Sessions Applauds House-Senate Conference Report on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX), chairman of the House Rules Committee, today issued the following statement after voting in favor of a conference report to authorize the Attorney General to award grants to address the national epidemics of prescription opioid abuse and heroin use:

“Since 2000, the rate of deaths resulting from drug overdoses has increased 137 percent, including a 200 percent increase in deaths related to opioid overdose. It is clear that this epidemic is spinning out of control and we must vigilantly work to get a hold on this devastating problem.

“I applaud my colleagues in the House Energy and Commerce and Judiciary Committees, under the leadership of Chairmen Fred Upton and Bob Goodlatte, for their commitment to responsibly and effectively addressing this growing problem. This agreement is the culmination of weeks of hard work, dozens of thoughts and ideas from members on both sides of the aisle, and input and feedback from more than 200 advocacy groups who face the harsh realities of this issue day in and day out. I proudly supported this measure and I hope that my colleagues across the aisle put politics aside and work with us to stop the devastation of this epidemic.”

For more information on Conference Report to Accompany S. 524, Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, click here.

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