A bill led by Rep. Randy Feenstra and Sen. Chuck Grassley that aims to tackle the opioid problems in rural America was signed into law yesterday (Tuesday) by President Joe Biden. The bipartisan Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act will provide funding and resources to communities hard hit by the drug epidemic. Feenstra, who introduced the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives with Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania, says opioid misuse has been a growing problem for over a decade.
More than 100,000 U.S. deaths in 2021 were attributed to drug overdoses, but Feenstra is optimistic the bill will bring those figures down.
Grassley led the legislation through the U.S. Senate with Sen. John Ossoff of Georgia. Grassley says, “[Tuesday’s] signing of the Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act is a critical step forward in our ongoing effort to curb the opioid crisis. The new law will help communities in Iowa and across the country handle any surge in opioid overdoses and prevent more Americans from falling victim to addictions.” Feenstra says it was exciting to have two Iowa legislators play a central role in legislation so crucial to states like Iowa.
The National Rural Health Association, the Small & Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association, and others also backed the bipartisan Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act. The entire bill’s text is included below.
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https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2796/text
