CONTACT:
AshLee Strong, Doug Andres
202-225-0600

WASHINGTON—In June, the House passed H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act—sweeping legislation to address America’s opioid crisis. Today, the Senate passed a similar bipartisan measure, the Opioid Crisis Response Act. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) released the following statement:

“Helping people suffering at the hands of an opioid addiction has been one of the great causes of this Congress, and I’m glad to see the Senate do its part to get us closer to the finish line. The House and Senate measures share the same goals. We direct federal agencies to create and expand community programs to increase access to treatment. We authorize grants to support recovery centers. And we prioritize stopping the flow of synthetic opioids into the country by closing shipping loopholes in the United States Postal Service. Ultimately, we have to attack the root cause of this crisis, which are the opioids themselves—but these are important steps to take toward that goal. I’m proud of the progress Congress has made on this urgent legislation, and I look forward to working with the Senate to get a final bill to the president’s desk soon.”

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