Civic Register
| 11.16.17

What They’re Saying: Trump’s Opioid Emergency Declaration

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On Thursday afternoon, President Donald Trump declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency.

Surrounded by the families of Americans touched by the epidemic, Trump said:

"We cannot allow this to continue. It is time to liberate our communities from this scourge of drug addiction. We can be the generation that ends the opioid epidemic."

While many welcomed the president bringing focus to the problem, others questioned what the declaration would accomplish, as Trump declined to declare a broader national emergency and didn’t ask Congress to fund any expansion in treatment or insurance coverage for those struggling with addiction.

Here’s what they’re saying about Trump’s opioid emergency declaration:

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), tweeted:

Alaska Gov. Bill Walker (I) was one of five state governors who joined Trump at the White House for the announcement. Opioid-related deaths in Alaska have quadrupled in the past six years, and earlier this year, Walker issued a disaster declaration in response to the state’s opioid epidemic.

In a statement, Walker said:

"I welcome this announcement by President Trump and thank his administration for taking this important action. The opioid and heroin epidemic has destroyed too many lives, and torn apart families and communities…Building a Safer Alaska is one of my top priorities."

Walker also tweeted his support:

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) echoed the governor’s statement in a series of tweets:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) tweeted that POTUS "will help our country take another step forward in combating the #opioidepidemic by recognizing it as the emergency it is." But he followed up with a tweet saying that:

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) summarized the criticism of Trump’s declaration with her tweet that "Words are not enough."

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) told NPR’s Here and & Now that she thinks "declaring an emergency is important, but it is not going to make much difference if we don't actually put resources towards this public health crisis… [I hope] the administration realizes there is not an easy fix to this. It is complex, and there's many different parts to it."

New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan – whose state Trump once called a "drug-infested den" – was at the White House for the announcement. Following the declaration, Hassan tweeted:

Hassan followed up with a tweet of her full statement, which included "steps @POTUS can take immediately to put his words into action."

On Friday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked about putting words into action. Questioned by a reporter on how much money the president would like Congress to devote to the problem, she responded:

"We do feel like that $45 billion would have been a good number," Sanders said, referring to the amount earmarked to fight opioid abuse in one of the “Obamacare” replacement bills.

What do you have to say?

Is Trump’s declaration "bold national leadership"? Or are “words not enough”? Does the president need to ask Congress for funds to combat the opioid epidemic? Hit Take Action, tell your reps, then tell us what you have to say below.

— Josh Herman

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(Photo Credit: Moussa81 / iStockphoto)