing this bill to fruition. The effort exemplifies bipartisan cooperation, and a particular thanks to House and Senate legislative counsel who worked long nights and weekends to finish the bill.

Thanks also to the CMS Office of Legislation and the staff of the Congressional Budget Office who played a critical role in finalizing the bill.

This is a complicated issue, and H.R. 6 is not going to solve the public health epidemic or its impact on society at the moment, but it certainly is a good step. I encourage all of us here in this Chamber today and in Congress to continue to work together to develop policy solutions for members of our community who are suffering from this terrible epidemic.

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