Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) introduced the Stopping Suspicious Orders of Opioids Act, which will change the standard in current law to make it easier for law enforcement to immediately stop potentially dangerous shipments of prescription opioids.

Reporting by the Washington Post and 60 Minutes demonstrated that current law has inadvertently made it far more difficult for the Drug Enforcement Administration to intervene in situations where opioid manufacturers and distributors fail to report suspicious orders of opioids or to implement sufficient procedures to ensure these opioids do not end up on the black market.

“In the midst of the worst opioid epidemic in U.S. history, drug manufacturers and distributors have not stepped up to the plate,” Feinstein said.

The bill further ensures that bad actors are held accountable by establishing backstops and consequences for when opioid manufacturers, distributors, dispensers and prescribers fail to take corrective action.

The bill would require those who manufacture, distribute, dispense or prescribe opioids to fully implement any corrective action plan that is accepted by the Justice Department within 30 days. Failure to do so will result in the immediate suspension of a registration until the reinstated proceedings to deny, revoke or suspend the registration permanently have concluded.