The House on Wednesday easily passed legislation aimed at curbing opioid abuse, but without Democratic language to add more funding to the effort.
The legislation to create a task force to curb prescribing of opioids is among 18 bills that the House is trying to pass this week that deal with the opioid and heroin epidemic, which federal figures show kills 72 people each day.
The government task force would be charged with updating best practices for how doctors should dole out painkillers. A key contributor to the opioid crisis is the prescribing of too many opioids.
“This task force will be comprised of the federal relevant agencies and those who deal with this problem day in and day out,” said Rep. Susan Brooks, R-Ind., who sponsored the legislation on the House floor.
While the bill sailed through the House by a 412-4 vote, what wasn’t included was the subject of much controversy. Democrats attempted to add $600 million in emergency funding to help with the opioid crisis, but failed.
While the collection of 18 bills includes funding for fighting the crisis, Democrats charge that isn’t adequate as that money is taken from other programs. Democrats called for $600 million in new funding that isn’t offset.
“If the money is not there to implement these programs then we are not doing our job,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., on the House floor Wednesday.
Republicans have instead opted for any new funding to be considered through the House appropriations process, but Democrats said that would take too much time.
In the 421-0 vote, the House also passed a bill aimed at improving care for infants born affected by substance abuse from the parents.
More bills will be considered this week at the House, and the chamber is expected to pass 18 bills in all focusing on opioid abuse. Some of the bills will be considered via the suspension calendar which allows for quicker passage.
