DeLauro Statement on the President’s Proposal to Address the Opioid and Heroin Epidemic

WASHINGTON, DC (February 2, 2016) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released the following statement on the President’s proposal for $1.1 billion in new funding to address the prescription opioid abuse and heroin use epidemic. DeLauro is the senior Democrat on the subcommittee responsible for funding the Department Health and Human Services, which works with states to administer treatment and recovery programs. Recently, she attended a community forum in Middletown, Connecticut to discuss solutions to the epidemic with law enforcement officials and healthcare providers.

“The President’s proposal for $1.1 billion in new funding to fight prescription opioid abuse and heroin use is a major step in the right direction for ending this epidemic. Across the country, families and communities are suffering the heartbreaking effects of addiction. We know that treatment programs are one of the most effective ways to fight addiction and sustain recovery, and we must do more to fund these critical programs. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the authorizing and appropriations committees to fully fund this request and I urge Members of Congress to join the President in working to end this epidemic.”

The President’s FY 2017 Budget includes $1 billion in new mandatory funding over two years to expand access to treatment for prescription drug abuse and heroin use, which will help individuals with an opioid use disorder seek treatment, successfully complete treatment, and sustain recovery. The budget also includes approximately $500 million, an increase of $90 million, to expand state-level prescription drug overdose prevention strategies, increase the availability of medication-assisted treatment programs, improve access to the overdose-reversal drug naloxone, and support targeted enforcement activities.

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