U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Joins Bipartisan Group of Senators Urging Congressional Leadership to Commit Resources to Opioid Epidemic
“Opioid misuse is not a partisan issue. It is ravaging communities in every state and preys upon individuals and families regardless of party affiliation,” wrote the Senators.
![Pills by Tom Varco (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.](https://urbanmilwaukee.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/1024px-Lexapro_pills.jpg)
Pills by Tom Varco (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.
In their letter, the bipartisan group urge Leaders Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to include additional funding dedicated to addressing the crisis in the upcoming supplemental and omnibus appropriations legislation.
“Opioid misuse is not a partisan issue. It is ravaging communities in every state and preys upon individuals and families regardless of party affiliation,” wrote the Senators. “We have worked together on this issue in the past, and with the clear statement from Acting Secretary Hargan that the administration is looking for Congress to lead the way, it is time for us to work together again. As the Senate considers pending supplemental and omnibus appropriation legislation, please make every effort to ensure that new, substantial and sustained funding for the opioid epidemic is included in any legislative package.”
In addition to Senator Baldwin, Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Angus King (I-ME) also signed the letter.
The full text of the letter is available here and can be seen below:
December 15, 2017
Dear Majority Leader McConnell and Democratic Leader Schumer:
We write today to discuss our Nation’s opioid misuse epidemic and the urgent need for Congress to provide our states with the resources they need to deal with this public health emergency. In light of recent statements from the administration asking Congress to act on this issue, we believe the upcoming supplemental and omnibus appropriations legislation present significant opportunities for additional funding.
On December 4, Acting HHS Secretary Eric Hargan stated that the administration is “looking forward to hearing from Congress about how they intend to address this.” That means it is up to us to act. We urge you to advance a spending package that will provide substantial new resources for our families and our communities who have waited too long for help. Although the measures in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), the 21st Century Cures legislation and the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 were important first steps, we must now build upon those efforts to ensure that states have adequate resources for first responders, enforcement, prevention efforts and treatment and recovery services. We must also provide more resources for research into addiction and pain, to gain a better understanding of the disease and develop innovative new treatments for substance misuse.
Opioid misuse is not a partisan issue. It is ravaging communities in every state and preys upon individuals and families regardless of party affiliation. We have worked together on this issue in the past, and with the clear statement from Acting Secretary Hargan that the administration is looking for Congress to lead the way, it is time for us to work together again. As the Senate considers pending supplemental and omnibus appropriation legislation, please make every effort to ensure that new, substantial and sustained funding for the opioid epidemic is included in any legislative package.
Thank you and we look forward to working with you to ensure that our communities receive the resources they need to effectively address this national crisis.
Sincerely,
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Opioid Crisis
- Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley Announces Over $9 Million for Initiatives to Combat Opioid Epidemic - County Executive David Crowley - Jul 17th, 2025
- AG Kaul, 45 Other Attorneys General Plan to Join $720 Million Settlement with Eight Opioid Drug Makers - Wisconsin Department of Justice - Jul 14th, 2025
- Attorney General Kaul Announces Consent Judgment with Kroger Over Opioid Crisis - Wisconsin Department of Justice - Mar 21st, 2025
- Baldwin Votes to Strengthen Penalties, Step Up Enforcement Around Deadly Fentanyl - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Mar 17th, 2025
- Wisconsin Communities Get Millions From Opioid Settlement as Deaths Decline - Evan Casey - Mar 1st, 2025
- MKE County: County Creates Easy Public Access To Overdose Data - Graham Kilmer - Feb 18th, 2025
- Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and the Office of Emergency Management Launch New Overdose Dashboard - County Executive David Crowley - Feb 18th, 2025
- Fitzgerald Advances Legislation to Fight Opioid Epidemic - U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald - Feb 6th, 2025
- Milwaukee Is Losing a Generation of Black Men To Drug Crisis - Edgar Mendez and Devin Blake - Jan 31st, 2025
- Milwaukee County’s Overdose Deaths Declined For Second Straight Year - Evan Casey - Jan 27th, 2025
Read more about Opioid Crisis here
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