Health and Fitness

Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth Votes to Support Bipartisan Opioid Overdose Reduction Compromise


Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–July 8, 2016.  Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-08), cosponsor of the bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), today helped pass a compromise version of the opioid overdose reduction through the House on a vote of 407-5. Duckworth sponsored the original legislation to address the rampant opioid epidemic across our nation by changing prescription and pain management practices, expanding access to treatment like opioid overdose reversal drugs and medication-assisted treatment as well as requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to better manage and track the use of opioids by Veterans undergoing treatment.
“The opioid overdose programs included in today’s bipartisan compromise are worthwhile and could very well help save lives in Illinois and throughout the nation, but only if Congress provides them the resources and funding needed,” said Congresswoman Duckworth after casting her vote in support of the bipartisan CARA compromise. “While today’s bill moves us toward actually helping those struggling with addiction and preventing needless overdoses, I hope my colleagues in the House and Senate will recognize the pressing need to ensure those efforts are effective and work with me to find the needed funds.”
While many underlying programs in the original legislation remain in today’s compromise, the necessary funding to allow those programs to function effectively was not included. Congresswoman Duckworth is cosponsoring legislation to provide $600 million in emergency funding to ensure the programs CARA authorizes are effectively implemented in Illinois and communities across the country.

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