Washington, D.C. — House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) celebrate the passage of H.R.4531, the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization (SUPPORT) Act of 2023. The bill, led by Subcommittee Chair Guthrie and Rep. Anne Kuster (D-NH) passed the House by a vote of 386 to 37.

“This bill is about offering hope to those in despair—those battling substance use disorder, their families and loved ones, and the health care workers and law enforcement officers who need continued support to help save lives. By reauthorizing the programs that were proving successful before Covid and increasing access to treatment, we can help restore hope and healing to those who need it most. I thank Subcommittee Chair Guthrie for his leadership on this important bipartisan legislation,” said Chair Rodgers. 

“I am proud that I was able to lead the bipartisan SUPPORT Act reauthorization in the House of Representatives alongside my colleague Rep. Kuster, and with the strong support of Chair Rodgers. We have lost more than 200,000 Americans in just the last two years due to drug overdoses and fentanyl poisonings. Our bill provides continued funding to communities across the Commonwealth and the nation that are grappling with the consequences of the overdose epidemic that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We saw a pivotal opportunity to build off the work Congress did in 2018 by stopping the flow of illicit opioids, providing greater access to treatment services for vulnerable populations, and greater access to newly approved over-the-counter overdose reversal medications. I am confident that this bill can help save lives by preventing overdoses and providing access to immediate and long-term care recovery services,” said Subcommittee Chair Guthrie. 

BACKGROUND ON H.R. 4531: 

• Permanently places xylazine in Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, while maintaining access for veterinarians and ranchers to use in animals. 
• Continues providing resources for training and education related to fentanyl and other illicit substances for first responders, particularly in rural areas. 
• Renews support for individuals in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery to live independently and participate in the workforce.
• Protects moms and babies by reauthorizing resources for residential SUD treatment for pregnant and postpartum women. 
• Permanently lifts Medicaid’s IMD Exclusion, which restricts access to care for rehab and institutional care services. 
• Ensures Medicaid beneficiaries have access to Medication Assisted Treatment. 
• Is fully compliant with House Republicans’ fiscal responsibility framework and spending is offset with reductions elsewhere. 

H.R. 4531 passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee on July 19, 2023, by a vote of 49 to 0. 

CLICK HERE to review a section-by-section summary of H.R. 4531. 

CLICK HERE to read the bill text. 

CLICK HERE for a recap of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee field hearing on the SUPPORT Act in Gettysburg, PA.