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I
116TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 2922
To address the opioid epidemic, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 22, 2019
Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire (for herself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. SCAN-
LON, Ms. PINGREE, Ms. STEVENS, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. FRANKEL,
Mr. TRONE, Mr. TONKO, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mr.
DOGGETT, Mr. PAPPAS, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Mrs. TRAHAN, Mr.
WELCH, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. SHALALA, Ms.
MOORE, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. MOULTON, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mr.
MCGOVERN, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. CROW, Ms. MATSUI, Ms.
KELLY of Illinois, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. VEASEY, and
Ms. BASS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on
the Judiciary, Ways and Means, the Budget, and Education and Labor,
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
A BILL
To address the opioid epidemic, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Respond to the Needs
4
in the Opioid War Act’’ or the ‘‘Respond NOW Act’’.
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SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
1
The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
2
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
TITLE I—OPIOID EPIDEMIC RESPONSE FUND
Sec. 101. Opioid Epidemic Response Fund.
Sec. 102. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Sec. 103. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sec. 104. Food and Drug Administration.
Sec. 105. National Institutes of Health.
Sec. 106. Health Resources and Services Administration.
Sec. 107. Administration for Children and Families.
TITLE II—ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS IN EXISTING PROGRAMS
TO RESPOND TO THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC
Sec. 201. Increase in funding for regional partnership grants.
Sec. 202. Account for the State and Tribal Response to the Opioid Abuse Cri-
sis.
TITLE III—EXPANDING ACCESS TO TREATMENT SERVICES
Sec. 301. Eliminating time limitation for nurse practitioners, clinical nurse spe-
cialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified nurse
midwives, and physician assistants To be qualifying practi-
tioners.
Sec. 302. Coverage of methadone under Medicare part B.
TITLE I—OPIOID EPIDEMIC
3
RESPONSE FUND
4
SEC. 101. OPIOID EPIDEMIC RESPONSE FUND.
5
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and
6
Human Services (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Sec-
7
retary’’) shall use any funds appropriated pursuant to the
8
authorization of appropriations under subsection (c) to
9
carry out the programs and activities described in sub-
10
section (d) to address the opioid and substance use epi-
11
demic. Such funds shall be in addition to any funds which
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•HR 2922 IH
are otherwise available to carry out such programs and
1
activities.
2
(b) OPIOID EPIDEMIC RESPONSE FUND.—
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(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF ACCOUNT.—There is
4
established in the Treasury an account, to be known
5
as the Opioid Epidemic Response Fund (referred to
6
in this section as the ‘‘Fund’’), for purposes of fund-
7
ing the programs and activities described in sub-
8
section (d).
9
(2) TRANSFER.—For each of fiscal years 2020
10
through 2024, $5,000,000,000 shall be transferred
11
to the Fund from the general fund of the Treasury.
12
(3)
AMOUNTS
DEPOSITED.—Any
amounts
13
transferred under paragraph (2) shall remain un-
14
available in the Fund until such amounts are appro-
15
priated pursuant to subsection (c).
16
(c) APPROPRIATIONS.—
17
(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For
18
the period of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, there
19
is authorized to be appropriated from the Fund to
20
the Department of Health and Human Services, for
21
the purpose of carrying out the programs and activi-
22
ties described in subsection (d), an amount not to
23
exceed the total amount transferred to the Fund
24
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•HR 2922 IH
under subsection (b)(2), to remain available until ex-
1
pended.
2
(2) OFFSETTING FUTURE APPROPRIATIONS.—
3
For any of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, for any
4
discretionary appropriation to the Department of
5
Health and Human Services (or any agency therein)
6
pursuant to the authorization of appropriations
7
under paragraph (1) for the purpose of carrying out
8
the programs and activities described in subsection
9
(d), the total amount of such appropriations for the
10
applicable fiscal year (not to exceed the total amount
11
remaining in the Account) shall be subtracted from
12
the estimate of discretionary budget authority and
13
the resulting outlays for any estimate under the
14
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control
15
Act of 1974 or the Balanced Budget and Emergency
16
Deficit Control Act of 1985, and the amount trans-
17
ferred to the Fund shall be reduced by the same
18
amount.
19
(d) PROGRAMS
AND
ACTIVITIES.—Of the total
20
amount authorized to be appropriated from the Fund to
21
the Department of Health and Human Services by sub-
22
section (c)(1), such amount shall be allocated as follows:
23
(1) SAMHSA.—For the Substance Abuse and
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Mental Health Services Administration to carry out
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•HR 2922 IH
programs and activities pursuant to section 102,
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$3,650,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2020
2
through 2024.
3
(2) CDC.—For the Centers for Disease Control
4
and Prevention to carry out programs and activities
5
pursuant to section 103, $500,000,000 for each of
6
fiscal years 2020 through 2024.
7
(3) FDA.—For the Food and Drug Adminis-
8
tration to carry out programs and activities pursu-
9
ant to section 104, $65,000,000 for each of fiscal
10
years 2020 through 2024.
11
(4) NIH.—For the National Institutes of
12
Health to carry out programs and activities pursu-
13
ant to section 105, $500,000,000 for each of fiscal
14
years 2020 through 2024.
15
(5) HRSA.—For the Health Resources and
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Services Administration to carry out programs and
17
activities pursuant to section 106, $235,000,000 for
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each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024.
19
(6) ACF.—For the Administration for Children
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and Families to carry out programs and activities
21
pursuant to section 107, $50,000,000 for each of
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fiscal years 2020 through 2024.
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(e) ACCOUNTABILITY AND OVERSIGHT.—
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(1) WORK PLAN.—
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(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180
1
days after the date of enactment of this Act,
2
the Secretary of Health and Human Services
3
shall submit to the Committee on Health, Edu-
4
cation, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee
5
on Appropriations of the Senate and the Com-
6
mittee on Energy and Commerce and the Com-
7
mittee on Appropriations of the House of Rep-
8
resentatives, a work plan including the proposed
9
allocation of funds appropriated pursuant to the
10
authorization of appropriations under subsec-
11
tion (c) for each of fiscal years 2020 through
12
2024 and the contents described in subpara-
13
graph (B).
14
(B) CONTENTS.—The work plan submitted
15
under subparagraph (A) shall include—
16
(i) the amount of money to be obli-
17
gated or expended out of the Fund in each
18
fiscal year for each program and activity
19
described in subsection (d); and
20
(ii) a description and justification of
21
each such program and activity.
22
(2) REPORTS.—
23
(A) ANNUAL
REPORTS.—Not later than
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October 1 of each of fiscal years 2020 through
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2024, the Secretary of Health and Human
1
Services shall submit to the Committee on
2
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and
3
the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate
4
and the Committee on Energy and Commerce
5
and the Committee on Appropriations of the
6
House of Representatives, a report including—
7
(i) the amount of money obligated or
8
expended out of the Fund in the prior fis-
9
cal year for each program and activity de-
10
scribed in subsection (d);
11
(ii) a description of all programs and
12
activities using funds provided pursuant to
13
the authorization of appropriations under
14
subsection (c); and
15
(iii) how the programs and activities
16
are responding to the opioid epidemic.
17
(B) ADDITIONAL
REPORTS.—At the re-
18
quest of the Committee on Health, Education,
19
Labor, and Pensions or the Committee on Ap-
20
propriations of the Senate, or the Committee on
21
Energy and Commerce or the Committee on
22
Appropriations of the House of Representatives,
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the Secretary of Health and Human Services
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shall provide an update in the form of testi-
25
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•HR 2922 IH
mony and any additional reports to the respec-
1
tive congressional committee regarding the allo-
2
cation of funding under this section or the de-
3
scription of the programs and activities under-
4
taken with such funding.
5
(f) LIMITATIONS.—Notwithstanding any transfer au-
6
thority authorized by this Act or any appropriations Act,
7
any funds made available pursuant to the authorization
8
of appropriations under subsection (c) may not be used
9
for any purpose other than the programs and activities
10
described in subsection (d) to address the opioid and sub-
11
stance use epidemic.
12
(g) SUNSET.—This section shall expire at the end of
13
fiscal year 2029.
14
SEC. 102. SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERV-
15
ICES ADMINISTRATION.
16
The entirety of the funds made available pursuant to
17
section 101(d)(1) shall be for carrying out subsections (b)
18
and (c) of section 1003 of the 21st Century Cures Act
19
(42 U.S.C. 290ee–3 note).
20
SEC. 103. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVEN-
21
TION.
22
(a) ADDRESSING OPIOID USE DISORDER.—The en-
23
tirety of the funds made available pursuant to section
24
101(d)(2) shall be for the Director of the Centers for Dis-
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•HR 2922 IH
ease Control and Prevention, pursuant to applicable au-
1
thorities in the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201
2
et seq.), to continue and expand programs of the Centers
3
for Disease Control and Prevention to address opioid use
4
disorder, including by—
5
(1) improving the timeliness and quality of data
6
on the opioid epidemic, including improvement of—
7
(A) data on fatal and nonfatal overdoses;
8
(B) syndromic surveillance;
9
(C) data on long-term sequelae (including
10
neonatal abstinence syndrome); and
11
(D) cause of death reporting related to
12
substance abuse or opioid overdose;
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(2) expanding and strengthening evidence-based
14
prevention and education strategies;
15
(3) supporting responsible prescribing practices,
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including through development and dissemination of
17
prescriber guidelines;
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(4) improving access to and use of effective pre-
19
vention, treatment, and recovery support, including
20
through grants and the provision of technical assist-
21
ance to States and localities;
22
(5) strengthening partnerships with first re-
23
sponders, including to protect their safety;
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(6) considering the needs of vulnerable popu-
1
lations;
2
(7) addressing infectious diseases linked to the
3
opioid crisis;
4
(8) strengthening prescription drug monitoring
5
programs; and
6
(9) providing financial and technical assistance
7
to State and local health department efforts to treat
8
and prevent substance use disorder.
9
(b) LIMITATION.—Of the funds made available pur-
10
suant to section 101(d)(2) for carrying out this section,
11
not more than 20 percent may be used for intramural pur-
12
poses.
13
SEC. 104. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION.
14
The entirety of the funds made available pursuant to
15
section 101(d)(3) shall be for the Commissioner of Food
16
and Drugs, pursuant to applicable authorities in the Pub-
17
lic Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) or the Fed-
18
eral Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et
19
seq.) and other applicable law, to support widespread inno-
20
vation in non-opioid and non-addictive medical products
21
for pain treatment, access to opioid addiction treatments,
22
appropriate use of approved opioids, and efforts to reduce
23
illicit importation of opioids. Such support may include the
24
following:
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(1) Facilitating the development of non-opioid
1
and non-addictive pain treatments.
2
(2) Advancing guidance documents for sponsors
3
of non-opioid pain products.
4
(3) Developing evidence to inform the potential
5
for nonprescription overdose therapies.
6
(4) Examining expanded labeling indications for
7
medication-assisted treatment.
8
(5) Conducting public education and outreach,
9
including public workshops or public meetings, re-
10
garding the benefits of medication-assisted treat-
11
ment, and approved non-opioid drug and device
12
treatment options.
13
(6) Exploring the expansion and possible man-
14
datory nature of prescriber education regarding pain
15
management and appropriate opioid prescribing
16
through authorities under section 505–1 of the Fed-
17
eral Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355–
18
1).
19
(7) Examining options to limit the duration of
20
opioid prescriptions for acute pain, including
21
through packaging options.
22
(8) Increasing staff and infrastructure capacity
23
to inspect and analyze packages at international
24
mail facilities and pursue criminal investigations.
25
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