House Dems call for $600 million to fight opioid abuse

A group of 53 House Democrats is calling on Republicans to approve $600 million in new funding to fight opioid abuse as part of a package of bills coming to the floor. 

{mosads}Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) led the letter to Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) saying that emergency funding is needed in addition to a range of bills aimed at fighting opioid abuse that are expected to be voted on next week. 

The message is an echo of a debate that occurred in the Senate in March, when Democrats there also called for emergency funding, saying that a measure being voted on was a good start but lacked the needed funding.

Republicans countered that funding has already been approved as part of the spending bill for the year that passed in December. 

In the Senate, Republicans won the argument, as new funding was defeated but the underlying legislation passed on an overwhelming bipartisan vote. 

House committees have now been working on their own legislation, such as a bill to increase the cap from 100 to 250 on the number of patients to whom a doctor can prescribe the opioid abuse treatment drug buprenorphine.

House Democrats, though, argue that new funding is needed as well. 

“One of the most urgent requests we have heard from law enforcement officers, public health officials, and community leaders is for funding to address this growing epidemic,” the letter states. “We must treat this problem like the emergency that it is, and give those responding to the crisis the tools, support and resources they need right now.”