Nearly $100 Million Increase in Opioid Funding Passes House Committee Following Rose-led Bipartisan Effort

Press Release

Following a bipartisan effort led by Congressman Max Rose to increase funding for opioid prevention, treatment and recovery efforts, the House Committee on Appropriations passed legislation yesterday increasing funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) by $96 million above current funding levels and $238 million above the President's budget request. The legislation now goes to the House of Representatives for a vote.

"We continue to see the opioid epidemic take too many lives in our communities," said Rose, a member of the Bipartisan Heroin and Opioids Task Force. "With heightened stress and pain from the pandemic, so many people are hurting more than ever and we must be there for them. This nearly $100 million increase in funding will build upon the $140 million increase we secured last year--because now's the time to double down on prevention, treatment and recovery efforts--not scale back. I won't rest until we beat the opioid epidemic and I'm proud to lead this effort."

Following Rose's successful effort last year to secure a $140 million increase in funding to SAMSHA, Rose once again led a bipartisan push this year with over 50 Members of Congress calling for the "highest possible funding level." If this year's funding bill is passed into law, it would bring the total increase in funding Rose helped secure for SAMSHA to $236 million.

SAMHSA plays a critical role in fighting the opioid epidemic through funding and grant programs to state and local governments, and other institutions to help ensure Americans receive the prevention, treatment, and recovery services they need.

"We urge you to provide the highest possible funding level for SAMHSA in FY 2021," wrote Rose and more than 50 of his colleagues from both parties in a letter to Committee leadership earlier this year. "Programs administered by SAMHSA play a critical role in ensuring that Americans get the substance use services that they need, and increased investments in SAMSHA will ultimately lead to more lives saved, and a healthier population."

Rose, a member of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction, has made combating the opioid epidemic and raising awareness around the disease of addiction a top priority. Rose's bipartisan Fentanyl Sanctions Act was signed into law, which will apply sanctions on drug manufacturers in China who knowingly provide fentanyl to traffickers, transnational criminal organizations like those in Mexico who mix fentanyl with other drugs and traffic them into the U.S. and financial institutions that assist them.

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