Guest Voice: Guinta urges bipartisan support on heroin crisis funding

Congressman Frank Guinta (Courtesy photo)

WASHINGTON - On Friday, in a letter to House and Senate leaders, Congressman Frank Guinta, NH-01, requested that their respective Appropriations Committees fund the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) at a total of $500 million next year.

Guinta co-founded and chairs the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic, including over 80 Republican and Democrat members, and shepherded CARA through Congress. In March, he spoke at the National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in Atlanta at House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers' invitation. Rep. Rogers (KY-05) also supports $500 million for CARA, containing Rep. Guinta's measure to improve long-term recovery programs and others to improve addiction prevention, treatment and recovery.

"Now, more than ever, is the time to show the American people that Congress is committed to providing families and communities with necessary resources to respond to addiction and prevent further loss of life," writes Rep. Guinta to Representatives Rogers and Nita Lowey (NY-08), the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, and Senators Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD). "Only through a comprehensive response, which includes prevention, treatment, recovery support and law enforcement, can we reverse current trends and provide individuals and families impacted by addiction with the services they need."

Guinta worked closely with Addiction Policy Forum and national advocacy groups to urge passage of CARA, which includes his Good Samaritan Assessment Act, protecting first responders who administer emergency treatment from civil liability. The heroin problem is especially bad in New Hampshire, where the per capita rate of overdose deaths ranked third in the country in 2014.