Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman French Hill (AR-02), issued the following statement after supporting bipartisan opioid legislation that provides Arkansas families with more access to treatment and resources to fight the opioid crisis:

“We can’t let another Arkansas family be hurt by the opioid crisis, which kills more than 115 Americans every day. I’ve met with central Arkansas families and listened to how the opioid epidemic has personally affected them, and my vote today was for them. For the 6.5 million Americans addicted to prescription drugs and the countless others who watch as loved ones struggle to get the treatment they need, today’s vote signals that more help is on the way. I’m pleased that this measure helps to curb fentanyl from coming into our country through the mail system from China and Mexico, expands access to addiction treatment and prevention programs, and beefs up law enforcement efforts to curtail the trafficking of illegal drugs.”

Background:

The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, H.R. 6, passed the House by a vote of 396-12 in June. The Senate passed a version of this bill on September 17, 2017, and today, the House passed the final bicameral, bipartisan, negotiated legislation, which combats the opioid crisis in a number of ways, including:

• Lifting for 5 years the prohibition on Medicaid payments for substance abuse treatment in facilities with more than 16 beds.
• Allowing hospice employees to dispose of opioids after a patient’s death.
• Expanding access to medication-assisted substance abuse treatment.
• Securing our mail system from shipments of fentanyl and other dangerous synthetic drugs coming from China and Mexico.