Thursday: Opioid bill, Pakistan

by Jordain Carney - 03/10/16 9:41 AM ET

The Senate will finish up its work on a bipartisan opioid bill Thursday.

Senators are expected to take a final vote after overwhelmingly voting to end debate on Wednesday afternoon.

{mosads}The bill, from Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), authorizes funding for programs to combat prescription opioid abuse, in addition to increasing the availability of naloxone, a drug to treat overdose.

Democrats initially tried to include $600 million in emergency funding for the overdose epidemic in the legislation but were blocked after Republicans rejected an amendment from Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).

Top senators, however, quickly said Democrats would support the bill even without the funding.

Meanwhile, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is also expected to try to block a sale of military equipment to Pakistan Thursday.

The Kentucky Republican is using an overlooked provision in the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) that will allow him to try to bring his resolution of disapproval to the Senate floor.

Paul introduced the resolution late last month, saying at the time that “while we give [Pakistan] billions of dollars in aid, we are simultaneously aware of their intelligence and military apparatus assisting the Afghan Taliban.”

Tags Jeanne Shaheen Rand Paul Rob Portman Sheldon Whitehouse