Vice Presidential Pool Reports of July 18, 2023

VP Supplemental Pool Report #1 - Background on AG Meeting

Pool gathered at 1 pm for VP Harris's meeting with State AGs today to discuss efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis.

On Background from a White House Official

Today, Vice President Kamala Harris will convene state Attorneys General for a roundtable discussion focused on fentanyl, moderated by Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director, Dr. Rahul Gupta. During the convening, Vice President Harriswill reiterate the Administration's historic investments in states, tribal, territorial, and local communities to drive down overdoses, and highlight the considerable progress the Administration has made in-line with AG priorities such as interdiction, dismantling drug trafficking organizations, and access to care.

The Administration's National Drug Control Strategy identifies the flow of illicit fentanyl and lack of access to care particularly for people at risk of an overdose as the two key drivers of the opioid crisis. Attorneys General in attendance are leading efforts to save American lives by stopping the trafficking of illicit fentanyl and expanding access to care. The Administration is committed to protecting Americans from the threat of synthetic opioids.

Participants:

• Aaron Ford, Attorney General of Nevada
• Kathy Jennings, Attorney General of Delaware
• Michelle Henry, Attorney General of Pennsylvania
• Letitia James, Attorney General of New York
• Kris Mayes, Attorney General of Arizona
• Ellen Rosenblum, Attorney General of Oregon
• Brian Schwalb, Attorney General of District of Columbia
• Josh Stein, Attorney General of North Carolina

The Vice President's Leadership:

As a U.S. Senator, Vice President Harris worked to hold opioid and opioid addiction treatment manufacturers accountable:

• Introduced the Accountability in Opioid Advertising Act (S. 3420, 115th Congress): Requires FDA to prioritize review of whether promotional materials for certain drugs (e.g. opioids and drugs for medication-assisted treatment) are false and misleading.
• Launched an investigation into Alkermes (November 2017) and sent letter to the company requesting information on sales, marketing, and educational strategies it used to promote Vivitrol, its opioid addiction treatment.

As California Attorney General:

• Joined coalition of states to file suit against Indivior (British pharmaceutical company), and MonoSolRX (Indiana pharmaceutical film technology company) for antitrust violations related opioid addiction treatment.
• Took steps to fund CA's Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) program, a tool to help law enforcement identify doctors recklessly over-prescribing medication.
  
  • Created the CURES 2.0 Plan to investigate prescription drug diversion, coordinate cases with state Medical Board, and coordinate state, federal, and local law enforcement efforts.

• Dismantled international drug trafficking schemes; e.g., in 2011, announced 15 arrests of individuals from large-scale U.S.-Mexico prescription drug trafficking organization that used proceeds to fund criminal activity in the U.S.
• Signed anti-money laundering cooperation agreement with Mexico and convened multinational law enforcement summit on technology and transnational crime in 2014.

As District Attorney of San Francisco:

• Partnered with the San Francisco Police Department to focus both law enforcement operations and prosecutorial resources around drug selling "hot spots."
• Took steps to reform the city's drug courts to focus on diverting drug users to treatment programs and sent drug dealers toward prosecution.

Biden-Harris Administration Actions on Fentanyl:

Reducing Supply and Access:

• Two Executive Orders: (1) establishing the U.S. Council on Transnational Organized Crime, and (2) authorizing sanctions and other actions against drug trafficking organizations, their enablers, and financial facilitators. Treasury has designated more than 150 individuals and entities for sanctions.

• High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program: The Administration achieved a historic level of funding for HIDTA for FY23 ($302M, an increase of $6M from FY 22), which supports regional law enforcement officials working to reduce violent crime, improve data sharing, and dismantle illicit finance operations of traffickers.

• DHS Surge Operations: In the last two years, DHS has seized more fentanyl and arrested more criminals for committing crimes related to fentanyl and precursors chemicals than it did in the previous five years combined. DHS has initiated major investigative and enforcement operations targeting the illicit fentanyl supply chain and its chemical precursors, has established taskforce units at CBP's international mail facilities and express consignment hubs, and is investing in non-intrusive inspection technology to significantly expand our ability to screen traffic at land border ports of entry.

• President's FY24 Budget: calls for an investment of $19.5B in law enforcement and interdiction efforts, an increase of $230M over FY23 enacted and $1.5B over FY23 proposed levels.

· Scheduling: The Administration successfully advocated for continuation of the temporary designation of fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as Schedule I narcotics – illicit drugs with high abuse potential and no medical use.

· On Friday, July 7, Secretary Blinken launched a Global Coalition to Combat Synthetic Drug Threats in a virtual ministerial meeting. More than 90 countries and international organizations joined the meeting.

Using Public Health Tools:

• President's FY24 Budget: calls for an investment of $26B in prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery efforts, an increase of $1.6B over FY23 enacted levels.

· Prevention

• On April 12, 2023, the Administration designated fentanyl combined with xylazine as an emerging threat to the United States and released a national response plan on July 11.

· Harm Reduction

• FDA approved naloxone (which reverses opioid overdoses) for over-the-counter purchase.

• Treatment and Recovery
  
  • The American Rescue Plan invested more than $5B to expand access to vital mental health and substance use disorder services.
  • HHS awarded $1.5B to support states, tribal lands, and territories' efforts to address the opioid crisis and support recovery.
  • The FY23 Omnibus bill and interagency efforts are expanding patient access to highly effective medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and addiction counseling by lifting certification requirements for providers and allowing telehealth prescribing for buprenorphine, and expanding access to methadone.

VP Supplemental Pool Report #2 - VP Remarks

Pool was led into the meeting between VP Harris and State AGs at EEOB at 1:33 pm.

Dr Rahul Gupta opened remarks by thanking VP Harris for her leadership on combatting the fentanyl crisis.

VP delivered approx 10 min remarks.

Select quotes. As always please check across official transcript.

"On the issue of fentanyl and the opioid crisis we each recognize and have joined together today because we are facing a public health crisis."

"We see people who think they are taking adderall and Xanax and it is laced with fentanyl."

"There was a time in our country when our kids would go to parties and we would be concerned they were smoking marijuana or drinking alcohol … now they're passing around pills."

She noted that the administration has invested heavily in treatment for addiction and naloxone.

VP Harris called for prosecuting drug traffickers but also investigating beyond simple drug trafficking to find the criminal enterprises behind the movement of fentanyl throughout the country.

"We must destigmatize this issue … we must understand that most people don't choose to have a substance abuse disorder."

VP wrapped by thanking the AGs.

Pool was ushered out at 1:43 pm.

I have the full audio recording of the VP's remarks available upon request.