Sander Levin (D-MI, 9th)
“With the President’s declaration of the opioid epidemic as a public health emergency, we now wait to see if this declaration represents a real plan of action, or just words on a piece of paper. To date, the President and Republicans have moved in the wrong direction, proposing $1.2 billion in cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, eliminating the Prevention and Public Health Fund, and cutting $1.4 trillion from Medicaid. And a preliminary proposal from his Administration even called for cutting the Office on National Drug Control Policy by 95 percent.”
“The emergency here in Michigan has seen drug overdose deaths quadruple since 1999, and far too many other states have similar numbers. I call on the President and Congress to back up his declaration with meaningful investments in the public health of the American people – and stop their misguided efforts to roll back the Medicaid expansion – which provides lifesaving treatment to so many.
“This country desperately needs action and resources – not just words and empty or changed promises.”
Tom Marino (R-PA, 10th)
“The abuse of opioids has descended well beyond a crisis. It is a sustained epidemic. This is a true emergency and the President’s decision to declare the opioid crisis a national public health emergency is a powerful step in the right direction. Decisive action like this will further enable all the available resources at the federal government’s disposal to be mobilized and optimized to best serve each community’s unique needs. That means allowing more flexibility in allocating prevention efforts, law enforcement, addiction treatments and recovery programs.
“The president’s actions not only strengthen legislation like the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act, a measure I supported and which was signed into law last year, but also forces a greater sense of urgency to more aggressively work to reverse this epidemic.
“There is still much more work to be done in terms of implementing solutions, but this declaration paves the way for expanded coordination, at all levels, and ensures that we are able to effectively manage all the complexities and nuances that come with addressing this issue.”
Patrick T. McHenry (R-NC, 10th)
"The opioid epidemic has devastated communities throughout the United States, including here in western North Carolina. Congress has already taken important steps to address this crisis but more must be done. This afternoon, President Trump took another important step by declaring the opioid epidemic a Nationwide Public Health Emergency. I applaud the President for his leadership in combatting this epidemic. In the months ahead, I look forward to working with President Trump to curb the spread and use of these dangerous drugs."
Martha McSally (R-AZ, 2nd)
“Opioid addiction is a nationwide epidemic that’s tearing our communities apart. Prescription painkillers, the very ones sitting in home medicine cabinets and on home bathroom counters, are killing thousands of Americans each year. Although their use often starts out harmless, these powerfully addictive substances are abused by 6.5 millions of Americans each year and cause more deaths than car accidents. We have felt this acutely in my district in Southern Arizona—Pima County had an overdose rate almost twice as high as any other county in Arizona. When the prescriptions run out or can’t be found, these addicts then turn to illegal drugs. Over 80% of heroin users started out on prescription opioids.
I applaud the Administration for calling our nationwide opioid epidemic what it really is: a public health emergency. Today’s announcement is a necessary step—but it cannot be the final one. Congress and the President must work together to combat this emergency from all sides. I have and will continue to find legislative solutions to interrupt this deadly cycle and halt its spread.”
On June 5, 2017 Governor Doug Ducey declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency in Arizona following the release of data showing an alarming increase of 74 percent of overdose deaths in the state over the past four years.
Congresswoman McSally spearheaded legislation included in the 21st Century Cures Act, which, paired with the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act she supported, will provide grants, gives treatment and prevention, and supports law enforcement in communities around the nation to combat this crisis. In May 2017, she voted for an increase of $781 million for fighting the opioid epidemic.
Markwayne Mullin (R-OK, 2nd)
“Our country has seen the opioid crisis reach an all-time high. Over the past few years in Oklahoma, our state and local governments have been successful at bringing down the rate of opioid overdoses. Still, it is abundantly clear that more has to be done to combat this deadly epidemic. Across our country, more than two million Americans struggle with opioid addiction and we lose nearly 100 of those lives each day to an opioid overdose. I applaud President Trump for making the opioid epidemic a priority and ensuring that the states have the tools and resources they need in order to continue to combat the opioid epidemic. I’m looking forward to being in Oklahoma tomorrow to meet with community and tribal leaders to continue discussing solutions to this harrowing crisis.”
Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota)
“FBI reports indicate the rate of violent crime in South Dakota nearly doubled between 2005 and 2015,” said Noem. “While there are a number of conditions that can contribute to a surge that severe, many agree drugs have played a big role. No community – no family – is immune to addiction. Particularly with opioids, it can often start with a simple prescription for pain medication to deal with a headache. But that same medicine you took to heal can be the drug that leads to a life-altering addiction. I’m encouraged by President Trump’s commitment to addressing this crisis, and I look forward to working closely with him and his administration to keep our communities safer and drug free.”
Last Congress, Noem helped pass two major bills to fight the opioid crisis: the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act and the 21st Century Cures Act, both of which were signed into law. Among other things, the legislation puts private- and public-sector experts on the case to identify best practices for pain management.
To follow up on those new laws, Noem has thrown her support behind a series of bills in this Congress to combat the growing drug crisis, including:
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