Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., introduced legislation that would provide $100 billion to address the opioid crisis over 10 years, according to The Hill.
The Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act is modeled after the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, which supports federal investments in combating the AIDS epidemic while also empowering local officials.
"We can't defeat the opioid crisis with empty words and half measures," Ms. Warren said . "Our bill will funnel millions of dollars directly to the hardest-hit communities and give them the tools to fight back. Congress has acted before to root out an epidemic when it finally took action against HIV/AIDS — and Americans across the country are counting on us to do the same today."
The bill would dedicate $4 billion annually to states, territories and tribal governments, including $2 billion to the most highly-affected states. The National Institutes of Health would receive $1 billion annually while the CDC and regional tribal epidemiology centers would receive $400 million, and $500 million would be dedicated to expanding access to the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone.