Pallone Floor Remarks on the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act

Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) delivered the following remarks on the House floor in support of H.R. 4531, the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act:

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 4531, the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act. This bill addresses the ongoing public health emergency posed by the opioid and overdose crisis. 

The opioid epidemic is still a tragic reality for millions of Americans and their families every day. Last year, nearly 110,000 Americans died from a drug overdose.   

Five years ago, Congress worked to enact the SUPPORT Act – bipartisan legislation to address the opioid epidemic. That legislation expanded access to treatment, invested in public health, and strengthened prevention efforts. 

Today, the nature of the opioid epidemic has changed. Where it was once illicit prescription drugs, now it is illicit fentanyl, its analogues, and xylazine that are claiming the lives of too many people every single day. 

H.R. 4531 builds on the success of the existing law. It extends the programs that have worked, makes common sense changes to the programs that need to be updated, and includes new policies designed to combat the new reality of the opioid epidemic.

The bill before us today would provide critical training to first responders, support recovery centers, and help individuals in recovery lead normal lives. It makes important investments in Medicaid to support the treatment of opioid use disorder.  

And it requires all state Medicaid programs to cover medication assisted treatment, expands access to coverage to pregnant women in pre-trial detention, and makes it easier for incarcerated individuals to regain their coverage after being released.  

I am disappointed that we were not able to include several bipartisan policies that would ensure greater access to Medicaid for justice-involved populations, and I will continue to work to find a path forward on those provisions.

That said, the bill before us will make meaningful changes to federal law that will strengthen our ability to respond to the ongoing opioid epidemic.

I thank Chairwoman Rodgers, Subcommittee Chairman Guthrie, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Eshoo for their hard work to advance this important bipartisan bill.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.  

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