Trone attends White House signing for his bill
Credit: The Frederick News-Post, Ryan Marshall
U.S. Rep. David Trone took a short trip down Pennsylvania Avenue Thursday, from the U.S. Capitol to the White House, to watch President Joe Biden sign one of the congressman’s bills into law.
Biden’s signature on the Dispose Unused Medications and Prescriptions Opioid Act will help make it easier for people to get rid of their unused opioid medications.
The bill, which Trone (D-Dist. 6) introduced along with Iowa Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks, passed the House on Tuesday. It had been passed earlier this year in the Senate by unanimous
The law expands on previous legislation, which goes into effect on Jan. 1 and requires the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to set up prescription drop boxes on its campuses where veterans can safely dispose of unused medication.
Trone’s bill allows anyone to dispose of medications at V.A. centers, not just V.A. patients.
Trone said it was an honor to meet with the president in the Oval Office, and Biden stayed and chatted with the group of lawmakers for about half an hour, including showing them the Cabinet Room and other areas of the White House.
He was also able to talk with Biden, and later White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, about the opioid epidemic.
Trone praised the bipartisan nature of the new law, along with the work of Miller-Meeks and Senators John Kennedy (R) of Louisiana and Mike Braun (R) of Indiana.
“We need to continue working together on both sides of the aisle and with all levels of government and the private sector to dedicate more funding and resources to the addiction epidemic,” Trone said.
