Rep. Elijah Cummings said the House’s effort to pass more than 70 bills combating the opioid crisis is inadequate because it doesn’t fully fund the epidemic.
The Maryland Democrat said Thursday that members of House Democratic leadership have signed on to the CARE Act, which provides $100 billion over 10 years to fight the epidemic.
“The Republican ‘Opioid Week’ was an exercise in strong rhetoric and weak legislation,” Cummings said. “I commend the bipartisan bills we passed last week, but while they will do some good things, they are simply inadequate to address the opioid crisis.”
Cummings said that none of the legislation, most of which garnered bipartisan support, provides “sufficient, long-term” dedicated funding for treatment.
“Some would merely require additional government studies on the opioid epidemic,” according to a release on the CARE Act. “A few of the bills would enhance prevention efforts and increase access to treatment and recovery services.”
Cummings said the CARE Act, which has a companion version in the Senate sponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has received more than 60 Democratic co-sponsors who include all Democratic House leadership.
Republicans have said that they are looking to add more funding to fight opioid abuse through the appropriations process and that the deluge of bills is an effort to install good policy first.
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday passed a fiscal 2019 appropriations bill that includes $3.7 billion for fighting the crisis.
