Moolenaar Supports Legislation Funding the Fight Against the Opioid Crisis

Today, the House Appropriations Committee passed legislation funding the Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Agency for the 2019 federal budget year. The legislation enhances federal efforts against the opioid crisis.

The legislation includes $447 million dollars for overdose reversal drugs and prescription drug monitoring. It also increases funding for the DEA and prioritizes opioid enforcement efforts with additional agents and equipment.

Congressman John Moolenaar has met with victims of addiction, law enforcement officials, health care professionals, local elected leaders, and volunteers on the frontlines of the opioid crisis. He has also hosted opioid roundtables this year in Midland and Harrison.

He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and he made the following statement on today's legislation:

"The fight against the opioid crisis takes many forms and I am working on all fronts to make sure our communities have the resources they need for prevention, treatment and law enforcement. This funding for law enforcement will increase monitoring of prescription drugs and boost efforts to stop the illicit trafficking of opioids."

Additional Appropriations Information

The House Appropriations Committee has now passed five of the twelve bills it works on annually to fund the departments and agencies of the federal government in each federal budget year.

Additional funding for the fight against the opioid crisis is expected in a separate Appropriations bill that funds the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health.