Warren, Murray Question President Trump on Implementing White House Opioid Commission Recommendations
Commission Issued 56 Recommendations Over Five Months Ago
Washington, DC - United States Senator Elizabeth Warren
(D-Mass.) and Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) today sent a letter
to President Donald Trump pressing him on his implementation of the 56
recommendations issued by his Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the
Opioid Crisis.
President Trump established the Commission on March 29, 2017 to "study
ways to combat and treat the scourge of drug abuse, addiction, and the opioid
crisis." After soliciting input from Governors, Members of Congress,
nonprofit organizations, medical professionals, treatment providers,
individuals and families impacted by the opioid crisis, and other members of
the public, the Commission published its list of final recommendations on
November 1, 2017.
"Over five months have passed since the Commission issued its final
recommendations," wrote the senators. "We are concerned, however, by
reports that in spite of the opioid epidemic's devastating impact on American
communities, your Administration has failed to act aggressively to combat
it."
The president declared the opioid epidemic a national public health emergency
on October 26, 2017, but there has been little evidence that his Administration
has taken advantage of the executive branch authorities and resources provided
by this designation. In recent months, President Trump proposed slashing
the Office of National Drug Policy (ONDCP) budget by $340 million, nominated an
ONDCP Director with no experience in public health or addiction policy, and has
reportedly relied on aides with limited public health expertise to coordinate
the White House's opioid response. Meanwhile, the critical position of Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator remains empty.
The Commission identified areas for action by federal agencies and the White
House-sometimes working with Congress-in a multi-pronged Administration effort
to coordinate federal responses to the epidemic, expand funding for affected
communities, increase access to substance use disorder treatment, and reduce
opioid misuse. Senators Warren and Murray requested information on the
Administration's progress in implementing the Commission's recommendations and
the efforts to coordinate the opioid response across the federal government by
April 23, 2018.
Senators Warren and Murray have also requested
that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) review actions by the Trump
Administration to address the opioid epidemic since President Trump declared a
public health emergency in October 2017. The GAO has accepted their request.
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