Kuster: Prioritize Funding To Curb Heroin Epidemic

WASHINGTON, DC - This afternoon, U.S. Rep. Ann McLane Kuster, D-NH, testified in front of the House Budget Committee to underscore the importance of increasing funding to address the opioid epidemic in the FY2017 budget.

“Far too many families in the Granite State and across the country are losing loved ones due to heroin use. This is not a partisan issue; representatives from both sides of the aisle must come together to put an end to this crisis once and for all,” she said in a statement. “Today, I urged the Budget Committee to prioritize funding for the health care providers, treatment centers, specialists, and law enforcement officials who are working tirelessly every day to keep our communities safe and help those struggling with addiction. Yesterday’s proposal by the President to increase funding by $1.1 billion was a good step in the right direction; we must ensure this funding is incorporated into the final budget and properly allocated to states like New Hampshire, where we have the nation’s highest per-capita addiction rate, but the second-lowest treatment capacity. I thank the Budget Committee for hearing my remarks today.”

As the co-chairwoman of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic, Kuster works to bring together experts from numerous federal agencies to coordinate efforts to combat the epidemic.

Earlier this year, she hosted a Special Order in the House to urge her colleagues in Congress to take action; during the Special Order, she and 10 of her colleagues shared on the House Floor the stories of Americans who have been affected by the crisis.

Last year, Kuster helped introduce bipartisan legislation that addresses several aspects of combatting the growing heroin epidemic across the country, including the establishment of the Interagency Task Force on Heroin Addiction, the reauthorization of vital drug crisis grants, and the revision of treatment administration guidelines for individuals who are unable to receive take-home treatment, among other provisions. She has also hosted a series of regional briefings across the state to bring together city, state, and federal stakeholders to discuss solutions on the local and federal level, and she has participated in numerous ride-a-longs with members of local law enforcement to get a firsthand look at the challenges they face battling this epidemic and keeping our communities safe.