This Week on the Hill: Senate Hopes to Finish Opioid, Energy, Flint Bills

All legislative activity will stem out of the upper chamber this week as the House is in recess until next Monday. Specifically, Senate lawmakers will attempt to conclude debate on legislation to expand treatment for opioid addiction, finalize a deal to pass both energy legislation and a measure designed to help Flint, Michigan recover from its tainted water crisis. 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has scheduled a cloture vote on a substitute amendment for the bill (S.524) targeting opioid abuse for this evening. While Democrats say they don’t plan to oppose limiting debate, Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) warned that his members want votes on some amendments that Republicans have objected to being brought to the floor. An amendment (amendment #3378) from Democrat Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) that would provide follow-up services to individuals who have received opioid overdose reversal has already been placed on the Senate schedule. Last week, the Senate killed an amendment from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) to add $600 million in emergency funding to treat addiction to heroin and opioid-based prescription painkillers. A vote on the underlying bill, a bipartisan measure which would authorize additional funding for programs to combat opioid abuse, is expected sometime this week.

 
Senators will then hope to revive a long-stalled deal on helping the city of Flint clean up its drinking water system after it was found to be heavily contaminated with lead. A bipartisan group of lawmakers have been negotiating a deal on Flint, as well as a comprehensive energy bill (S. 2012), for weeks as they tried to resolve final disputes over the package. The Flint proposal would provide $220 million in new federal lending authority to help communities fix polluted water systems and create health programs for those affected by the unsafe water. However, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has placed a hold on the Flint legislation, claiming that state and local governments already have the resources they need to deal with the crisis. Senate leadership will be hoping to break the impasse and get votes on both measures later this week.
 
‘This Week on the Hill’ includes updates provided by the House and Senate majority leaders, as well information derived from publications including Bloomberg Government, The Hill, Politico, Roll Call, and National Journal.