WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Energy Subcommittee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) issued the following statement on the House passage of the Labor-HHS appropriations bill, which includes essential funding for the landmark 21st Century Cures (Cures) Act and increased efforts to combat the opioid crisis.
“The House has made a significant stride today in sparking health care innovation urgently needed by patients, families, and loved ones across the nation. The Energy and Commerce Committee has made combating the opioid crisis a top priority, and with these additional grants, local responses to this scourge will be strengthened, bringing America one step closer to relief from the devastation of opioid addiction," said Chairman Walden and #SubEnergy Chairman Upton.
“The resources provided in this appropriations bill will also help our country’s scientists and researchers lead the way in cures and treatments for cancer, rare diseases, mental health issues, substance use disorders, and so much more."
Background:
The Labor-HHS appropriations minibus includes $6.7 billion in funding aimed at actively boosting programs that fight, treat, and stop substance abuse, and support access to mental health services. These resources include increased funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
When Cures was signed into law in December of 2016 under then-Chairman Upton’s leadership, it was lauded as a game-changer in how we treat disease and what Congress can do to help. Furthering these efforts, President Trump signed into law S. 292, the Childhood Cancer STAR Act, the most comprehensive childhood cancer legislation ever considered by Congress, in June.
