U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. joined senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Patrick Leahy, D-VT., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, on Thursday to introduce the Expanded Access to Treatment and Recovery Act, legislation that would provide $920 million in funding to give states the tools and resources to invest in treatment of and recovery from prescription opioid and heroin abuse.
The Senate voted 92-2 on Wednesday to approve and send to the President Obabma’s desk the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), legislation agreed in conference to address our nation’s opioid and heroin epidemic, according to a Murray media release. While CARA authorizes a number of bipartisan policies and programs to tackle this epidemic, including allowing nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe buprenorphine, there is no direct funding in the legislation to actually implement the law.
Legislation introduced by Murray and others would provide states real, substantial funding and resources to meaningfully address this crisis. The senators insist that Republicans allow a vote on this immediate funding with the fiscal year end quickly approaching on Sept. 30.
“While we took a step in the right direction by passing legislation to change our nation’s opioid policies, Republicans unfortunately refused to work with us to provide the funding cities and states need to tackle this epidemic head-on,” Murray said. “For too many families suffering as a result of this epidemic, there’s no ‘later’ and there’s no ‘next time’. That’s why my colleagues and I are introducing a new bill today that lays out a clear plan for investing desperately needed resources in tackling opioid addiction—so that families and communities actually get the relief they are calling for.
“I hope all of my colleagues will join me in supporting our bill — especially since so many of us, on both sides of the aisle, agree that new investments in treatment and recovery are absolutely necessary.”
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