Issue Position: Prioritizing Public Health

Issue Position

Our country is confronting one of the largest public health threats since the onset of the AIDS epidemic. What's causing this massive public health crisis? Opioids--a class of drug that includes prescription painkillers and heroin. The opioid epidemic now claims more lives every year than car accidents or gun violence--nationwide, over 29,000 people died from opioid or heroin overdoses in 2014 alone.

The Second Congressional District is home to some exceptional local leaders in the fight against this epidemic. The Shakopee Police Department and the Scott County Board have rolled out programs that focus on rehabilitation and recovery rather than punishment and incarceration. Whether it's a new drug court program, treatment center, lifesaving medication for first responders or critical new research, all these efforts have something in common: they require resources and funding. That's how our leaders in Washington can and should help.

When I'm elected to Congress, I will work to expand the funding allocated in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). This bipartisan bill allows the federal government to provide states with grants to fund a variety of programs aimed at curbing prescription opioid and heroin abuse. Democrats and Republicans came together to authorize good, meaningful initiatives. But funding fell short.

In failing to provide the funding that matches the scale of this crisis, our leaders in Congress have let down the millions of American families struggling with addiction. We should do everything we can to strengthen our public health infrastructure and support the local leaders fighting to break cycles of addiction. In Congress, that's exactly what I'll do.

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