This Week in Congress: Responding to the Opioid Crisis & Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Consumers

Healthcare will the focus of the Senate’s work on the floor this week, with bills aimed at countering the opioid epidemic and lowering prescription drug costs for consumers, while the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court is set to get a committee vote.

On Monday, the Senate is set to pass its version of a comprehensive opioid crisis response bill along with a bill that’d allow pharmacists to tell customers whether using insurance or paying out-of-pocket for their prescription is less expensive. Its schedule for the rest of the week is yet to be announced.

The House won’t be in session this week as it undertakes a scheduled “district work week”, and will return on Tuesday, September 25th.

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

Schedule subject to change. All times Eastern.

Senate

Monday after 5:30pm

• Senate amendment to H.R. 6: Opioid Crisis Response Act Passed 99-1.
• S. 2554: Patient Right-to-Know Drug Prices Act Passed 98-2.

Tuesday after 12:00pm

• Cloture vote on Conference Report to H.R. 6157: Continuing Resolution + Minibus Appropriations (Defense; Labor; Education; Health and Human Services) Invoked 92-8.
• Conference Report to H.R. 6157: Continuing Resolution + Minibus Appropriations (Defense; Labor; Education; Health and Human Services) Adopted 93-7.

Rest of the Week

• No more votes are expected.

House

Out All Week

• The House will return Tuesday, September 25th.

Tell your reps how to vote on this week's bills and share your thoughts below!

— Eric Revell