National League of Cities Commends Congress for Passing Legislation to Address Opioid Crisis

October 3, 2018 - (2 min read)

In response to the passage of H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, which addresses our nation’s Opioid Crisis,  the National League of Cities (NLC) President Mark Stodola, mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas made the following statement:

“The National League of Cities (NLC) is pleased that the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6) provides a comprehensive approach to addressing the opioid crisis. It demonstrates how much Congress can get done when they work together in a bipartisan effort. This year, Congress considered more than 70 bills aimed at improving the way our nation tackles this dreadful epidemic. However, NLC is concerned that while Congress has provided a considerable amount of Federal dollars toward the opioid crisis, money is still not getting down to fund local prevention, treatment and recovery programs.

“City leaders throughout the nation – both urban and rural – are dealing with the tragic effects of the epidemic of heroin and prescription opioid abuse. Local governments have been aggressively developing policies and programs to address substance abuse disorders in their communities, but many lack the necessary resources to mount a comprehensive response to the opioid and heroin epidemic. Efforts to reduce the number of opioid and heroin overdoses in our cities require a strong partnership between local, state and federal health and law enforcement programs. That is why NLC believes more needs to be done to ensure that the good work Congress has done truly supports local government efforts for substance use prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery services.”

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On Wednesday, October 10, 2018, at the U.S. Senate, the National League of Cities will host a special event with mayors from across the country to discuss their on-the-ground prevention, treatment, and recovery solutions, as well as their thoughts on how the federal government can play an active role. The session will feature Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, Gary, Indiana, and First Vice President, National League of Cities, Mayor Madeline Rogero, Knoxville, Tennessee, and Mayor Steve Williams, Huntington, West Virginia. For more information about the event go to https://www.nlc.org/event/cities-and-the-opioid-crisis-briefing-a-mayors-perspective.

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The National League of Cities (NLC) is the voice of America’s cities, towns and villages, representing more than 200 million people across the country. NLC works to strengthen local leadership, influence federal policy and drive innovative solutions. Stay connected with NLC on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.