I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8392 

To amend title V of the Public Health Service Act. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 

Mr. TRONE (for himself and Mr. RIGGLEMAN) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To amend title V of the Public Health Service Act. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Honoring National Recovery Month Act’’. 

6 (b) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 

7 (1) National Recovery Month is an annual ob8 servance in the United States to celebrate individ9 uals who are in recovery from a substance use dis10 order or mental illness, educate the public, and com11 bat stigma. 


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1 (2) 2020 is the 30th anniversary of National 

2 Recovery Month. 

3 (3) Over 70,000 people died from drug 

4 overdoses in 2019 and 48,000 people died from sui5 cide in 2018 in the United States. 

6 (4) Fatal overdoses in the United States in7 creased from 2018 to 2019, and overdoses have in8 creased since the onset of the COVID–19 pandemic. 

9 (5) A June 2020 study conducted by the Cen10 ters for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 

11 41 percent of adults are experiencing an adverse 

12 mental health or behavioral health condition, includ13 ing 31 percent who are experiencing symptoms of 

14 anxiety or depression, 11 percent who are seriously 

15 considering suicide, and 13 percent who are starting 

16 or increasing their substance use to cope with stress 

17 or emotions related to COVID–19. 

18 SEC. 2. NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH ACTIVITIES. 

19 Part D of title V of the Public Health Service Act 

20 (42 U.S.C. 290dd et seq.) is amended by adding at the 

21 end the following: 

22 ‘‘SEC. 552A. NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH ACTIVITIES. 

23 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting through 

24 the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance 

25 Use, shall carry out activities, or enter into an agreement 


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1 with a national organization with experience coordinating 

2 activities in recognition of National Recovery Month to 

3 carry out activities— 

4 ‘‘(1) to develop toolkits, public service an5 nouncements, webinars, graphics, and other commu6 nication materials with respect to National Recovery 

7 Month; 

8 ‘‘(2) to develop, maintain, and update appro9 priate websites with respect to National Recovery 

10 Month; 

11 ‘‘(3) to develop and distribute best practices for 

12 community engagement with respect to National Re13 covery Month; and 

14 ‘‘(4) to celebrate individuals in recovery from 

15 substance use disorders or mental illness, educate 

16 the public on treatment of and recovery from sub17 stance use disorders or mental illness, combat stig18 ma pertaining to substance use disorders or mental 

19 illness, and engage stakeholders in their participa20 tion in such activities. 

21 ‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

22 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

23 $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2025.’’. 

Æ 


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