House Passes Opioid Crisis Response Package

Statement

Today, the House of Representatives voted to approve the Conference Report for S. 524, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016. In May, the House and Senate passed their own versions of the legislation, and a Conference Committee was appointed to reconcile the bills. Congressman Collins, a member of the Conference Committee, issued the following statement on the House's passage of the Conference Report:

"Heroin and opioid addiction is a silent epidemic that is killing our friends and neighbors. In Northeast Georgia, I have heard from virtually every Sherriff and law enforcement official I have spoken to that herion, methamphetamine, and prescription drug related crimes are on the rise. No community is immune from addiction, and the pain and suffering that it brings to families. This legislation is a comprehensive package of policies, including grant programs, plans to expand drug treatment courts, and changes to how these drugs are prescribed. I have seen how treatment courts can help people turn their lives around, especially for veterans struggling with addiction and PTSD. The legislation also equips law enforcement to respond more effectively to drug related crimes, so that we can divert people from prison and into the treatment programs where they will get the support they need to recover. I urge the Senate to approve the conference report as soon as possible, so that these programs may begin to move forward."

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