U.S. Representative Evan Jenkins (R-W.Va.) announced today that the Senate Finance Committee has passed legislation that includes his bill, the Caring Recovery for Infants and Babies (CRIB) Act.
The CRIB Act is included in the Senate's Helping to End Addiction and Lessen (HEAL) Substance Use Disorders Act, which the committee approved on Tuesday afternoon.
The Senate committee vote comes as the U.S. House of Representatives starts work this week on more than three dozen pieces of legislation addressing the opioid crisis. For a full list of the House bills, please click here.
"It's critical that we work together to help the most vulnerable victims of the drug epidemic -- newborn babies. Lily's Place in Huntington is making a difference in the lives of babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome and their families, and the CRIB Act will help even more centers open nationwide to treat these newborns. I thank the Senate Finance Committee for including my legislation, the CRIB Act, in their efforts to fight the opioid crisis," Rep. Jenkins said.
The CRIB Act would build on the best practices of Lily's Place in Huntington for treating babies born exposed to heroin, opioids and other drugs. It would also make it easier for similar centers to open across the country by cutting regulatory red tape.