H.R. 471: Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-01-22 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-01-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Marino, Tom [R-PA-10] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2015

Plain summary

Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) Amends the Controlled Substances Act to define: (1) "factors as may be relevant to and consistent with the public health and safety," for purposes of the Attorney General's determination of whether registering an applicant to manufacture or distribute a controlled substance in schedule I or II is in the public interest, as factors that are relevant to and consistent with the findings of such Act; and (2) "imminent danger to the public health or safety," for purposes of the suspension of such a registration, to mean that in the absence of an immediate suspension order, controlled substances will continue to be distributed or dispensed by a registrant who knows or should know through fulfilling the obligations of the registrant under this Act that the dispensing is outside the usual course of professional practice, the distribution or dispensing poses a present or foreseeable risk of adverse health consequences or death due to the abuse or misuse of the controlled substances, or the controlled substances will continue to be diverted outside of legitimate distribution channels. Requires an order to show cause as to why such a registration should not be denied, revoked, or suspended to: (1) contain a statement of the basis for the denial, revocation, or suspension, including specific citations to any laws or regulations alleged to be violated; (2) direct the applicant or registrant to appear before the Attorney General at a specific place and time within 30 days after receipt of the order; and (3) notify the applicant or registrant of the opportunity to submit a corrective action plan on or before such appearance. Requires the Attorney General, upon review of any such plan, to determine whether denial, revocation, or suspension proceedings should be discontinued or deferred for purposes of modifications to such plan. Makes such requirements inapplicable to the issuance of an immediate suspension order. (Sec. 3) Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to submit a report identifying: (1) obstacles to legitimate patient access to controlled substances; (2) issues with diversion of controlled substances; and (3) how collaboration between federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies and the pharmaceutical industry can benefit patients and prevent diversion and abuse of controlled substances.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Marino, Tom [R-PA-10] · 6 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 471, Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2015 (2015-03-02)

Cosponsors on this site

Peter Welch (D-VT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Judy Chu (D-CA), Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr471.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr471 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114