Senate panel unanimously approves opioids bill

The Senate Health Committee unanimously voted April 24 to send the panel's bipartisan opioid bill, which includes over 40 proposals from 38 different senators, to the chamber's floor, The Hill reports.

To discuss the opioid epidemic, the Senate panel held seven hearings, including one on the discussion draft of the bill Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and ranking member Patty Murray D-Wash., introduced. In the discussion, lawmakers cited the bipartisan process used to craft the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018, which targets the opioid crisis.

"The challenge before us has sometimes been described as needing a moonshot," Mr. Alexander said. "I believe that solving the opioid crisis might require the energy of a moonshot, but ultimately, it's not something that can be solved by an agency in Washington, D.C."

With more than 40 proposals from 38 different senators, the bill consists of measures that attempt to make it easier to prescribe smaller packs of opioids for limited periods of time, further nonaddictive painkiller development and strengthen how illegal drugs are detected at the country's borders.

Mr. Alexander expects other committees will have additional thoughts on how to fight the opioid crisis, "but if we can present our framework to Senator [Mitch] McConnell, maybe this is something the Senate can move on this summer."

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee is set to vote on over 60 opioid bills starting April 25. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., the full committee's chairman, aims to send legislation to the House floor by May 28.

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