Rep. Angie Craig’s Bipartisan Bill to Reduce Opioid Overdoses Passes Energy and Commerce Committee
109,680 people died from drug overdoses in the United States in 2022
Earlier this year, Rep. Craig led a successful bipartisan push to secure FDA over-the-counter approval of Narcan, a medicine used to reverse overdoses
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed U.S. Representative Angie Craig’s bipartisan bill to expand access to overdose prevention resources. The bill now goes to the House Floor for a vote.
The RECONNECTIONS Act of 2023 will direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to expand their overdose prevention efforts – like bolstering prescription drug monitoring programs, promoting and evaluating community and health system interventions and conducting research on controlled substance overdoses.
The bill also updates the definition of “new and emerging public health crises” to include the fentanyl crisis.
“This is an important step in the right direction, and I was encouraged to see Democrats and Republicans come together to pass our bill out of committee today,” said Rep. Craig. “Our bill will help Minnesota physicians, law enforcement officers and families get the resources they need to fight this crisis, and I’ll keep pushing to get this bill passed and signed into law.”
Rep. Craig has been a leader in the fight to combat the opioid crisis, expand resources for law enforcement and improve addiction and recovery support in Congress.
Earlier this year,she successfully urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to fully approve the over-the-counter distribution of Narcan, a medicine used to reverse overdoses.
Additionally, Rep. Craig is a cosponsor of the SAFE Act, which would permanently schedule fentanyl-related substances in Schedule I – giving law enforcement access to the increased resources and support needed to more effectively combat the fentanyl crisis.
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