House Energy and Commerce Committee Holds Hearing on Legislation Focused on Combating Addiction

On March 26, 2026, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing titled “Policies to Protect Our Communities from Illicit Drug Threats.” The hearing discussed 14 bills that aim to reduce overdoses and improve substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery services and addiction research. 

In the hearing, members of Congress agreed on a bipartisan basis that addiction should be treated as a disease using community-based care. House members highlighted that communities need education, prevention, and treatment. Witnesses testified that medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are gold standard treatments for substance use disorders (SUD). Members noted that expanding access to MOUD, fentanyl test strips, and naloxone helped reduce overdose death rates by nearly 28 percent from 2023 to 2024.  

Members discussed the ever-changing composition of the drug supply. The drug supply is now primarily comprised of synthetic substances and has recently seen an increased prevalence of xylazine, nitazenes, and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). Xylazine is a non-opioid sedative that is not approved for human consumption. Nitazenes and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) are highly potent synthetic opioids. Witnesses and House members highlighted that substances in the drug supply can be adulterated using pill presses. Often, the adulterated pills can look identical to the unadulterated substance. 

Members of Congress examined the impacts of substance use funding and Medicaid on treatment outcomes. Additionally, in the hearing, the witnesses and members considered the implications of scheduling the substances, including veterinarians, farmers, and cattle ranchers' access to xylazine to sedate animals.

The bills discussed in the hearing include: 

• H.R. 1266, Combatting Illicit Xylazine Act: Congressman August Pfluger (R-TX) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) lead H.R. 1266, which would permanently place xylazine in Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act and amend the definition of “ultimate user” to allow xylazine to continue to be lawfully administered for legitimate veterinary purposes. 

• H.R. 5630, To amend the Public Health Service Act: Led by Congresswoman Erin Houchin (R-IN), this bill would require additional information in State plans for Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services block grants. 

• H.R. 5629, To amend the Public Health Service Act to require additional information in State plans for Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services block grants: The bill would nullify certain provisions within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) final rule titled “Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder. It is led by Congresswoman Erin Houchin (R-IN). 

•  H.R. 2004, Tyler’s Law: Led by Congressmen Bob Latta (R-OH) and Ted Lieu (D-CA), H.R. 2004 would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue guidance on whether hospital emergency departments should implement fentanyl testing as a routine procedure for patients experiencing an overdose.

• H.R. 7970, STOP Nitazenes Act: Led by Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH), H.R. 7970 would place substances within the nitazene class (2-benzylbenzimidazole opioids) permanently into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

• H.R. 8000, END 7-OH Act: H.R. 8000 would place 7-hydroxymitragynine (synthetic 7-OH) within Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. The bill is led by Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL).

• H.R. 7184, PRESS Act: Led by Addison McDowell (R-NC), H.R. 7184 would amend the Controlled Substances Act to make it unlawful to manufacture, distribute, or import pill press equipment with the intent to illicitly produce a controlled substance. 

• H.R. 8005, Stop Pills That Kill Act: H.R. 8005 would implement sentencing penalties for the production of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, or counterfeit pills. This bill also requires the DEA to create a comprehensive plan to address counterfeit substances. Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA) leads this bill.

•  H.R. 5880, Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act: This bipartisan bill, led by Congresswomen Harriet Hageman (R-WY) and Melanie Stansbury (D-MN), would implement serialization requirements for pill presses and punches. It prohibits the removal or alteration of these serial numbers and prohibits the distribution of machines with serial numbers that have been tampered with. 

• H.R. 1227, Alternatives to Pain Act: Congresswomen Mariannette Miller Meeks (R-IA) and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA) lead H.R. 1227, which would prohibit utilization management for certain qualifying non-opioid pain management drugs in Medicare Part D. The bill also requires that such drugs be placed on a Part D plan’s lowest cost-sharing tier and prohibits the deductible from applying for these drugs.

• H.R. 2715, Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act: Congressmen Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Troy Carter (D-LA) lead H.R. 2715, which would provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the authority to require an importer to destroy an FDA-regulated product that was refused entry into the U.S. and presents a significant public health concern. The Secretary of HHS is responsible for making the determination of what constitutes a significant public health concern. This bill also amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prohibit the unauthorized movement of an article that the Secretary has designated for destruction. 

• H.R. 1561, ALERT Communities Act: H.R. 1561 allows first responder training grants to be utilized for training on fentanyl or xylazine test strips. This bill also directs the Secretary of HHS to develop and publish research and marketing frameworks for test strip technology. This bill would also direct the Secretary of HHS to conduct a study on fentanyl test strip interventions and report the findings to Congress. The bill is led by Congressman Lance Gooden (R-TX) and Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (D-TX). 

• H.R. 7994, HERO Act: H.R. 7994 establishes a competitive grant program to provide schools with opioid overdose reversal drugs. The bill is led by Congressman Raul Ruiz (D-CA).

• H.R. 7407, Prohibiting Tianeptine and Other Dangerous Products Act of 2026: H.R. 7407 gives the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to prohibit the sale of any product marketed as a dietary supplement that does not meet the statutory definition of a dietary supplement or any dietary supplement developed with the services of any debarred persons. This bill also provides the FDA with seizure authority and import exclusion authority for dietary supplements that do not meet these standards. Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) leads the bill.