RELEASE: Fitzpatrick Praises Anti-Addiction Bill, Urges Additional Funding in Fight Against Opioid Abuse

“There is little doubt that drug addiction is anything short of an epidemic. From the abuse of prescription medication to the continued rise in heroin and opioid use, this crisis is a national problem with local implications.

 

I applaud the House and Senate’s bipartisan work on this groundbreaking legislation – including efforts to treat addiction like the disease that it is, and modernizing programs and grants to truly tackle this issue. But this bill cannot be the end of our efforts. More funding is needed to address critical shortfalls in education, treatment and recovery programs. Likewise, Washington must remain committed to providing federal, state and local law enforcement and first responders all the tools they need to win this fight in communities across the country – including Bucks and Montgomery counties.

 

The passage of CARA shows how Congress and the executive branch are supposed to work: Identify a problem, work together on a solution, enact policies that address it. That’s the process we followed at the FBI while working to protect the nation, there’s no reason we should expect any different from our lawmakers. If elected to Congress, that’s the problem-solving attitude and experience I’ll bring day one.”