US Rep. Tim Ryan praises colleagues in war against opiod and heroin addiction

YOUNGSTOWN — U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan praised his House of Representatives colleagues for approving a bipartisan package of bills to help in the fight against opioid and heroin addiction, and urged them to provide funding to implement the programs.

“This is a serious problem in Ohio and part of a national epidemic,” Ryan said today with the House approving 18 bills on opioid treatment, addiction and prevention on Wednesday and today. “We’ve got to make sure the money is there.”

The White House wanted the House to include $1.1 billion to fund the various programs, and Democrats offered an amendment Wednesday to provide $600 million.

But the Republican-led House decided the amount of money will be determined during the appropriations process to fund federal agencies.

“The money has to be there,” Ryan said. “This is the programming side. The money will come through the appropriations process.”

The House passed its own series of bills rather than consider the Senate’s Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, sponsored by U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, a Republican from the Cincinnati area. The Senate approved that bill 94-1 in March.

A conference committee consisting of House and Senate members will iron out the differences, Ryan said.