Ensuring Compliance Against Drug Diversion Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this legislation, which was introduced by Representative Griffith.

In order to prevent people who have not been vetted by authorities in dispensing controlled substances, this bill would clarify that the transfer of any controlled substance registration without written consent from the Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA, is prohibited.

A 2018 Energy and Commerce Committee report, which summarized the committee's bipartisan investigation into the distribution of prescription opioids by wholesale drug distributors, and the DEA's subsequent enforcement practices found that an opioid distributor and its pharmacy customer did not go through the appropriate process of transferring a registration to a new pharmacy owner.

Failing to contact the DEA appropriately and to verify whether the agency approved the transfer of a registration to dispense controlled substances creates a serious risk that could lead to drug diversion.

Madam Speaker, of course, I urge a "yes'' vote on this.

Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Griffith).

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Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this very good bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

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