U.S. SENATE —President Donald J. Trump today signed legislation to help combat the devastating opioid epidemic across Montana and the nation. Daines fought to ensure the now law also includes specific provisions that address the meth crisis in Montana.
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“Far too often we’re seeing stories of Montana tribes, families and communities being destroyed by meth and opioids. Enough is enough,” Daines said. “That is why I worked hard to get this bipartisan legislation across the finish line which will help give our communities the resources they need to curb this epidemic. I want to thank President Trump for signing this important bill into law and I look forward to working with our local and state law enforcement to help overcome this devastating reality.”
“Substance abuse destroys lives and shatters families. I welcome the help that this legislation will bring to our communities, and I am grateful to Sen. Daines for his support in our efforts to help Montanans struggling with addiction,” Montana Attorney General Tim Fox said.
Daines’ Efforts to Combat the Drug Epidemic:
Earlier this month, Daines also met with James Carroll, the nominee to head the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), to discuss the importance of ending the drug epidemic in Montana. At the meeting, Daines hand delivered a letter to Carroll inviting him to Montana. Carroll is currently the Acting Director for ONDCP.
In September, Daines took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to urge his colleagues to support the measure and to highlight the drastic impacts meth and opioids have in Montana.
Daines fought to include multiple provisions in the new law that will help combat the meth and opioid crisis in Montana including:
- The bipartisan Mitigating METH Act, introduced by Daines, which expands the state targeted response to the opioid crisis grants to include Indian tribes as eligible recipients.
- The bipartisan STOP Act which helps stop illegal drugs from coming in at the border or being shipped through the postal service.
Daines also fought to reauthorize key meth prevention and enforcement including:
- Reauthorization of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA)
- Reauthorization of the Drug Court program
- Codifying the COPS Anti-Meth Program
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