CURE Act

Bill Number

H.R. 4342

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Health

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-07-10: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Last Updated

2025-07-31T12:05:32Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Clarity for Opioid-Use Reduction and Expenditures Act (CURE Act), H.R. 4342, aims to strengthen the management, monitoring, and effectiveness of federal grants provided to states for addressing opioid use disorder. It amends the 21st Century Cures Act (a 2016 law that funds health initiatives, including opioid-related programs) to enhance transparency and accountability in how these grant funds are used, ensuring better oversight of public spending on the opioid crisis.

Key Provisions

• Standardized Data Collection System: The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) must create and implement a uniform system to gather data from states receiving these grants.
• Quarterly Reporting by States: States must submit reports every three months detailing:
• How grant funds were spent in the previous fiscal year and the specific activities funded.
• Details on ultimate recipients (subrecipients), including their name, location, and taxpayer identification number (a unique ID used for tax purposes).
• The number of individuals served by the grants.
• Any additional information the HHS Secretary deems relevant.
• Integration with Existing Systems: The HHS Secretary must use other federal grant-tracking tools where possible to minimize redundant efforts.
• Enhanced Congressional Reporting: HHS must include in its annual report to Congress:
• Activities conducted by grant recipients and subrecipients.
• A list of all entities receiving grants or sub-grants, along with the funding amounts provided to each.
• Implementation Timeline: These changes take effect 180 days after the bill becomes law.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expanded Accountability Requirements: The original 21st Century Cures Act had basic reporting rules for opioid grants; this bill replaces them with a more detailed, mandatory quarterly data submission process focused on fund usage, subrecipients, and outcomes.
• Improved Transparency in Reporting: Congressional reports now explicitly require disclosure of subrecipient activities and funding details, which were not as comprehensively outlined before.
• These amendments target Section 1003 of the 21st Century Cures Act (42 U.S.C. 290ee-3a), shifting from general oversight to a structured, data-driven approach without altering eligibility or funding levels for grants.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: HHS will face increased administrative responsibilities for developing and maintaining the data system, potentially improving efficiency through integration with existing tools but requiring new resources for oversight. States may need to update their reporting processes, which could strain smaller agencies initially.
• On Citizens: Individuals with opioid use disorder could benefit from more accountable grant spending, leading to better-targeted treatment services and potentially higher-quality care. Taxpayers gain from greater transparency, reducing risks of misuse of funds.
• On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. health policy and grant administration.
• Overall, the changes could lead to more effective allocation of funds toward opioid prevention and treatment, contributing to broader efforts to combat the national opioid epidemic.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• States and Local Governments: Primary recipients of the grants, now required to provide detailed quarterly reports.
• HHS and Federal Agencies: Responsible for implementing the data system and oversight, including coordination with other federal tracking mechanisms.
• Grant Subrecipients: Organizations or providers (e.g., treatment centers, nonprofits) receiving funds from states, whose details and activities must now be publicly disclosed in reports.
• Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder: Indirect beneficiaries through potentially improved service delivery.
• Congress and Taxpayers: Gain enhanced visibility into spending to ensure accountability.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal Implications: The bill promotes compliance with federal grant rules by mandating detailed disclosures, which could reduce fraud risks under laws like the False Claims Act (which penalizes misuse of government funds). It does not create new enforcement penalties but strengthens monitoring tools.
• Constitutional Implications: No significant issues; the changes align with Congress's spending power under Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, allowing conditions on federal grants to states without infringing on state sovereignty.
• Political Implications: Enhances bipartisan interest in the opioid crisis by emphasizing fiscal responsibility and outcomes, potentially building public trust in government health programs. It avoids controversial expansions of funding, focusing instead on administrative reforms to appeal to accountability-focused policymakers.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. McDowell, Addison P. [R-NC-6]

Recent Actions

• 2025-07-10: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• 2025-07-10: Introduced in House
• 2025-07-10: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Clarity for Opioid-Use Reduction and Expenditures Act — issued 2025-07-10 — PDF (3 pages)