Moolenaar, Committee Pass Legislation to Fight the Opioid Crisis

Last night, the House Appropriations Committee passed legislation funding the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health for the 2019 federal budget year that begins on October 1.

The legislation increases funding for the fight against cancer, Alzheimer's and the opioid crisis.

Specifically, it provides $38.3 billion in funding for NIH, an increase of $1.25 billion over last year. This includes $2.25 billion for Alzheimer's research and $400 million for cancer moonshot research.

The legislation also expands NIH research related to opioids and pain management in order to promote the development of treatments that do not cause addiction.

The legislation includes $1 billion for state opioid response grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Earlier this year, SAMHSA granted $16 million to the State of Michigan through this program.

Congressman John Moolenaar, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, voted for the legislation and made the following statement:

"I voted for this legislation because the funding will go to those on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic and provide help to those who need it most. I also strongly support pioneering research to develop new treatments that will help patients recover without opioids."

"This legislation also commits more funding for Alzheimer's research and the efforts to cure cancer. These goals may seem difficult now but the research being funded today will bring us closer to finding a cure that will save millions of lives."

Additional Appropriations Information

The House Appropriations Committee has now passed eleven of the twelve bills it works on annually to fund the departments and agencies of the federal government in each federal budget year. Three of those bills have been passed by the whole House.

Congressman Moolenaar has successfully worked to ensure Michigan's priorities are funded in legislation passed by the committee. This includes:

• $75 million for the Facility for Rare Isotope Beam Research at Michigan State University.
• $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
• $447 million for opioid overdose reversal drugs and prescription drug monitoring.
• $620 million in loans and grants for expanding rural broadband access.
• $1 billion for state opioid response grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
• $1.6 billion for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.
• $2 billion for rural development grants, including those focused on rural water and waste program loans.
• $3.1 billion for agriculture research that helps stop crop diseases including funding for the sugar beet and bean research facility at MSU.
• $6.9 billion in loans for rural electric service and telephone lines.
• $38.3 billion in funding for NIH, including $2.25 billion for Alzheimer's research, $400 million for cancer moonshot research, and $130 million for a universal flu vaccine.
• $46 billion for the Highway Trust Fund.
• $71 billion for VA medical care including $8.6 billion in mental health care services; $196 million in suicide prevention outreach activities; $589 million for traumatic brain injury treatment; $387 million for opioid abuse prevention; and $270 million in rural health initiatives.

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