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Bill authorizes $5B for state opioid response grants

Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., joined three other House members in announcing a bill that would provide $5 billion in funding over five years to fight the opioid epidemic in communities across the country, according to a news release.

The State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act provides stable, consistent funding for state, local and tribal governments to develop and maintain programs to combat the opioid crisis.

“The opioid crisis continues to ravage communities all across the country. It does not discriminate by age, race or socio-economic status,” said Armstrong. “We need to provide a stable and certain funding source so that our state, local and tribal governments can continue to develop the resources they so desperately need to combat this crisis. I’m excited to join congressmen and women on both sides of the aisle to authorize this funding.”

The bill would authorize for five years the State Opioid Response Grants and Tribal Opioid Response Grants, which have only been funded for two years by Congress starting in 2018. Each state receives not less than $4 million through the program, with additional funding provided to the 10 states with the highest mortality rates due to drug overdoses.

Other sponsors of the bill are Reps. David Trone, D-Md., Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., and Denver Riggleman, R-Va.

It is the first bill from members of the bipartisan Freshmen Working Group on Addiction. The group consists of 55 members of the freshmen class from 30 states across the country.

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