Portman Welcomes New Opioid Funding as President Signs 21st Century CURES

Statement

U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) today announced that the "21st Century Cures" initiative, a $6.3 billion medical innovation package that is designed to accelerate the discovery, development, and delivery of new cures and treatments that passed the Senate with his support last week, has been signed into law by the president. Portman urged that opioid funding be included in the package, and it includes $1 billion in new funding for state grants to fight opioid abuse. The measure also includes a number of Portman initiatives to strengthen Medicare and Medicaid. Following the passage of the bill, Senator Portman released the following statement:

"With one Ohioan dying of an overdose of heroin or prescription drugs every three hours, our state is in a crisis. But help is on the way. This summer, Congress passed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, or CARA, which authorized $181 million in new funding to fight this epidemic, and now, with the 21st Century Cures Act, Congress has authorized another $1 billion in funding over the next two years to deal with this national emergency. This new law also strengthens Medicare to help cancer patients, seniors on Medicare Advantage, and seniors with disabilities. I am proud to have voted for it because it will make a difference in the lives of so many of the most vulnerable in Ohio and across the country.""

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