Three Pappas-Backed Bipartisan Bills to Fight the Addiction Crisis and Improve Care for Seniors Advance Out of Committee

Three bipartisan bills backed by Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) were voted out of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce last week, and now head to the House floor for a vote before the full House of Representatives.

Pappas introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Combating Illicit Xylazine Act with Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), which would list xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance and give law enforcement the tools they need to go after traffickers while protecting the drug’s legal use by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers. Xylazine, also known as “tranq,” is an easily accessible veterinary tranquilizer that is being used as a low-cost cutting agent for fentanyl. 

Pappas cosponsors Tyler’s Law, bipartisan legislation designed to prevent fentanyl overdoses in the United States. This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to complete a study on how frequently hospitals test for fentanyl when a patient is experiencing an overdose. Based on these results, the bill instructs HHS to issue guidance to hospitals on implementing fentanyl testing in emergency rooms.

“As we work to combat the ongoing addiction epidemic, we have to make progress across the board on this issue. We must ensure our law enforcement has the resources they need to stop drug trafficking and that our health care centers have the resources for care and recovery,” said Congressman Pappas. “These bills would do that and should be swiftly brought to the floor for a vote.”

Pappas cosponsors the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025, legislation to streamline the outdated prior authorization process in Medicare Advantage (MA). With nearly 33 million Americans enrolled in Medicare Advantage, the bill updates a system that has become a top administrative burden for providers and a barrier to timely care. Audits by the HHS Inspector General have found that Medicare Advantage plans subjected enrollees to unnecessary delays, incorrectly denied medically necessary care, and ultimately approved 75% of requests that were initially denied.

“This legislation is about cutting red tape and fixing systems that aren’t working so that seniors can access the care they need when they need it and physicians can focus on their patients, not paperwork,” said Congressman Pappas. “It’s commonsense and it’ll make a real difference for folks in New Hampshire and across the country.”

Background:

The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act would:

• Schedule xylazine as Schedule III illicit substance under the Controlled Substances Act; 
• Ensure veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers can still use the drug for its intended purpose by creating a clear definition of “ultimate user” — someone lawfully permitted to possess a controlled substance for legitimate use;
• Enable the DEA to track its manufacturing to ensure it is not diverted to the illicit market; and
• Require a report on prevalence, risks, and recommendations regarding xylazine.

The bill is endorsed by 41 state attorneys general, major law enforcement organizations, and veterinary organizations. The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act previously passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. 

Tyler’s Law is named in memory of Tyler Shamash, a 19-year-old boy who died following a fentanyl ingestion in 2018. He was not tested for fentanyl after being brought to the hospital with a suspected overdose. His mother, Juli, is an advocate for this legislation and is sharing Tyler’s story to prevent others from experiencing the same tragedy. Still to this day, many emergency rooms do not include fentanyl in their drug screenings. According to HHS, fentanyl-related deaths have skyrocketed 103-fold in the United States from 1999–2023. Adding fentanyl testing to emergency room drug screenings could save countless lives. A full list of endorsing organizations is here.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 would:

• Require MA plans to adopt an electronic prior authorization (e-PA) system with standardized transaction;
• Improve transparency around MA Prior Authorization use and requirements;
• Clarify HHS’ authority to set timelines for determinations, including real-time decisions for routine items; and
• Mandate HHS and other agencies report on oversight and further improvements to the e-PA process

In the 117th and 118th Congresses, this legislation was endorsed by more than 500 organizations representing patients, providers, medical technology innovators, biopharmaceutical companies, and health plans.