WASHINGTON, DC - The House of Representatives today passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017, funding the government and other key priorities through September. Also included in the bill were a number of committee legislative priorities.
“I applaud the House for passing this government funding bill through September. It’s important that the agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction remain adequately funded in order to carry out their missions," said full committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR). “Included in this bill are resources to address some of the most critical issues facing our country, and I’m especially pleased by the inclusion of $801 million to combat the opioid crisis."
The money headed to HHS to combat the opioid epidemic includes $500 million as authorized in the 21st Century Cures Act for the creation of the State Response to Opioid Abuse program, and $20 million for critical programs as authorized in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), two major committee initiatives. Also included in the spending bill was a $2 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), funding that will help implement the game-changing 21st Century Cures Act.
