U.S. Congressman Greg Walden’s (R-Hood River) comprehensive legislation to combat the nationwide opioid crisis was signed into law by President Trump today at the White House.
Walden’s SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, which passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 393-8 in September and the Senate by a vote of 98-1 in October, represents the largest legislative effort to combat a single drug crisis in history. Walden said today that this bill will save lives and help get communities in Oregon on the path to recovery.
“Across our district I’ve met with the victims, families, treatment advocates, medical providers, and law enforcement officers who are on the front lines of the opioid crisis in Oregon,” said Walden. “Today is about these people, each of whom puts a name and a face to a crisis that killed more than 72,000 people nationwide in 2017 and takes the lives of more Oregonians than traffic accidents. This bipartisan legislation brings critical support to the communities most desperately in need, provides new tools and resources for those on the ground in this fight, and helps stop the flow of deadly drugs across our borders. Rarely can we say that legislation will save lives, but there is no doubt that this bill will do just that. While there is much more work to be done, today is an important step forward to help stem the tide and get communities in Oregon on the road to recovery.”
Walden said the legislation is a bipartisan bill that will help in overall efforts to combat the opioid crisis by advancing treatment and recovery initiatives, improving prevention, protecting communities, and bolstering efforts to fight deadly illicit synthetic drugs like fentanyl.
