The Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act (PL 115-271) was signed into law in 2018 to combat the opioid epidemic.
Congress is in the process of reauthorizing the SUPPORT Act to expand upon crucial programs and grants from the SUPPORT Act and continue to address the worsening substance use and overdose crisis, which has been exacerbated by the increase in fentanyl, xylazine, and other adulterants. The House bill (H.R. 4531) is sponsored by Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Ann Kuster (D-NH), and the Senate bill (S. 3393) is sponsored by Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA). On December 12, 2023, the House passed H.R. 4531 with a bi-partisan 387 to 37 vote, and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee favorably reported S. 3393 out of committee.
This comparison table further outlines the similarities and differences between the two bills:
