Washington, DC – Today, the House approved a House-Senate conference committee’s version of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which will address the addiction crisis unfolding throughout the country. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, principal coauthor of the Senate version of the bill that passed in March, applauded the House’s vote and praised Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline for supporting the measure.
“This opioid crisis reaches into every corner of the nation, inflicting pain and hardship on those battling addiction and placing tremendous strain on our communities,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. “I am very pleased the House voted to advance the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act conference report today. The severity of this problem demands Congress respond and today’s vote brings us one step closer to doing so. Thank you to my fellow Rhode Islanders, Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline, for lending their support to this important legislation and for their leadership in addressing the opioids crisis. Now we have to move quickly to ensure funding is in place so this bill can fully achieve its objectives.”
The House passed the measure today by a vote of 407-5. It will now go to the Senate, which is expected to take it up next week.
“The reach of the opioid addiction crisis continues to spread, touching all of our communities and taking the lives of too many Americans. We need a strong national strategy and robust funding in order to fight this epidemic, and provide the care and support necessary to treat addiction and put people on the path toward recovery. I’m grateful to Senator Whitehouse for his leadership on this issue, and I’m proud to support these efforts in Congress to address this critical public health crisis,” said Congressman Jim Langevin.
“Our nation’s ongoing opioid epidemic affects men and women of all different backgrounds — young and old, rich and poor, black and white. The number of Americans who lose their lives each year to a drug overdose has more than doubled since 1999. Confronting this crisis and defeating it requires a comprehensive approach from every level of government, stakeholders, nonprofits and the private sector,” said Congressman David Cicilline. “I am grateful that Senator Whitehouse has led the effort to pass the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act into law, and I was proud to support this measure in the House today.”
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