I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3832 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into a memorandum 
of understanding with the executive director of a national network of 
State-based prescription monitoring programs under which Department 
of Veterans Affairs health care providers shall query such network, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017 
Mr. DUNN (for himself, Ms. TENNEY, Mr. POLIQUIN, Mr. ARRINGTON, and 
Mr. TONKO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Veterans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into 
a memorandum of understanding with the executive di-
rector of a national network of State-based prescription 
monitoring programs under which Department of Vet-
erans Affairs health care providers shall query such net-
work, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Veterans Opioid Abuse 
Prevention Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PARTICIPA-
TION IN NATIONAL NETWORK OF STATE- 
BASED PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING 
PROGRAMS. 
(a) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.—The Sec-
retary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into a memorandum 
of understanding with the executive director of a national 
network of State-based prescription drug monitoring pro-
grams under which Department of Veterans Affairs health 
care providers shall query such network to support the 
safe and effective prescribing of controlled substances to 
covered patients. Under such memorandum of under-
standing— 
(1) Department health care providers practicing 
in a State that participates in such network shall 
query such network in accordance with the agree-
ment between that State’s prescription drug moni-
toring program and such network in accordance with 
applicable Veterans Health Administration policies; 
and 
(2) Department health care providers practicing 
in States that do not participate in such network 
shall query such network through the drug moni-
toring program of the participating State that is in 
closest proximity to the State where the provider is 
practicing. 
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(b) COVERED PATIENTS.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, a covered patient is a patient who— 
(1) receives a prescription for a controlled sub-
stance for a period of 90 days or longer; and 
(2) is not receiving palliative care or enrolled in 
hospice care. 
(c) EXCEPTION.—The memorandum of under-
standing under subsection (a) shall provide for an excep-
tion to ensure that Department health care providers are 
not obligated to comply with the provisions of the memo-
randum of understanding if such provisions are in viola-
tions of applicable State law. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘controlled substance’’ has the 
meaning given such term in paragraph (6) of section 
102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 
802(6)). 
(2) The term ‘‘national network of State-based 
prescription monitoring programs’’ means an inter-
connected nationwide system that facilitates the 
transfer of State prescription drug monitoring pro-
gram data across State lines. 
Æ 
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