IV 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 42 

Expressing the sense of Congress that governmental entities should use a 

portion of the proceeds from litigation against opioid manufacturers 

and distributors to increase participation in drug take back programs 

and for the safe disposal of collected, unused medicines. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 21, 2021 

Mr. MCKINLEY (for himself and Mr. TRONE) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 

Commerce 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress that governmental entities 

should use a portion of the proceeds from litigation 

against opioid manufacturers and distributors to increase 

participation in drug take back programs and for the 

safe disposal of collected, unused medicines. 

Whereas according to the National Survey on Drug Use and 

Health, 9.7 million people used prescription pain relievers 

other than as indicated, 4.9 million people used prescription stimulants other than as indicated, and 5.9 million 

people used prescription tranquilizers or sedatives other 

than as indicated in 2019; 

Whereas according to data released from the National Center 

for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control 


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and Prevention on July 14, 2021, the United States has 

seen an increase in overdose deaths during the COVID– 

19 pandemic with over 93,000 Americans dying in 2020, 

an increase of nearly 30 percent from 2019, the most 

ever recorded in a 12-month period; 

Whereas studies indicate a majority of prescription drugs 

used other than as indicated come from family and 

friends, including from home medicine cabinets, and that 

safely clearing out unused medicine from home medicine 

cabinets is an essential component in addressing the 

opioid crisis; 

Whereas a safe system for the collection and disposal of unused, unwanted, and expired medicines is a key element 

of a comprehensive strategy to prevent the use of prescription drugs other than as indicated, but disposing of 

medicines by flushing them down the toilet or placing 

them in the garbage can contaminate ground water and 

other bodies of water, contributing to long-term harm to 

the environment and animal life; 

Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration, along with 

its law enforcement partners, has successfully collected 

14,524,391 pounds of unused medications since the inception of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative in 2010; 

Whereas the Drug Enforcement Administration collected 

839,543 pounds (or 419.7 tons) of unused, expired, and 

unwanted medications across the country on National 

Prescription Drug Take Back Day in April 2021; 

Whereas despite the success of such programs sponsored by 

the Drug Enforcement Administration, in 2017, a report 

by the Comptroller General of the United States found 


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that only about 3 percent of pharmacies and other entities eligible to collect unused prescription drugs for disposal have volunteered to do so, citing the costs associated with maintaining a disposal bin as reasons for reduced participation in such programs, including purchasing and installing the bin (and disposing the contents 

of the bin) in accordance with the requirements of the 

Drug Enforcement Administration; 

Whereas according to a more recent report by the Association 

of State and Territorial Health Officials, between 5 and 

15 percent of consumers participate in take back programs, and the costs of transporting the collected drugs 

to incinerating facilities sometimes poses challenges for 

localities and States; and 

Whereas thousands of lawsuits have been filed by States, 

counties, and municipalities against drug makers and distributors to recover costs associated with the opioid epidemic: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that gov3 ernmental entities that receive proceeds from litigation 

4 against opioid manufacturers and distributors, should con5 sider, as a proven and effective way to address the opioid 

6 crisis, using a reasonable portion of these proceeds to in7 crease awareness of the importance of drug take back pro8 grams, increasing the number of locations offering drug 

9 take back kiosks, increasing consumer participation in 

10 these programs, and lower the costs of disposal and transVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:19 Jul 21, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HC42.IH HC42

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1 portation of unused medications collected at participating 

2 collection locations. 

Æ 


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