Rothfus Praises Bipartisan Opioid Bill that Includes His Legislative Efforts

Press Release

Congressman Keith Rothfus (PA-12) supported the bipartisan, House-passed conference report to H.R. 6, the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act. This comprehensive bill contains several provisions of the Congressman's bipartisan legislation for combatting the opioid epidemic. Specifically, portions of the conference report were derived from the Congressman's REGROUP Act, Expanding Access to Treatment Act, and CODE RED Act. Passed by the House and Senate, this bill now awaits the President's signature.

"In 2016 alone, 4,642 Pennsylvanians died of drug overdoses," said Congressman Rothfus. "Ending this crisis requires strengthening treatment, prevention, and law enforcement efforts on all levels. I am pleased my colleagues and I were able to come together to pass this much-needed bill. It includes provisions of my bipartisan legislation that deliver additional resources to federal, state, and local programs for stopping drug traffickers as well as increasing access to treatment for people suffering from addiction."

Background:

In June 2018, the House passed more than 70 bipartisan bills to help combat the opioid crisis. The sections of Congressman Rothfus' legislation incorporated into the conference report to H.R. 6, the SUPPORT Act, were:

H.R. 5769, The Expanding Access to Treatment Act -- Helps offset the costs of training clinicians in Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics.

H.R. 6029, The REGROUP Act -- Reauthorizes the Department of Justice's Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program through 2023 and triples its funding to $330 million per year.

H.R. 5980, the CODE RED Act -- Authorizes, develops, and implements a coordinated tracking system for federally-funded initiatives and grant programs dealing with opioid and substance abuse to enhance grant program effectiveness.

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