Press releases

WASHINGTON – The House of Representatives today passed Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) DUMP Opioids Act, which would allow everyone in a community to use drop boxes at VA medical centers to dispose of unused controlled substance prescription medications. The Senate passed Kennedy’s legislation in April, and the bill now heads to the president’s desk.

“Giving communities a way to safely get unneeded opioids off the street is a crucial step in combating the opioid epidemic. The House has taken a simple, lifesaving step, and I’m thankful to Dr. Miller-Meeks for championing this bill. I hope that President Biden signs this commonsense, compassionate bill very soon. The opioid crisis hurts families in Louisiana and around the country every day, and the DUMP Opioids Act gives everyone a key tool to make our communities safer and healthier,” said Kennedy. 

Beginning in 2022, certain VA medical centers will be approved to have drop boxes that veterans can use every day to drop off unused medications, and the DUMP Opioids Act would make those drop boxes accessible to their entire communities. The bill instructs the VA Secretary to designate times that the public can dispose of prescriptions at the drop boxes and allows the secretary to carry out public information campaigns to highlight those times. 

Text of the DUMP Opioids Act is available here.