Dear Fellow Hoosiers,

Thank you for the opportunity to update you on the work of the 114th Congress. I trust this finds you and your family well, as we work together to bring Hoosier common sense to Washington.

For daily updates, please take a moment to "Like" my Facebook page by clicking here  or follow me on Twitter if you prefer  @ToddRokita.

In this week's Rokita Report

• Combating the Opioid Epidemic
• National Debt Major Security Issue
• Court Upholds House Suit Against Executive Overreach
• Academy Day on Saturday

Combating the Opioid Epidemic

This week, the House of Representatives focused on opioid abuse, which is one of the most important issues of the day.  Nationwide, opioid abuse is a crisis.  The CDC estimates that over a thousand Hoosiers die every year because of this epidemic.  Many of us know of neighbors, friends, colleagues, and even relatives, who have become addicted to opioids.  Last week, I met with officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) about this issue.  On Tuesday, I met with the 26th Class of the Lugar Series and we focused much of our discussion on the epidemic.

This week, the House passed six initiatives I am a cosponsor of to address opioid abuse:

H.R. 4586, Lali's Law, would create a competitive grant program to increase first responder access to naloxone.  Naloxone has been proven to restore breathing following an overdose.

H.R. 4599, the Reducing Unused Medicine Act, would amend the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) to allow for partial prescriptions.  Current law is unclear on whether doctors can prescribe pain-killers in smaller quantities as they see fit, or if they need to meet government prescribed dosages with mandated minimums.  This uncertainty leads to doctors prescribing excessive amounts of pain-killers.  Seventy percent of prescription drug abuse is from pills given by friends and relatives.  These medications often come from unused prescriptions.

H.R. 4978, the Nurturing and Supporting Healthy Babies Act, would require the Comptroller General of the United States to issue a report on neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), including information on how Medicaid treats infants with NAS.  This bill protects the most vulnerable victims of the opioid epidemic, babies born with drug withdrawal symptoms.

H.R. 4982, the Examining Opioid Treatment Infrastructure Act, would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on the availability and effectiveness of opioid treatment programs.  As we address this epidemic, it is important for us to examine what programs work and what programs do not.

H.R. 4843, the Improving Safe Care for the Prevention of Infant Abuse and Neglect Act, would provide states with resources to improve their child protective services systems.  A Reuters investigation in December 2015 revealed that nearly all states receiving federal funding for these programs do not have required policies in place to alert social workers on the birth of drug dependent newborns.  Upon hearing about these findings, I sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Burwell demanding information and action from the department on the issue.

H.R. 4981, the Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Expansion and Modernization Act would permit qualifying medical professionals to prescribe buprenorphine to patients for use in maintenance and detoxification treatment without registering as an opioid treatment program.  Current rules restrict prescription approval to physicians and place strict caps on the number of patients who can be prescribed buprenorphine.  This bill would improve the quality of care patients receive and minimize diversion by expanding access to recovery services.

National Debt Major Security Issue

Debt warriors received support this week from the Coalition for Fiscal and National Security (CFNS), which released a statement recognizing the national debt as the country’s greatest national security risk.  CFNS called on policymakers to reduce the debt.  I came to Washington to address our national debt, which is now $19 trillion because I recognize it is a major burden we are passing on to future generations.

Despite the federal government bringing in record tax revenues last year, we continue to see the debt grow, which proves that we will not be able to tax our way out of this debt.  The federal government does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem.  We must address the root causes of our debt, mandatory spending programs like Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid.  These programs account for two-thirds of government spending and are causing "the single greatest threat to our national security."

The Coalition for Fiscal and National Security is comprised of many notable leaders, such as former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Henry Kissinger, former Defense Secretaries Robert Gates and Leon Panetta, and is chaired by retired Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  As Vice-Chairman of the House Budget Committee, I appreciate knowing that there is support from the national security community for the Committee's efforts to tackle the debt.  Every year that I have served on the committee, we have passed a committee budget that balances federal spending within a decade.

Court Upholds House Suit Against Executive Overreach

Yesterday, a U.S. District court ruled in favor of the House of Representatives in a lawsuit over ObamaCare spending not authorized by Congress. 

This ruling affirmed the position that the House of Representatives took in challenging the administration’s unilateral actions on ObamaCare funding.  The courts recognized that our Constitution clearly gives the "power of the purse" to the Legislative Branch.

Ever since Obamacare was hastily passed, the Executive Branch has attempted to skirt the will of Congress in its implementation by spending billions of dollars without Congressional approval and choosing which parts of the law to enforce.  The President took an oath to faithfully uphold the laws of the United States.  Laws that are written and passed by Congress.

This lawsuit was authorized by legislation that I supported in 2014.  The Obama administration is expected to appeal Thursday’s ruling.

Academy Day on Saturday

This Saturday, I will be hosting a Service Academy Day with Senator Dan Coats.  Nominating young Hoosiers for service academies is a great honor that I take seriously.  I encourage students interested in these academies to attend.  The event is a great way to discover what opportunities the service academies provide and learn about the nomination process.  Members of my staff and representatives from the academies will be on hand to answer your questions.     

SATURDAY, May 14, 2016
10:00am - 12:00pm
Brownsburg High School Auditorium
1000 S. Odell Street
Brownsburg, IN 46122

For more information on service academies, visit my website.

Thank you for your continued interest in Congress and for supporting my efforts to bring Hoosier common sense to Washington. Take care.  

Sincerely,
 
Todd Rokita