WASHINGTON, DC –  Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) – Vice-Chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic – applauded final House passage of legislation to help those struggling with the disease of addiction by expanding access to treatment, providing more resources for mental health agencies and strengthening enforcement mechanisms. Notably, the package of solutions that’s expected to head to the President’s desk includes provisions from Norcross’ bipartisan Jobs Plus Recovery Act, which makes job training part of drug addiction recovery programs.

“We’re losing more Americans every year to the opioid epidemic than we did in all of the Vietnam War, and in my district alone at least one person is dying from the disease of addiction every day. It’s clear we need to work together, address as many different aspects of this crisis as we can and implement a variety of tactics to help those suffering,” said Congressman Donald Norcross, Vice-Chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic. “I fought to have job training included in the recovery process, and now we’ll be investing in our friends, neighbors, sons and daughters when they need us most, and our economy will be stronger as a result.”

In addition to the Jobs Plus Recovery Act, the legislation also contained provisions from bills that are part of the Bipartisan Task Force’s 2018 legislative agenda, including:

• The Addiction Treatment Access Improvement Act, which facilitates the use of Medication Assisted Therapy (MAT) by repealing existing limits on how many patients can be treated with MAT.
• The CRIB Act, which would establish residential pediatric care centers within Medicaid to treat babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome caused by exposure to opioids during pregnancy.
• The Synthetic Drug Awareness Act, which requires a report to Congress on the public health effects of the rise in synthetic drug use among youth ages 12 to 18.
• The Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act, which deters prescription fraud by requiring prescriptions written under Medicaid Part D to be delivered electronically.
• Jessie’s Law, which helps improve electronic medical records so that people with a history of an opioid dependency aren’t accidentally administered opioids.

Recent, Related Content

• On September 18, 2018, Norcross reacted to the Senate’s passage of opioid legislation that included provisions he authored and supported.
• On June 4, 2018, Norcross recognized Kennedy Health’s work to help those struggling with the disease of addiction.
• On May 8, 2018, Norcross introduced the bipartisan Jobs Plus Recovery Act, which incorporates job training into drug addiction recovery programs.
• On April 26, 2018, Norcross applauded the House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee’s passage of opioid legislation.
• On April 23, 2018, Norcross and three other members of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force, introduced the STOP Fentanyl Deaths Act.
• On March 16, 2018, the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force urged Congress to protect the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)’s budget and keep its funding to at least current levels.
• On March 15, 2018, the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force urged Congress to provide expanded funding for the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act.
• On February 12, 2018, the leaders of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force released a statement against cuts to the ONDCP in President Trump’s budget request.
• On February 2, 2018, the leaders of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force called on Congressional leaders to support funding for the opioid epidemic public health emergency.
• On January 10, 2018, the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force released its legislative agenda for 2018.
• On December 21, 2017, Norcross voted against the short-term continuing resolution, saying, “[it] ignores the needs of… those struggling with the disease of addiction.”
• On October 26, 2017, Norcross issued a statement as President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic a ‘public health emergency.’
• On October 20, 2017, the leaders of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force wrote to President Trump urging him to follow through on his commitment to declare the opioid epidemic a national emergency.
• On September 28, 2017, the leaders of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force wrote a joint op-ed in The Hill calling on the White House to formally declare the opioid crisis a national emergency.
• On August 23, 2017, Norcross wrote an op-ed in the South Jersey Times on the disease of addiction, calling for action.
• On August 10, 2017, the leaders of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force both called for immediate action to address the opioid epidemic and reacted to the President’s remarks on the epidemic.
• On August 8, 2017, Norcross announced the Improve Addiction Education Act and the leaders of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force wrote a letter to President Trump calling for action to address the opioid epidemic.
• On July 26, 2017, Norcross’ provision to help veterans struggling with the disease of addiction is included in the House appropriations bill. 
• On July 20, 2017, Norcross hosts a Community Conversation on the Disease of Addiction in Williamstown, NJ.
• On June 27, 2017, the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force released its legislative agenda for the 115^th Congress.

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Contact: Ally Kehoe, Communications Director
ally.kehoe@mail.house.gov