I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 5418 

To amend title V of the Public Health Service Act. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 12, 2023 

Mr. TRONE (for himself, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. KUSTER, and Mrs. MCCLAIN) 

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, and to educate the public 


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1 and combat stigma with respect to substance use 

2 disorders and mental illnesses. 

3 (2) 2023 is the 34th observance of National Re4 covery Month. 

5 (3) Over 81,000 people died from drug 

6 overdoses during the period beginning in July 2019 

7 and ending in June 2020, and 47,000 people died 

8 from suicide in 2019 in the United States. 

9 (4) Fatal overdoses in the United States in10 creased from 2018 to 2019, and overdoses have in11 creased since the onset of the COVID–19 pandemic. 

12 (5) A June 2020 study conducted by the Cen13 ters for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 

14 41 percent of adults are experiencing an adverse 

15 mental health or behavioral health condition, includ16 ing 31 percent who are experiencing symptoms of 

17 anxiety or depression, 11 percent who are seriously 

18 considering suicide, and 13 percent who are starting 

19 or increasing their substance use to cope with stress 

20 or emotions related to COVID–19. 

21 SEC. 2. NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH ACTIVITIES. 

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

23 (42 U.S.C. 290dd et seq.) is amended by adding at the 

24 end the following: 


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

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

3 the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance 

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

5 with a national organization with experience coordinating 

6 activities in recognition of National Recovery Month to 

7 carry out activities— 

8 ‘‘(1) to develop toolkits, public service an9 nouncements, webinars, graphics, and other commu10 nication materials with respect to National Recovery 

11 Month; 

12 ‘‘(2) to develop, maintain, and update appro13 priate websites with respect to National Recovery 

14 Month; 

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

16 community engagement with respect to National Re17 covery Month; and 

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

19 substance use disorders or mental illness, educate 

20 the public on treatment of and recovery from sub21 stance use disorders or mental illness, combat stig22 ma pertaining to substance use disorders or mental 

23 illness, and engage stakeholders in their participa24 tion in such activities. 


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

2 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

3 $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.’’. 

Æ 


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