Pelosi Statement on New White House Opioid Policy

Contact: Ashley Etienne/Henry Connelly, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi issued this statement after the White House released its new plan to combat the nation's opioid crisis:

"President Trump's new opioid proposal contains many bipartisan and urgently needed measures. But unless the President funds these proposals, they will only represent more broken promises from the Trump Administration.

"President Trump's budget called for staggering cuts to Medicaid, CDC, and mental health and substance abuse funding that is essential to helping families afford treatment and overcome the tragedy of opioid addiction. He has worked to destroy the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion and allow the sale of junk health insurance plans that do not cover substance abuse treatment. And now, President Trump darkly flirts with imposing the death penalty for drug crimes.

"The opioid epidemic is cutting short the lives of 116 Americans every day, and is ravaging families and communities across the country. Americans struggling with opioid addiction deserve real leadership from a White House that treats this national emergency with the seriousness and urgency it requires.

"Democrats urge the Administration and states to extend a vital lifeline to the families suffering from the scourge of opioid addiction, in the form of ensuring the remaining states adopt the ACA's Medicaid expansion. We also urge the Republican Congress to work across the aisle to increase funding, improve prevention and education initiatives and boost access to care for the men and women currently fighting for their lives."

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