Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) released the following statement after his legislation, "Combatting an Epidemic: Legislation to Help Patients with Substance Use Disorders" was discussed at an Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing:
"Today, the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing on H.R. 4814, the Suspicious Order Identification Act. This bipartisan legislation that I introduced with Representative Doris Matsui (D-CA) would strengthen federal reporting requirements for manufacturers and distributors of opioids, and convene a "Suspicious Orders Task Force,' bringing government leaders and experts together to come up with a plan to collect and report this data in real-time to keep prescription drugs from being diverted to our streets.
"Progress is being made, but the fact remains that the opioid epidemic is still ravaging communities across Eastern and Southeastern Ohio and our country as a whole. During the height of the opioid epidemic, billions of prescription pain pills were shipped into Ohio, with a large saturation of pills going to counties within Eastern and Southeastern Ohio. Thanks to the DEA and law enforcement, a number of bad actors, such as the operators of "pill mills," are being prosecuted for their involvement in the opioid epidemic. However, there is still more work to be done, which is why I introduced the Suspicious Order Identification Act - so law enforcement and other stakeholders have the most up-to-date data and coordination in order to effectively combat this epidemic at all levels. H.R. 4814 would act as a major step in the right direction.
"I am hopeful that my colleagues will support this critical bill as it moves through the legislative process. We can't be satisfied with the progress we've made so far. There's more work to do."