This Week in Congress: Combating the Opioid Epidemic & Defense Spending

The House begins its week Tuesday with a slate of 26 bills aimed at addressing various aspects of the opioid epidemic, followed by another 10 bills to that effect Wednesday. On Thursday the House will consider a bill to require the U.S. Postal Service to provide Customs & Border Protection with advance information about international shipments so problem packages can be screened for opioids. It will also vote on a bill to provide Section 8 housing vouchers to transitional housing non-profits that help people leaving addiction treatment. The House concludes its week Friday when it debates a bill to create a new schedule in the Controlled Substances Act for synthetic analogues of illicit drugs and add several types of opioids to it.

The Senate starts its week Monday when it takes a procedural vote to start debate on a bill authorizing $708 billion in defense spending for fiscal year 2019 in advance of a passage vote later in the week. The rest of its schedule is yet to be announced.

Check here throughout the week to see the vote results and updates to the schedule.

Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.

House

Monday

• No votes are expected.

Tuesday after 6:30pm (all suspensions)

• H.R. 5176: Preventing Overdoses While in Emergency Rooms Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5197: ALTO Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 449: Synthetic Drug Awareness Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4284: INFO Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4684: Ensuring Access to Quality Sober Living Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5002: ACE Research Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5009: Jessie’s Law, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5102: Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Act of 2018 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5261: TEACH to Combat Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5272: To ensure that programs and activities that are funded by a grant, cooperative agreement, loan, or loan guarantee from the Department of Health and Human Services, and whose purpose is to prevent or treat a mental health or substance use disorder, are evidence-based, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5327: Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers Act of 2018, as amended Passed 383-13.
• H.R. 5329: Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5353: Eliminating Opioid-Related Infectious Diseases Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5587: Peer Support Communities of Recovery Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5812: CONNECTIONS Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5228: SCREEN Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5473: Better Pain Management Through Better Data Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5800: Medicaid IMD ADDITIONAL INFO Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5583: To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require States to annually report on certain adult health quality measures, and for other purposes Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 3331: To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to promote testing of incentive payments for behavioral health providers for adoption and use of certified electronic health record technology, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5582: Abuse Deterrent Access Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5685: Medicare Opioid Safety Education Act of 2018 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4275: Empowering Pharmacists in the Fight Against Opioid Abuse Act, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5041: Safe Disposal of Unused Medication Act, as amended Passed 398-0.
• H.R. 5483: Special Registration for Telemedicine Clarification Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.

Wednesday after 12pm

• S. 1091: Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5752: Stop Illicit Drug Importation Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 6029: REGROUP Act of 2018 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4655: CREEPER Act of 2017 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5202: Ensuring Patient Access to Substance Use Disorder Treatments Act of 2018 Vote postponed.
• H.R. 5294: Treating Barriers to Prosperity Act of 2018 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 2147: Veterans Treatment Court Improvement Act of 2018, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 4635: To direct VA to increase the number of peer-to-peer counselors providing counseling for women veterans, and for other purposes, as amended Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5889: Recognizing Early Childhood Trauma Related to Substance Abuse Act of 2018 Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5891: Improving the Federal Response to Families Impacted by Substance Use Disorder Act Passed 409-8.
• H.R. 5892: To establish an Advisory Committee on Opioids and the Workplace to advise the Secretary of Labor on actions the Department of Labor can take to address the impact of opioid abuse on the workplace Passed by voice vote.
• H.R. 5890: Assisting States’ Implementation of Plans of Safe Care Act Passed by voice vote.

Thursday after 12pm

• H.R. 5735: THRIVE Act Passed 230-173.
• H.R. 5788: Securing the International Mail Against Opioids Act of 2018 Passed 353-52.

Friday between 9am and 3pm

• H.R. 2851: SITSA Act
• Additional legislative items are possible.

Senate

Monday after 5:30pm

• Motion to proceed to H.R. 5515: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 Adopted 91-4.

Tuesday

• Debate on H.R. 5515: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019

Wednesday

• Debate on H.R. 5515: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019

Thursday

• Voting on amendments to H.R. 5515: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019

Friday

• No votes are expected.

You can tell your reps how to vote on this week's bills using the "Take Action" button!

— Eric Revell