Improving Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women Act of 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3691 so that pregnant and postpartum women can receive comprehensive, residential substance abuse treatment when fighting opioid drug addiction.

According to the National Perinatal Association, 4 percent of all live births in the U.S. occur in women who abuse illicit or prescription drugs, such as opioid pain relievers. This would equate to 159,436 births in 2014 from women who abuse illicit or prescription drugs.

This is simply unacceptable. We must take action to ensure that pregnant and postpartum women receive the care they need to protect American families.

H.R. 3691 simply states that support should be extended for residential substance abuse treatment programs for pregnant and postpartum women through 2020 and the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment should carry out a pilot program to make grants to State substance abuse agencies to support services for pregnant and postpartum women who have a substance abuse disorder.

By extending these services and working through this pilot program, we can ensure that pregnant and postpartum women can receive the care that they need so that they can care for their families. That is why I am supporting H.R. 3691.

I encourage my colleagues to support this bill so we can extend care to all mothers and soon-to-be mothers who fight drug addiction.

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