Senate passes bill easing restrictions on veterinarians

The Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would ease requirements for a veterinarian to dispense controlled substances.

Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) introduced H.R. 1528, the Veterinary Medicine Mobility Act, which would amend the Controlled Substances Act to end the requirement that a veterinarian who is registered to manufacture or distribute controlled substances has to obtain a separate registration to transport and distribute the drugs off-site.

{mosads}The bill would allow registered veterinarian to distribute controlled substances to animals outside of their place of business as long as it’s within the state they are registered.

The House passed the bill last week by voice-vote and the Senate agreed to the measure through a unanimous consent agreement. The bill now heads to President Obama’s desk for his signature.

Before adjourning for the evening, the Senate also passed through unanimous consent H.R. 3212, which express the sense the Congress that the United States should “set a strong example” for the world on the timely location and return of abducted children to their country of origin.

The bill also directs the Secretary of State to submit an annual report to Congress on international child abduction.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) introduced the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act, which passed in the House on a 398-0 vote.

That bill also heads to Obama’s desk for further action.