Democrats, GOP Lawmakers Rallying Around Efforts To Stem Drug Overdoses
The increasing number of deaths around the country is raising alarms. Also on Capitol Hill, a new bill to move money from an asbestos trust fund is being criticized by public health advocates, and The Washington Post Fact Checker looks at a controversy about an abortion bill and new science on when a fetus can be delivered successfully.
The Hill:
Lawmakers Sound Alarm On Drug Overdose Deaths
Members of both parties are turning their attention to fighting an alarming increase in the number of drug overdose deaths, in particular from heroin and prescription painkillers. The issue has united Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) with Democrats. And presidential contender Hillary Clinton is also putting a new focus on drug abuse. (Sullivan, 5/25)
The Hill:
Asbestos Bill Roils Public Health Groups
GOP-backed legislation touted as necessary to keep lawyers from raiding funds set up for people suffering from asbestos poisoning is coming under fire from public health advocates who say the proposal will only create hurdles for victims of diseases like Mesothelioma. The dispute centers on roughly 60 trusts with nearly $40 billion in assets set up to compensate people sickened by the mineral fiber linked to cancer. (Wheeler, 5/24)
The Washington Post Fact Checker:
Setting The Record Straight On Measuring Fetal Age And The ’20-Week Abortion’
New research confirmed that 22-week fetuses, measured from the first day of the pregnant woman’s last menstrual cycle, can survive. Babies born before that age did not survive. So, [Hal] Lawrence is correct that 20-week fetuses, measured from the first day of the pregnant woman’s last menstrual cycle, are not viable. He is incorrect when using the definition in the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The Fact Checker takes no stance on which definition should be used. However, we want to set the record straight for the public and the media. This is a technical point over how gestational age is calculated. (Lee, 5/26)
