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Legislation being introduced by Eighth District Congressman Larry Bucshon to reform and improve the treatment for opioid addiction is gaining traction in Washington, D.C.
Last week, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) highlighted Bucshon’s legislation as a linchpin to the House’s effort to combat the opioid addiction epidemic that is claiming 78 American lives to overdose every day.
In his op-ed, Majority Leader McCarthy wrote:
“Members of the House have been working hard to respond to this crisis as well, and as Majority Leader, I plan to schedule multiple bills on the floor to address the nationwide opioid epidemic.
“Two of my colleagues, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (WI-5) and Dr. Larry Bucshon (IN-8) are working on bills to improve treatment, prevention, and education efforts for those with opioid addiction…House Committees should complete work on legislation in April, and I plan to bring these bills for a vote on the House floor in May.”
The press corps in Washington, D.C. quickly took note of the House’s work, including Bucshon’s legislation:
“Among these are the bills that Reps. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) have introduced to improve treatment for opioid addicts, as well as prevention and education efforts to decrease the rates of addiction.” (The Hill; 4/11/2016)
“Committee work on the bills should wrap up this month, he [House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy] said. McCarthy referenced several bills that are in the works, including one from Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) and Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) that would improve opioid abuse treatment and prevention efforts. Other bills McCarthy referenced would improve guidelines for physicians, help infants born to opioid-addicted mothers and improve the country’s drug laws.” (Morning Consult; 4/7/2016)
“McCarthy highlighted several bills that improve treatment and prevention of opioid addiction and create better guidance for doctors to follow when prescribing opioid medications.” (Washington Examiner; 4/7/2016)
As a physician, Bucshon is uniquely qualified to help tackle this challenge that is increasingly impacting Hoosier families and communities. While some members of Congress might be concerned with taking credit for work on this issue, Bucshon’s concern is getting a solution across the finish line to help solve this crisis.
“Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) is one of the members whose bill, which would improve treatment of opioid addiction, made McCarthy’s shortlist.
“He’s a surgeon from a state that has seen one of the sharpest recent rises in the drug-overdose death rate, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and he sits on the House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee that is likely to field opioid legislation. Though Bucshon said he could care less whether he gets personal credit for his efforts, he worries the temptation to seize the spotlight may grip others and delay progress.
“‘Could there be pitfalls where for political reasons, people are bantering around and worried about who’s getting credit, and it stops it up? I’m a little worried about that because it’s a front-page issue and everybody’s talking about it,’ Bucshon said, declining to name parties or names of who might pose a problem.
“’It doesn’t do us any good to be working on legislation that’s ultimately not going to end up on the president’s desk,’ he added.” (Washington Post; 4/13/2016)
Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. is a physician and Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee serving his third term representing Indiana's 8th Congressional district. The 8th District of Indiana includes all or parts of Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Martin, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, and Warrick counties.
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