INFO Act

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4284) to establish a Federal Coordinator within the Department of Health and Human Services, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for H.R. 4284, the Indexing Narcotics, Fentanyl, and Opioid Act of 2018, more easily known as the INFO Act.

This legislation will facilitate the linking of all nationwide health efforts and strategies to combat the opioid crisis into one place, as well as create an interagency substance abuse disorder coordinating committee to review and coordinate research, services, and prevention activities across all relevant Federal agencies. This is going to be a tremendous resource for patients, families, and local communities and their leaders. I want to thank my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Latta) for leading this important initiative.

I think all of us in our districts, Mr. Speaker, have heard directly from people saying: I don't know what resources are there at the Federal level. I don't know where to go access it. Can't you do something?

That is why Mr. Latta, who chairs our Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection, rose to the challenge and put together this piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta) to discuss the importance of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, would encourage our colleagues to support this fine piece of legislation and, again, commend its authors for doing the good work that will help so many in our districts.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4284, the Indexing Narcotics, Fentanyl, and Opioids Act, or INFO Act.

The opioid crisis is a complex issue that requires an all-hands-on- deck approach. Communities across the Nation are being ravaged by this crisis, and many are working hard to find ways to stop it.

With 115 people dying every day from opioid overdoses, communities could benefit from sharing effective interventions to decrease opioid use disorder and overdose deaths and having one-stop access to Federal resources, including grant funding announcements, available to support their efforts.

The INFO Act would create a central repository for information on programs within HHS related to the reduction of opioid abuse and other substance use disorders, as well as how communities nationwide are tackling the opioid epidemic. In this way, folks across the country can work together and learn from one another.

This easily accessible, electronic public dashboard would allow for strategies to combat this crisis to be shared and served as a resource to patients, loved ones of those with opioid use disorder, and local communities.

The INFO Act also would establish an interagency substance use disorder coordinating committee to help coordinate response efforts to the opioid epidemic within HHS.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the committee for all his hard work and for especially shepherding these 57 bills that we got through committee on the opioid crisis

that we have in this country. I thank him for that and for helping on this piece of legislation today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4284, the INFO Act, the Indexing Narcotics, Fentanyl, and Opioids Act.

In Ohio, we have experienced some of the worst of the crisis. In a 12-month period ending June 30 of last year, 5,232 lives were lost due to overdoses. That is a 39 percent increase from the previous year and three times the national average.

In talking with my constituents across the district, I have learned that to make a real difference in the lives of those who are struggling with addiction, we need to get more data, information, and funding into the hands of the right people. That is exactly what the INFO Act does.

My bill creates a public dashboard consisting of comprehensive information and data on nationwide efforts to combat the opioid crisis. Establishing a one-stop shop makes it easier for advocates, healthcare providers, and State and local governments to access Federal funding, data on opioid abuse, and the best practices for treatment.

Due to this crisis, we are losing 115 Americans a day across this Nation. The time to act is now. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this legislation.