Washington D.C. – Today President Trump signed The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6), the most comprehensive legislation to combat America’s opioid crisis. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) released the following statement:
“Today marks another monumental step in the fight to end the deadliest drug epidemic in world history, which claims over 100 lives every single day. To give America the best chance to beat back the opioid crisis, Congress stood together and passed a landmark legislative initiative. Today President Trump signed that bill into law.
“The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act aids in the prevention and treatment of addiction, and fights the flow of fentanyl into our communities. I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol for working to bring about the most comprehensive legislative approach to the opioid crisis in history. And I thank President Trump and his administration for their steadfast support throughout this journey. Rest assured, our work to end the scourge of drugs does not end today. We will not stop until drug addiction, overdoses, and overdose deaths are relegated to history.”
BACKGROUND ON PREVIOUS CONGRESSIONAL ACTION TO COMBAT OPIOID CRISIS:
·Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act: First major federal action against addiction in almost 40 years. Authorized over $181 million to respond to the opioid epidemic, and increased access to prevention and treatment programs.
·21st Century Cures Act: $1 billion in grants for states over two years to fight the opioid epidemic.
·Omnibus: $4 billion appropriated in 2018 to combat the opioid crisis.
·Defense-Labor-HHS appropriations package: $6.7 billion to combat the opioid crisis and support recovery.