Congressman MacArthur Applauds Opioid Funding in Budget Request

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Republican Chair of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, Congressman Tom MacArthur applauded the budget request’s call for increased funding for the opioid epidemic.

Recently, the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force urged the President to work with Congress to appropriate the necessary funding to ensure that the public health emergency declaration can be an effective tool to address the opioid epidemic.

“As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, myself along with many members from both parties, have been working tirelessly to ensure our country’s fight against the opioid crisis is fully funded,” said Congressman Tom MacArthur. “Our bipartisan advocacy is providing real results and more money for South Jersey communities to combat the opioid crisis and save loved ones. I’m grateful the Administration is calling for this critical funding and I will continue to advocate for our communities in Congress.”

The budget request asks Congress for almost $17 billion in 2019 to fight the opioid epidemic.   To fund prevention efforts, access to treatment, mental health services, and recovery support, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would receive $3 billion in 2018 and $10 billion in 2019.    The budget request also includes funding for law enforcement and other efforts to stop the flow of illegal drugs into our communities.

Letter from Bipartisan Heroin Task Force on increased funding:

January 19, 2018

President Donald J. Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

As members of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, we strongly urge you to direct the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services to renew the public health emergency declaration first declared on October 26, 2017 by Acting Secretary Eric. D. Hargan, which will expire on January 23, 2018.

In December 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released their 2016 drug overdose mortality figures. The CDC reported an opioid-related mortality rate increase of 28 percent over the last year, or more than 42,000 opioid-related overdose deaths. Alarmingly, CDC reported lethal fentanyl and synthetic opioid involved in over 19,000 overdose deaths, a figure that represents a doubling over 2015 statistics.

The CDC’s new data demonstrates the immediate need for a renewed and well-resourced public health emergency focused on this drug crisis. As the increasing prevalence of synthetic opioids makes clear, this crisis is rapidly evolving. The changing face of the crisis has made an already difficult situation more precarious. Our communities continue to suffer from the scourge of opioid misuse; we as a nation need to ensure all federal resources are mobilized to effectively address this crisis.

As you know, a national public health emergency declaration provides the federal government with additional tools it could use to help communities across the country grapple with this disease. While it is important for this declaration to be renewed to allow for maximum federal flexibility to combat this epidemic, cooperation with Congress to provide the necessary funding to properly support such an emergency declaration is vital. We urge you to work with Congress to advance additional funding as part of fiscal year 2018 budget negotiations as well as the inclusion of emergency supplemental funding for any continuing resolution.

We were encouraged when you delivered on your promise to declare the opioid epidemic a public health emergency and stand ready to assist you in a bipartisan effort to ensure that a renewed declaration is well-resourced and has the full support of Congress.