Ossoff-sponsored bipartisan opioid prevention bill headed to president’s desk

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s bipartisan bill to prevent and treat opioid addiction is on its way to becoming law.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed Ossoff’s bipartisan Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act Wednesday to help rural communities experiencing a high level of opioid overdoses respond to the crisis.

Sens. Ossoff and Chuck Grassley’s, R-Iowa, bill passed the Senate last December.

The bipartisan bill will surge federal dollars to provide rural communities with the support they need to combat the epidemic and prevent addiction.

“Like so many Georgians, I’ve lost friends to the opioid epidemic,” Ossoff said. “My bipartisan bill with Sen. Grassley will fund efforts to prevent and treat addiction and save lives. I am bringing Republicans and Democrats together to address the opioid crisis.”

“Today’s passage of the Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act is a critical step forward in our ongoing effort to curb the opioid crisis,” Grassley added. “Our bill will help communities in Iowa and across the country prevent and handle any surge in opioid overdoses. I urge President Biden to sign this bipartisan legislation into law quickly to help prevent cases of opioid overdose and addiction.”

The bipartisan bill will identify current gaps in prevention, treatment, and recovery services for those who interact with the criminal justice system in rural areas and establish new efforts to address the opioid crisis in that community.

Congressmen Conor Lamb, D-Pa., and Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, introduced companion bipartisan legislation in the House of Representatives last year.

“The opioid epidemic has affected every community across the country, including western Pennsylvania,” Lamb said. “This crisis has been especially devastating in rural areas. This commonsense legislation will enable rural communities to implement evidence-based solutions and promising practices that utilize the unique assets of their communities to help combat this issue.”

“I am proud that the Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act — which I introduced with my colleague Conor Lamb — passed the House and will soon be signed into law,” Feenstra said. “This important, bipartisan bill will help the most vulnerable in our rural communities recover from addiction and provide our first responders with the support they need to save lives. In 2021 alone, nearly 100,000 Americans died from a drug overdose. That is unacceptable, and I’m encouraged that this legislation will help prevent opioid abuse and overdoses in rural America and nationwide.”

Leading national health and law enforcement agencies praised the bill.

“The National Rural Health Association is proud to support the Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act introduced by Sen. Ossoff and Sen. Grassley,” Alan Morgan, CEO of the organization, said. “This legislation will help rural communities across the nation receive grant funding to reduce opioid deaths by formalizing the Department of Justice Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic Initiative. As the opioid epidemic continues to worsen, it is critical that the federal government continues to invest in successful programs that help save lives, particularly in rural areas.”

“A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing) fully supports the Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act,” officials with the organization wrote. “It is critical that we support rural communities in addressing opioid overdoses, especially during the pandemic. Too many people are at high risk of overdose, and there are concerning gaps in treatment and recovery services, especially for people with substance use disorders who become entangled in the criminal justice system.”

“From housing to transportation and employment training, there is a significant gap in recovery support services in rural communities,” Patty McCarthy, chief executive officer of Faces & Voices of Recovery, said. “Yet, there are also strong assets in rural America for local leaders to tap in building these supports. We urge Congress to enact the Rural Area Opioid Prevention Program Act to sustain the vital efforts to reduce overdose in high-risk rural areas and create opportunities for more individuals and families to achieve long-term recovery from addiction.”