VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Speaker, our Nation is being ravaged by skyrocketing levels of prescription opioid and heroin abuse, and our veterans have been particularly hard hit. Today, 68,000 veterans are struggling with opioid abuse disorder.

Veterans suffer higher rates of opioid abuse than their civilian counterparts, and the number of opioid abuse disorders among veterans has increased 55 percent over the past 5 years.

This is why I joined my colleague from across the aisle, Bill Keating, in introducing H.R. 5057, the Safe Prescribing for Veterans Act. This bill encourages increased safety in opioid prescribing practices by ensuring that healthcare professionals within the VA who are authorized to prescribe controlled substances complete at least one continuing medical education course in pain management every 2 years.

Last night, Mr. Keating and I offered this proposal as an amendment to H.R. 5620, the VA Accountability First and Appeals Modernization Act, and it passed with strong bipartisan support. This amendment has the potential to save thousands of lives by increasing opioid abuse awareness among the nearly 55,000 VA health professionals working across the country.

I commend my colleagues for supporting our efforts.

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