Eliminating Opioid Related Infectious Diseases Act of 2018

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer legislation to combat another front in our battle against the scourge of opioid addiction.

I commend Chairman Walden and Dr. Burgess, Mr. Pallone, and Mr.

Green for their leadership in bringing 26 bills to the floor addressing the many sides of the far-reaching opioid crisis. This epidemic has challenged every community and every walk of life in this Nation.

Today, I offer the Eliminating Opioid Related Infectious Diseases Act, legislation I have had the honor of authoring. My cosponsor is our colleague on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy III of Massachusetts.

We must do more to stop the spread of infectious diseases resulting from opioid abuse. I know this is a difficult subject because we are discussing HIV and other related topics, but we need to be honest and realistic about these public health challenges because this is not just about helping those with addiction. Families, including children, are being exposed to terrible infections at an alarming rate.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must implement a plan to turn this tide and combat the public health consequences of these deadly trends. According to surveillance data released last month by the CDC, new cases of hepatitis C rose by a staggering 350 percent nationwide between 2010 and 2016. The time to move, obviously, is now.

This bipartisan endeavor makes sure that the CDC has the tools it needs and that those facing an opioid addiction are educated for the safety of themselves and their families. Our efforts provide the CDC with $40 million, annually, to carry out this mission.

The Energy and Commerce Committee has produced results for the American people in response to many public health challenges, but especially recently against opioid addiction. The Opioid State Targeted Response grants created by the 21st Century Cures Act delivered $13 million to my home State of New Jersey and additional resources across the United States. The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act was one of the most important pieces of legislation last Congress.

This bill and the others we are discussing today are in the public health interest of the American people. This is the way Congress should operate: in a bipartisan capacity.

I am very proud to have been involved in this effort. Those who have fallen victim to addiction must be able to reclaim their lives. Stopping the spread of deadly infections will mean one fewer hurdle to overcome.

I urge a ``yes'' vote on this piece of legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5353, Eliminating Opioid Related Infectious Diseases Act.

As the opioid epidemic has grown, so have infectious diseases related to intravenous opioid drug abuse. These infectious diseases include serious blood-borne illnesses such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, which have devastating health consequences and require long-term treatment.

In 2015, a community in Indiana experienced an outbreak of HIV in over 200 individuals related to intravenous use of oxymorphone. These infections also include infections from skin flora such as MRSA.

Last week, CDC released a report finding that people who inject drugs are more than 16 times more likely to develop invasive MRSA infections. In the midst of an opioid epidemic, it is more important than ever to bolster national surveillance and education efforts on the infectious diseases related to use of IV drugs.

The Eliminating Opioid Related Infectious Diseases Act of 2018, the bill before us, authorizes the CDC to improve surveillance of infections associated with intravenous drug use, such as HIV, infective endocarditis, and MRSA. The CDC can help reduce the rate of infectious diseases from intravenous drug use through the development and distribution of public educational materials on risks associated with intravenous drug use.

This legislation, Mr. Speaker, would also help by improving the education and training of healthcare professionals on how to detect and treat intravenous drug use-associated infections, leading to better management, fewer complications, and overall improved quality of care for those suffering from IV-related infectious diseases.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5353) to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize and expand a program of surveillance and education, carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regarding infections associated with injection drug use, 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 in support of H.R. 5353, Eliminating Opioid Related Infectious Diseases Act, which will authorize the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control, to work with States to improve education, surveillance, and treatment of infections associated with injection drug use.

Injection drug use is a well-known route for the transmission of blood-borne infections, particularly human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, and hepatitis. By supporting a national elimination initiative, H.R. 5353 will help reduce the serious, costly, and life-threatening infections that can be associated with illicit drug use.

I want to thank my colleague, Leonard Lance from New Jersey. He has been a real leader in this effort, bringing this to our attention. He wasn't alone. Representative Joe Kennedy, Chris Collins, Anna Eshoo, Joe Barton, and Doris Matsui also were very much involved in the creation of this legislative initiative.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Lance) to speak on his legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers as well. I thank our colleagues for their good work on this bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.