Substance Use-Disorder Prevention That Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, the opioid epidemic is a national crisis. It has destroyed lives, torn apart families, and strained community resources.

Since the year 2000, more than 300,000 people in the United States have died from opioid overdoses. Congress is aggressively working to combat this problem by expanding prevention efforts, empowering law enforcement, and increasing access to treatment. We passed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, the 21st Century CURES Act, and the Bipartisan Budget Act to improve the tools and resources available to fight this epidemic, and we have another opportunity to continue turning the tide with passage of the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018.

Last week, I met Arkansans who are on the frontlines of this battle. They have seen the destruction caused by opioids in our schools, our hospitals, and the judicial system. The individuals I spoke with agree that more resources are needed in this fight. That is what the Opioid Crisis Response Act will deliver. This comprehensive package covers a wide range of avenues to attack this problem and get individuals the help and support they need to recover. This includes prevention, treatment, additional law enforcement tools, and expanding research into nonaddictive pain treatments.

I appreciate the leadership of my colleagues on the HELP, Finance, Judiciary, and Commerce Committees to advance this important legislation that is necessary to address the ever-growing opioid crisis.

The legislation expands a grant program to train our first responders administering naloxone, the drug that can be used to block the effects of opioids and prevent deaths from an overdose.

In Arkansas, this is having a very positive impact. Since 2017, the Arkansas naloxone project has trained more than 3,300 first responders to administer the drug. This effort has saved at least 142 lives. The program continues to grow. It is working. Other States can replicate the success we have seen in Arkansas by using grant funds to train first responders.

Not only does this legislation help those already impacted by the crisis, it also aims to stop even more dangerous drugs, like fentanyl, from getting into the country in the first place by improving detection of prohibited drugs being illegally imported through the mail.

These provisions are just a small piece of the puzzle. Together, with other measures in this bill, we can make a real difference and change the conversations we have around opioid abuse and addiction to focus not on the lives taken but on the lives which are being saved. The comprehensive response to the crisis shows how committed we are as a nation to combating opioid addiction.

I applaud the U.S. Department of Agriculture with this week's announcement of its partnership with communities across the country to fight the opioid epidemic in rural America, including Newport, AR. In Newport, USDA is investing more than $150,000 to convert the former Jackson County Jail into the White River Women's Shelter. This facility will help individuals recover from opioid misuse, and provide prevention, recovery, and treatment services to combat the opioid epidemic in the region.

We all have a stake in this fight. If individuals are living healthier lives, they will be able to be more productive citizens and help the community thrive. The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 will aid us in this effort.

I look forward to the Senate passage of this bill and President Trump signing it into law so we can reverse opioid abuse statistics.

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