Proposed federal law would put limits on use of $50 billion in opioid settlements

Some members of Congress are demanding federal oversight of billions of dollars in opioid settlements, which state and local governments began spending over the past two years — with some using it to plug budget holes rather than fight the addiction crisis.

This month, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, and Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, introduced legislation that would write into law approved uses for the funds so they reach people most affected by the crisis.

With more than 100,000 Americans dying annually of overdoses in recent years, “any effort we can make to try to turn the needle toward treatment, prevention, education, and enforcement is critical,” Kaptur said in an interview. “This bill aims to ensure that these funds are used for those purposes and not as a piggy bank for other projects.”

It’s the third time since 2019 that Kaptur has proposed similar legislation, but she considers it more important now because settlement money has begun to flow and examples of questionable uses have surfaced. She cited KFF Health News’ reporting in Greene County, Tennessee, as an example.