Senate Passes Opioid Crisis Bill

A bipartisan package of 70 bills to combat the epidemic of opioid overdose deaths passed the Senate Sept. 17 in a 99-1 vote.

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the chair of a key health committee, authored the measure. The House passed its version of the package (H.R. 6) in June by a 396-14 vote.

Lawmakers are under pressure to address the crisis as the midterm elections approach. Over 72,000 people died of a drug overdose last year, 40,000 of which were opioid overdoses, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Senate and House ...