Debarment Enforcement of Bad Actor Registrants Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1002, the Debarment Enforcement of Bad Actor Registrants Act of 2021, or the DEBAR Act of 2021.

One of the critical missions of the Drug Enforcement Administration is enforcing and implementing the Controlled Substances Act in order to prevent drug diversion and limit access to substances that may pose a risk if used incorrectly.

One important lever the DEA has at its disposal to manage diversion or noncompliance with the law is the ability to revoke or surrender an individual's controlled substance registration, which is needed to handle controlled substances.

A recent report by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General found weaknesses in the DEA's current registration processes and instances where the agency did not fully utilize its regulatory authorities to address noncompliance. Specifically, the inspector general found cases where entities whose registration were revoked were later able to obtain a new license.

For example, the report included one case where a doctor who had their registration revoked for serious misconduct then moved to another State under the authority of a different DEA field division and was granted a controlled substances registration after reapplying.

Another example in the report included a dentist who had voluntarily surrendered his medical license and DEA registration on two separate occasions. The dentist had also been convicted of a felony, which is grounds for suspension or revocation of an individual's registration under the Controlled Substances Act. However, this dentist was still able to obtain another DEA registration.

Amid rising substance abuse and tragic drug overdoses, errors like these can be tragic and simply should not be happening. H.R. 1002 would address these errors by authorizing the debarment of any registrant who either meets the criteria for temporary or permanent suspension or revocation or has a history of prior suspensions or revocations.

I thank my committee colleagues--Representative Latta, in particular--for leading this legislation, and also Ranking Member Rodgers for her work on this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I also urge support for the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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