Senator Tammy Badlwin's office issued the following yesterday.
10.24.18
President Trump Signs Senator Baldwin’s Opioid Crisis Response Reforms Into Law
Prevent the flow of illegal fentanyl, opioids, and meth from other countries
Stronger support for local prevention, treatment and recovery efforts
More resources for growing meth problem in Wisconsin
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, President Trump signed
into law a number of Senator Baldwin’s bipartisan reforms to combat the
opioid crisis in Wisconsin.
As a member of the Senate Health, Education,
Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Baldwin authored key
reforms included in bipartisan legislation which passed the Senate
earlier this month.
Senator Baldwin worked to include provisions
that will help prevent the flow of illegal fentanyl, opioids and
methamphetamine from other countries; extend and expand investments in
local prevention, treatment and recovery efforts; and provide more
resources to combat the growing methamphetamine problem in Wisconsin.
“I’ve met with local health officials, law
enforcement and those who have lost loved ones throughout Wisconsin, and
it’s clear Washington must do more to be a stronger partner in
supporting local prevention, treatment and recovery efforts,” said Senator Baldwin. “In
Wisconsin, we have seen a spike in fentanyl overdose deaths and a
growing problem of methamphetamine abuse in our state. That’s why I have
worked to provide more resources and flexibility to help Wisconsin
fight this epidemic, and to stop the flow of illicit drugs, like
fentanyl, meth and illegal opioids, coming from other countries into
America. These bipartisan reforms are an important step forward and will
help provide Wisconsin the tools we need to save lives.”
Prevent the flow of illegal fentanyl, opioids, and meth from other countries
The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 includes
a bipartisan reform introduced by Senator Baldwin that would help stop
the flow of illegal opioids, fentanyl, methamphetamine and other illicit
drugs into the country through International Mail Facilities.
The Restricting Entrance and Strengthening the Requirements on Import Controls for Trafficking (RESTRICT) Illicit Drugs Act,
introduced with Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), would give the FDA more
tools to prevent illegal fentanyl, opioids and other illicit synthetic
drugs from entering the country at the border through our International
Mail Facilities.
Recently, communities across Wisconsin have seen
dramatic increases in illicit fentanyl overdoses. According to the
Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office, in 2018, there have been 193
confirmed opioid-related overdose deaths and 117 confirmed
fentanyl-related overdose deaths in Milwaukee County.
Stronger support for local prevention, treatment and recovery efforts
Earlier this year, Senator Baldwin led the
effort to include an additional $1 billion in the FY2018 omnibus
spending bill signed by President Trump for the Opioid State Targeted
Response Grant program.
The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018 includes provisions from Baldwin’s Opioid Response Enhancement Act to
expand and extend the Opioid State Targeted Response Grant program to
provide states and tribal communities more resources for local
prevention, treatment and recovery efforts. The grant program was
established as part of the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act that Senator Baldwin worked to pass in Congress.
More resources for growing meth problem in Wisconsin
Senator Baldwin has held roundtable
dialogues across the state with law enforcement, first responders,
health officials and community leaders where she has learned about the
growing problem of methamphetamine abuse in Wisconsin.
In response, Senator Baldwin worked to include a reform in the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018
that would provide states with more flexibility in using federal
funding so Wisconsin will be able to put it to work to address the
growing meth problem in our state.
