{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://ross.house.gov/2022/9/representatives-ross-carter-introduce-improving-access-safe-medicines-act", "Representatives Ross, Carter Introduce the Improving Access to Safe Medicines Act", "2022-09-21", "2022", "2022-09", "Democrat", "House", "NC", "Deborah K. Ross", "R000305", "ross.house.gov", "ross", "https://ross.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2014Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) and Congressman Earl L. \u201cBuddy\u201d Carter (GA-01) introduced bipartisan legislation that will increase patients\u2019 access to pharmaceuticals by cutting unnecessary bureaucracy within the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).\n\nThe Improving Access to Safe Medicines Act will ensure that the DEA makes timely decisions on whether to de-schedule drugs recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), thereby making them available to patients with fewer restrictions. By requiring that the DEA make this determination within 180 days, this bill will reduce a barrier to care that artificially drives up costs and delays patients\u2019 access to necessary drugs.\n\n\u201cWe must ensure people have access to life-saving medications when they need them most,\u201d said Congresswoman Ross. \u201cOur bill will remove unnecessary hurdles that have prevented patients from accessing and doctors from prescribing safe treatments. The Improving Access to Safe Medicines Act will streamline the process for de-scheduling drugs that have been deemed safe by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and I\u2019m proud to work with Congressman Carter on this important issue.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere are patients with chronic illnesses who have been waiting more than a year for the DEA to determine whether or not their drug will be de-scheduled,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cThis is a classic example of federal bureaucracy infringing on a patient\u2019s livelihood. Every day we wait, patients\u2019 access to life-saving pharmaceuticals is delayed. As a pharmacist, I understand how valuable time is in a person\u2019s health care journey, which is why I\u2019m glad to introduce this bill alongside Rep. Ross and eliminate this unnecessary barrier to health care access.\u201d\n\nRead more in Politico Pulse.\n\nRead the full text of the bill here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:08:33Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://ross.house.gov/2022/9/representatives-ross-carter-introduce-improving-access-safe-medicines-act"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7216739468276501, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}