SIGNED INTO LAW: Major Bipartisan Bill to Address Fentanyl Crisis Led by Senator Hassan

WASHINGTON – Following U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan’s advocacy, the bipartisan SUPPORT Act was signed into law by President Trump, expanding the federal response to the fentanyl crisis and allowing more training, equipment, and resources to flow to first responders as they support Americans battling addiction. Senator Hassan spearheaded passage of the legislation in the Senate, taking to the Senate floor and securing unanimous support.

“The SUPPORT Act is the foundation of our federal response to the devastating fentanyl crisis which continues to rip through communities in New Hampshire and across the country,” said Senator Hassan. “Now that this bipartisan legislation has become law, our first responders will have more equipment, our health care workers will have more resources, and Granite Staters who are struggling with addiction will know that more help is on the way. There is still work to be done to put an end to the opioid epidemic, and I will continue to work with my colleagues from both political parties to help put an end to this deadly scourge.”

Senator Hassan and her colleagues first passed the SUPPORT Act into law in 2018, with the legislation representing the foundation of the federal response to the fentanyl crisis, providing landmark investment in addiction prevention, treatment, recovery, and law enforcement efforts. The renewal and expansion of this legislation includes:

• Increased training and resources for first responders and other essential community members on how to use life-saving overdose reversal drugs, like naloxone, and how to connect people to treatment
• Significant funding for training and recruitment for health care workers who want to work in mental health, addiction medicine, and related fields, including measures to expand student loan repayment for health care workers who focus on addiction medicine and recovery in underserved areas
• Funding to provide residential treatment for pregnant and postpartum women who need addiction treatment
• Expansion of access to fentanyl and xylazine test strips, a critical tool to help lower overdose deaths
• Funding for community organizations that help people stay in recovery over the long term, as well as those that help connect people in recovery to jobs

Read coverage highlights HERE from WMUR on how Sen. Hassan spearheaded this landmark legislation and took to the Senate floor in September to garner the unanimous support of her Senate colleagues for it to head to the President’s desk.

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