Jersey Priorities

Pallone & Conyers: Trump’s Opioid Announcement Is Meaningless without Additional Funding

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2017



Washington, D.C. – Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Judiciary Ranking Member John Conyers (D-MI) today released the following statement in response to President Trump’s declaration that our nation’s opioid crisis is a public health emergency:

“President Trump’s announcement today falls far short of the recommendations of his own commission, and is essentially meaningless because it does not provide any new funding to fight an epidemic that is killing 91 Americans every day. The opioid crisis continues to grow, cutting lives short, tearing families apart and leaving people in communities all around our nation with few places to turn as they struggle to find treatment.

“Despite his previous claims that the opioid crisis is a ‘national emergency,’ the President’s announcement today does not unleash the financial resources necessary to end this epidemic. Instead it simply allows the federal agencies to shift already limited resources away from other public health programs. This is not the way to fight an epidemic of this magnitude.”

Pallone Announces $13 Million in Grants to NJ to Combat the Opioid Epidemic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2017


Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services is awarding $12,995,621 in grants to the state of New Jersey to help combat the opioid epidemic. The funding comes from the 21st Century Cures Act, which Pallone played a leading role in advancing through the House of Representatives as the Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. President Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act into law in December. More than $485 million in grants were awarded nationwide to combat the epidemic.

“Opioid abuse affects everyone – people of every faith, every ethnicity, every sexual orientation, and every background,” said Pallone. “They are our friends, family, and neighbors. This funding will help our communities to strengthen our defenses against the opioid epidemic that has impacted so many of us. While this is an important step, the fight to combat the opioid epidemic is just beginning and more must be done. I will continue to fight for whatever funds are necessary to assist New Jersey families facing addiction.”

Funding will support a comprehensive array of prevention, treatment, and recovery services depending on the needs of recipients. In New Jersey, more than 184,000 individuals have been admitted to substance abuse treatment facilities for heroin or opioid abuse since 2010 and more than 5,000 have died from heroin-related deaths since 2004.

Pallone Announces $1.3 Million DOJ Grant to Fight Opioid Epidemic in NJ

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2016


Long Branch, NJ – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that the State of New Jersey has been awarded a $1,279,255 grant through the Department of Justice’s FY 2016 COPS Anti-Heroin Task Force Program (AHTF). AHTF is a competitive grant program designed to advance public safety by providing funds to investigate illicit activities related to the distribution of heroin or unlawful distribution of prescriptive opioids, or unlawful heroin and prescription opioid traffickers through statewide collaboration. The New York/New Jersey area is considered a High Intensity Drug Trafficking area by the Department of Justice.

“We need to have a comprehensive effort to fight the opioid epidemic,” said Pallone. “I am encouraged by our work in Congress to empower communities to confront this crisis, but we also need law enforcement in New Jersey to have the tools to take on drug trafficking and the abuse of prescription drugs. I know that this grant will be put to good use by law enforcement and look forward to its implementation.”

Congressman Pallone has been a leader in combatting the opioid epidemic in New Jersey and throughout the country and was presented an award this week from the Coalition to Stop Opioid Overdose for his “tireless work to stop the opioid misuse, addiction and overdose epidemic.” He led efforts to pass the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which incorporates proven public health approaches to fight against the heroin and prescription drug abuse crisis. Congressman Pallone has also introduced legislation that would commit $500 million annually to help individuals at all stages of crisis, specifically those suffering from prescription opioid and heroin dependence.

Pallone Champions Bipartisan Legislation to Address Opioid Epidemic at Treatment Center in Marlboro

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2016

Calls for Real Dollars to Combat Epidemic

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) visited New hope Treatment in Marlboro to discuss legislation to combat the opioid epidemic. Pallone, who led democratic efforts to pass the bill, toured the facility and discussed how provisions in the conference report that recently passed the House of Representatives and Senate will assist addiction treatment centers. The legislation includes important and proven programs to address prevention, treatment and recovery.

In New Jersey, more than 184,000 individuals have been admitted to substance abuse treatment facilities for heroin or opioid abuse since 2010 and more than 5,000 have died from heroin-related deaths since 2004.

“We have a responsibility to the individuals, families, and communities that are being shattered by opioid addiction to do everything within our power to combat the current crisis,” said Pallone. “While I would have liked to see more in terms of a real investment in our public health infrastructure to deal with the complexity of addiction, and in addiction treatment centers like New Hope, I believe that this opioid package takes us several steps forward.”

While the legislation is an important first step, the Congressman also called for funding to fight the epidemic and empowering states with the resources to provide adequate treatment. He has introduced legislation that would commit $500 million annually to help individuals at all stages of crisis, specifically those suffering from prescription opioid and heroin dependence.

New Hope is a treatment center that serves those impacted by substance abuse, providing a range of counseling and clinical services across seven residential, transitional and outpatient facilities throughout Central New Jersey.

Among the services available at the facility, New Hope provides medication-assisted treatment. Throughout debate on the legislation, Pallone advocated for an expansion in access to this evidence based strategy to combat addiction and the final legislation allows nurse practitioners and physician assistants to treat individuals with opioid use disorders with buprenorphine and authorizes grant programs to support states’ efforts to expand access to overdose-reversing drugs like naloxone and MAT programs within the criminal justice system. The legislation also takes an important step of reauthorizing the National All-Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act—known as NASPER—that has allowed states like New Jersey to track opioid prescriptions and prevent abuse and diversion.

The legislation clarifies that a doctor or patient may request that prescriptions for opioid painkillers be partially filled. This will reduce the number of unused pills in circulation, which will reduce the risk of misuse, diversion and overdose. Pallone discussed the importance of the partial pill legislation at Boyt Drugs in Metuchen in April.