Kuster received CADCA’s Congressional Leadership Award for her efforts to address addiction

High resolution versions of the photos are available here and here

Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02), the founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, was honored by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) for her work to pass legislation to address the opioid addiction epidemic and expand access to recovery and treatment services. Kuster received the Congressional Leadership Award at CADCA’s 27^th Annual National Leadership Forum.

“We know all too well in New Hampshire the devastating impact opioid misuse is having on our communities,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “I’ve heard from families, law enforcement, treatment providers, and numerous community leaders about the urgency of addressing this issue, which is why I’ve worked across the aisle to push for real action. While we’ve made significant progress, there is much more work to be done. I’m committed to seeing this fight through to the end and bringing together Republicans and Democrats to get those on the frontlines of this crisis the resources they need.

“It’s an honor to receive the Congressional Leadership Award from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America,” Kuster continued. “Their work to bring together law enforcement, treatment providers, and advocates to educate lawmakers across the country is critical. The more members of Congress we can get to recognize the severity of this crisis, the more legislative solutions we’ll be able to pursue.”

Congresswoman Kuster is the co-founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, and has been at the forefront of the fight to address the heroin and opioid crisis at the federal level and in New Hampshire. She has been an outspoken advocate for the need to support medical, law enforcement, treatment, and recovery efforts.

Over the last two years, Kuster has met with numerous law enforcement officers, treatment providers, recovery experts, and family members throughout New Hampshire, and in April 2016, she brought the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force to New Hampshire for a field hearing to hear directly from local stakeholders. She helped pass 18 legislative items targeting the opioid epidemic. In recognition of her leadership on this issue, Kuster was appointed to the conference committee tasked with producing the final version of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) – a role typically reserved for more senior members. She also advocated for the passage of the 21^st Century Cures Act, which included $1 billion in funding to support efforts to tackle the opioid epidemic.

###