Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act takes another step

Approved alongside three other public health-related bills, the U.S. House of Representatives version of the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act (H.R. 1528) advanced through the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Feb. 27.

The bill, introduced by House Veterinary Medicine Caucus member Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.), DVM, would amend the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) to clarify that a veterinarian who has registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration may transport, administer and dispense controlled substances in the regular course of veterinary practice. If the bill follows expected procedure, it will now head to the full committee.

The bill is at the top of American Veterinary Medical Association’s legislative agenda; many of its members have received notification from DEA field agents that they are in violation of the CSA. The Senate’s version of the bill (S. 1171) passed without amendment by unanimous consent Jan. 8. S. 1171 is expected to persevere once given its turn before the House with the support of Schrader and fellow veterinary caucus member Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.), DVM.

Currently, the Senate bill has 12 co-sponsors—including Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, who recently ushered through the farm bill—and H.R. 1528 has nearly 150.