The House of Representatives on Friday passed a major package of legislation meant to address the opioid epidemic, Politico reports.
The package consists of more than 50 bills, with provisions including increased access to treatment, a push for the development of non-addictive painkillers, and directives for further research. The measure also includes Jessie’s Law, which would require addiction history to be noted in a patient’s medical records.
President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic a public-health emergency in October of 2017, and data has shown alarming increases in opioid-related overdoses in recent years.
The new legislation would also give Border Patrol and the United States Postal Service more ways of staunching the flow of illicit drugs into the U.S.
Some Democrats have criticized the opioid package for emphasizing research and not immediate help for those with addiction issues, NBC News reports.
It’s unclear how the legislation will fare in the Senate.
