Shaheen, Capito, Baldwin, Braun Lead Bipartisan Group Asking VA to Update on Progress with Non-Opioid Pain Management Options for Veterans

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Mike Braun (R-IN) led a group of 18 Senators in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough inquiring about access to non-opioid pain alternatives throughout the VA system to help prevent addiction before it starts. U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Steve Daines (R-MT), Angus King (I-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Joe Manchin (D-WV), John Boozman (R-AR), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Cornyn (R-TX), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and John Barrasso (R-WY) also signed this letter.

In part, the Senators wrote: “Active-duty service members, veterans, retirees and their families are not immune to the opioid addiction crisis. Nearly half of combat wounded veterans report misuse of prescription opioids. Drug overdose mortality rates among veterans also increased by 53% from 2010–2019. Therefore, it is even more important to protect veterans from unnecessary exposure to prescription opioids.”

The Senators requested responses by May 1, 2024, to the following questions:

• How many non-opioid pain alternatives are currently included in the VA National Formulary (VANF)?
• How frequently are non-opioid alternatives utilized in the VA system compared to opioid treatments for acute pain? Please provide any national-level data available on dispensing and usage of non-opioid pain alternatives to treat acute pain in the VA facilities and community care sites.
• What steps has the VA already taken to transition from opioid analgesics to non-opioid pain alternatives to treat acute pain? Please also provide a summary of your ability to consider immediate action to add safe, effective non-opioid drugs to the VANF.
• What steps can Congress take to facilitate these efforts?

Full text of the letter can be found here.

Senator Shaheen has spearheaded efforts in the Senate to support veterans and military families. She worked to include provisions and helped pass the historic PACT Act, which expanded health care for veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. In the fiscal year (FY) 2021 national defense bill that became law, Shaheen supported an amendment offered by Senator Tester (D-MT) that would require the VA to provide benefits for veterans suffering from four diseases associated with exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. The amendment was based on standalone legislation authored by U.S. Senator Tester, which Senator Shaheen cosponsored. In addition, Shaheen cosponsored the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, which was signed into law in 2019 and created a permanent legislative fix to help ensure “Blue Water” Navy veterans get the disability and health care benefits they deserve as a result of exposure to Agent Orange. Senator Shaheen worked with a bipartisan group of Senators to introduce the Access for Veterans to Records Act to help more veterans access their service records. Last year, Shaheen sent a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough pushing the VA to address urgent infrastructure failures at the Manchester VA Medical Center and prioritize building a full-service VA hospital in the state. 

Senator Shaheen has led efforts in the Senate to address the substance use disorder epidemic and support recovery services. Her bipartisan FENTANYL Results Act, signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), increases global cooperation in the fight against synthetic drug trafficking. Shaheen and Senator Marshall lead the Cooper Davis Act, which is a bipartisan bill to hold social media companies accountable for reporting to law enforcement all illicit fentanyl activity occurring on their platforms. In the FY 2023 government funding legislation, Shaheen secured $608 million in federal grants to help communities and first responders across the nation to respond to the substance misuse crisis. Shaheen also included in the FY 2023 government funding bill language to authorize increased funding for the State Opioid Response grant program, which gives local communities resources to better combat the opioid and substance use disorder epidemic. Shaheen participated in the White House National Recovery Month Summit in September.

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