Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2014

Floor Speech

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4709, the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2014. This bill would help prevent prescription drug abuse, establish clear and consistent enforcement standards, and ensure patients have access to needed medications by promoting collaboration between government agencies, patients, and industry stakeholders.

It will help drug distributors and others work with the Drug Enforcement Administration to keep controlled substance prescription drugs out of the hands of drug abusers. It will also help them avoid inappropriately limiting legitimate access to these same drugs by patients who need them. Achieving that balance is a difficult challenge.

H.R. 4709 would provide definitions in the Controlled Substances Act for the phrases ``consistent with the public health and safety'' and ``imminent danger.'' It also would require the DEA to provide registrants an opportunity to submit an action plan to correct any violations of law or regulation for which DEA is considering revoking or suspending their controlled substance.

It would require FDA, in consultation with DEA, to submit a report to Congress 1 year after enactment on collaborative efforts to benefit patients and prevent diversion and abuse of controlled substances.

I want to commend Energy and Commerce members Marsha Blackburn and Peter Welch, as well as Representatives Tom Marino and Judy Chu, for their sponsorship of this bipartisan legislation. Of course, I also thank my colleagues, Chairman Upton, Chairman Pitts, Ranking Member Waxman, and all other staff who have all been instrumental in bringing H.R. 4709 to the floor today.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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