WASHINGTON -- U.S. Reps. Tim Ryan and Jim Sensenbrenner yesterday reintroduced the bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act.

The legislation provides for a “robust response to the twin epidemics of opioid and heroin addiction” that encompasses prevention, law enforcement strategies and the expansion of evidence-based treatment, according to a news release from Ryan’s office. Ryan is co-chairman of the Congressional Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus.

More than 90 organizations support the legislation, including the National District Attorneys Association, the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, Faces and Voices of Recovery, the National Council for Behavioral Health, and the Major County Sheriffs’ Association, among others. 

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

“In my state of Ohio, fatal drug overdoses have been the leading cause of accidental death since 2007,” Ryan, D-13 Ohio, said. “Heroin and opiate addiction is destroying lives, disrupting families and destabilizing communities -- it is imperative that we begin to stem this tide. The provisions in this legislation are proven to work and I call on Congress to act now and pass this important legislation.”

“Too many Americans are falling into the addiction trap. It must be addressed effectively and expeditiously,” Sensenbrenner, R-5 Wis., added. “With this legislation, we have an opportunity to build on proven methods that enable law enforcement to respond to this epidemic and support long-term recovery.”

SOURCE: Office of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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