Shaheen Statement on President Trump’s Announcement that He Will Declare the Opioid Crisis a National Emergency
(Washington, DC)—Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) issued the following statement after President Trump announced that he will declare the opioid crisis a national emergency:
“I applaud the President’s announcement that he will declare the opioid epidemic a national emergency,” said Senator Shaheen. “It’s long past time for the federal government to aggressively tackle this crisis. As part of this emergency declaration, I urge the President to implement the other sound recommendations proposed by his opioid commission and work with Congress to pass legislation that provides first responders and treatment providers the emergency resources they desperately need. The President also needs to abandon his efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act which would take away life-saving substance misuse treatment. There’s broad bipartisan agreement that much more needs to be done to end this epidemic that’s taking a life every day in New Hampshire and tens of thousands of lives every year across the country.”
Shaheen has led efforts in Congress to pass emergency supplemental funding for those on the frontlines of the opioid addiction crisis. Shaheen was instrumental in securing emergency funding in the 21st Century Cures Act which was signed into law by President Obama in December.
