A Florida congressman is backing a proposal to reform how the federal government reviews its efforts against illegal drugs.
This week, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., helped bring out the “Effective Drug Control Strategy Act” which would make the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) “evaluate the efficacy of federal-funded initiatives aimed at reducing demand for illicit substances, and publish information online on these initiatives in a central location that would permit watch dogs, the press, and the public at large to hold the government accountable for addressing the opioid crisis.” Currently, this type of monitoring is not included in federal statutes.
Introduced by U.S. Rep. Harley Rouda, D-Calfi., the bill has several cosponsors including Bilirakis and U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-NY.
Bilirakis weighed in on Thursday as to why he was backing Rouda’s proposal.
“I am proud of the ongoing work we are doing to combat the addiction crisis that has impacted millions of families across our nation, and many within my local community,” Bilirakis said. “In addition to passing landmark, comprehensive legislation to tackle this complex problem, we allocated record levels of funding to help communities meet the needs of those who are struggling.
“In total, Congress has allocated over $10.7 billion to address opioid addiction since 2018,” he added. “And, we are finally seeing results. It is now being reported that overdose deaths are likely to fall for the first time since 1990, which is great news. However, we still have work to do, which is why I am proud to join my colleagues in co-authoring legislation which will implement one of the findings from the Bipartisan Presidential Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis. Specifically, our new legislation will implement a tracking system for the dollars that have and continue to be allocated for this important cause in order to ensure that the funds are being used effectively. This is just good common sense as we strive to be good stewards of tax dollars, and the added accountability is one way that we can make sure resources end up in the hands of those who need them most.”
“This year, as many as three times as many Americans could die from a drug overdose as they did before the great recession: Americans will lose close to 70,000 friends and loved ones this year because of the crisis, and no community is unaffected,” Rouda said. “Yet, the federal government doesn’t properly monitor or evaluate the programs aimed at curbing substance abuse. I am proud to lead this small but significant step with my friends on both sides of the aisle, and urge my colleagues to join us in taking action to combat the addiction crisis.”
The bill was sent to the U.S. House Oversight and Reform and the Energy and Commerce Committees on Thursday. So far, there is no companion bill in the U.S. Senate.
