{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.manchin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/manchin-announces-legislative-repeal-for-2016-law-preventing-aggressive-dea-enforcement-of-opioid-distributors-and-manufacturers", "MANCHIN ANNOUNCES LEGISLATIVE REPEAL FOR 2016 LAW PREVENTING AGGRESSIVE DEA ENFORCEMENT OF OPIOID DISTRIBUTORS AND MANUFACTURERS", "2017-10-16", "2017", "2017-10", "Democrat", "House", "WV", "Joe Manchin", "M001183", "www.manchin.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "October 16, 2017\n\t\t\t MANCHIN ANNOUNCES LEGISLATIVE REPEAL FOR 2016 LAW PREVENTING AGGRESSIVE DEA ENFORCEMENT OF OPIOID DISTRIBUTORS AND MANUFACTURERS \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today introduced legislation repealing the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2016 after the Washington Post report indicated that the legislation has dramatically restricted the ability of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to crack down on opioid distributors and manufacturers suspected of wrongdoing.\r\n\u201cI am horrified by how harmful this bill has been for our efforts to effectively fight the opioid epidemic and now it\u2019s time to make it right,\u201d Senator Manchin. \u201cI introduced legislation to repeal this horrible bill and reinstate the DEA\u2019s ability to stop opioid distributors and manufacturers who are endangering the American people. The DEA is one of our first lines of defense against this all-consuming disease. West Virginia\u2019s families and communities deserve a DEA that will protect them, not pharmaceutical companies.\u201d\r\nThe 2016 bill purported to \u201cimprove enforcement efforts related to prescription drug diversion and abuse\u201d by altering DEA procedures for revoking or suspending registrations for opioid distributors under the Controlled Substances Act. However, the effect of these changes, according to reports, has been to significantly curtail the ability of DEA to bring enforcement actions against drug distributors and manufacturers.\r\nManchin also sent a letter to the White House demanding that Rep. Tom Marino\u2019s nomination be pulled from consideration to lead the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. He urged swift action in response to the Washington Post article outlining Rep. Marino\u2019s involvement in passing a bill weakening the Drug Enforcement Administration\u2019s (DEA)\u00a0authority to stop companies from distributing opioids.\r\nTo read the letter Senator Manchin sent to the White House click here.\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t  \n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n    \n    \t\n    \t\n\t    \t  \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tNext Article\n\t\t    \n\t\t    \n\t\t    \tPrevious Article", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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://www.manchin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/manchin-announces-legislative-repeal-for-2016-law-preventing-aggressive-dea-enforcement-of-opioid-distributors-and-manufacturers"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0038921609520912, "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"}