Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02), the co-chair and co-founder of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, released the following statement on the executive order announced by President Trump creating a Commission to study and make suggestions for how to address the opioid addiction epidemic:

“It’s encouraging that the White House is taking proactive steps to address the opioid epidemic but there is much more to be done. We know that those on the frontlines of this crisis need support and I hope that one of the key findings of the President’s Commission will be the need to fully fund the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. We also know that there is not enough capacity for those seeking treatment, and I was pleased to see that part of the Commission’s mission will be to assess the availability of substance use treatment and recovery services. To that end, it’s critical that we maintain the support for substance use services that was established under the Affordable Care Act and expanded through Medicaid. If these provisions were to be repealed, the President’s Commission would find addressing this crisis exponentially more difficult. One important step that I would urge is the appointment of a Director for the Office of National Drug Control Policy. That seat needs to be filled by someone who understands the scope of this issue and can lead an effective national strategy to curb this epidemic. I look forward to working with the Commission and discussing how the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force can be a productive partner in the House of Representatives to advance policies to address the opioid addiction crisis.”

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