I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5891 
To establish an interagency task force to improve the Federal response to 
families impacted by substance abuse disorders. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 21, 2018 
Mr. GROTHMAN (for himself and Mr. LAMB) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To establish an interagency task force to improve the Federal 
response to families impacted by substance abuse disorders. 
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 ‘‘Improving the Federal 
Response to Families Impacted by Substance Use Dis-
order Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE TO IMPROVE THE FED-
ERAL RESPONSE TO FAMILIES IMPACTED BY 
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a task 
force, to be known as the ‘‘Interagency Task Force to Im-
prove the Federal Response to Families Impacted by Sub-
stance Use Disorders’’ (in this section referred to as 
‘‘Task Force’’). 
(b) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Task Force— 
(1) shall identify, evaluate, and recommend 
ways in which Federal agencies can better coordi-
nate responses to substance use disorders and the 
opioid crisis; and 
(2) shall carry out the additional duties de-
scribed in subsection (d). 
(c) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) NUMBER
AND
APPOINTMENT.—The Task 
Force shall be composed of 12 Federal officials hav-
ing responsibility for, or administering programs re-
lated to, the duties of the Task Force. The Secretary 
of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of 
Education, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the 
Secretary of Labor shall each appoint two members 
to the Task Force from among the Federal officials 
employed by the Department of which they are the 
head. Additional Federal agency officials appointed 
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by the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
shall fill the remaining positions of the Task Force. 
(2) CHAIRPERSON.—The Secretary of Health 
and Human Services shall designate a Federal offi-
cial employed by the Department of Health and 
Human Services to serve as the chairperson of the 
Task Force. 
(3) 
DEADLINE
FOR
APPOINTMENT.—Each 
member shall be appointed to the Task Force not 
later than 60 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
(4) ADDITIONAL
AGENCY
INPUT.—The Task 
Force may seek input from other Federal agencies 
and offices with experience, expertise, or information 
relevant in responding to the opioid crisis. 
(5) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Task Force 
shall be filled in the manner in which the original 
appointment was made. 
(6) PROHIBITION
OF
COMPENSATION.—Mem-
bers of the Task Force may not receive pay, allow-
ances, or benefits by reason of their service on the 
Task Force. 
(d) DUTIES.—The Task Force shall carry out the fol-
lowing duties: 
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(1) Solicit input from stakeholders, including 
frontline service providers, medical professionals, 
educators, mental health professionals, researchers, 
experts in infant, child, and youth trauma, child wel-
fare professionals, and the public, in order to inform 
the activities of the Task Force. 
(2) Develop a strategy on how the Task Force 
and participating Federal agencies will collaborate, 
prioritize, and implement a coordinated Federal ap-
proach with regard to responding to substance use 
disorders, including opioid misuse, that shall in-
clude— 
(A) identifying options for the coordination 
of existing grants that support infants, chil-
dren, and youth, and their families as appro-
priate, who have experienced, or are at risk of 
experiencing, exposure to substance abuse dis-
orders, including opioid misuse; and 
(B) other ways to improve coordination, 
planning, and communication within and across 
Federal agencies, offices, and programs, to bet-
ter serve children and families impacted by sub-
stance use disorders, including opioid misuse. 
(3) Based off the strategy developed under 
paragraph (2), evaluate and recommend opportuni-
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