Cornyn Statement on Administration Announcement of New Funding for Texas to Combat Opioid Addiction    

AUSTIN – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement in response to the announcement from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that more than $27 million in new grant funding will go to Texas to fight opioid addiction: 

“Families across Texas have had their lives destroyed by opioid addiction, an epidemic that millions in our country continue to grapple with.  This much-needed funding will help Texas tackle the problem head-on through additional prevention, treatment, and recovery services.   While this is a critical step towards ending the opioid epidemic, we must continue working to find solutions that reduce the demand for illegal narcotics in America.”  

Sen. Cornyn cosponsored the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act which authorized this funding for federal grants to states for the specific use of combating opioid addiction.  The funding was provided by the 21st Century Cures Act, which passed the Senate with Sen. Cornyn’s support and was signed into law in December 2016.   Texas will receive $27,362,357 to support prevention, treatment, and recovery services.  The Department of Health and Human Services has prioritized five specific strategies: strengthening public health surveillance, advancing the practice of pain management, improving access to treatment and recovery services, targeting availability and distribution of overdose-reversing drugs, and supporting cutting-edge research. 

Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, is a member of the Senate Finance, Intelligence, and Judiciary Committees.