From U.S. Rep. Edward Whitfield (R-KY):

President Bush Signs Whitfield's Legislation Into Law

   WASHINGTON, Aug. 12, 2005 -- Congressman Ed Whitfield on Friday celebrated President Bush's decision to sign Whitfield's prescription drug abuse legislation into law.

              Whitfield's legislation, H.R. 1132, will create a grant program  housed at the Department of Health and Human Services which will fund the establishment and operation of state-run prescription drug monitoring programs.

              "My new law will help health care professionals and law enforcement detect, prevent and treat prescription drug abuse," said Whitfield. "Addicts and dealers will no longer be able to thwart state programs by simply crossing into another state.  With prescription drug abuse skyrocketing, a national approach is desperately needed to turn the tide against this devastating addiction."

              Currently, Kentucky and nineteen other States have prescription drug monitoring programs.  However, information is not shared between those states; therefore, doctors cannot view what other prescriptions a patient was given in another state.  Whitfield's legislation authorizes $60 million over fiscal years 2006 through 2010 for a federal grant program to help create or expand state programs to monitor the abuse of controlled substances, such as the pain relievers Oxycontin, Percocet, and Percodan.

              Whitfield's legislation has been endorsed by the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, the American Medical Association, the American Osteopathic Association, the American Society of Anesthesiologists and many other groups.

              H.R. 1132 was passed by the House on July 27, the Senate on July 29 and President Bush signed the measure into law last evening.  This is the third piece of legislation that Congressman Whitfield has authored to be signed into law.

              "I applaud President Bush's decision to sign my bill into law and thank everyone who has been involved in the effort to stamp out prescription drug abuse," said Whitfield.