Sens. Blumenthal and Murphy slam Trump opioid declaration as inefficient

U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy of Connecticut panned President Donald Trump”™s declaration of the opioid crisis as a public health emergency, claiming the action was not being backed with the financial resources needed to address the problem.

In a statement released by his office, Blumenthal said that the presidential declaration “includes no new funding ”“ merely frees up less than $57,000 in public health emergency funding ”“ diverts staff and resources from managing other vital public health initiatives, and will expire in 90 days without guaranteed renewal.” He added that Trump”™s acknowledgment of the crisis was too lethargic and his actions were contributing to the expansion of the crisis.

“Families in Connecticut suffering from the opioid epidemic deserve better than half measures and empty rhetoric offered seemingly as an afterthought,” Blumenthal said. “An emergency of this magnitude must be met with sustained, robust funding and comprehensive treatment programs. The administration”™s proposal falls drastically short of what American communities desperately need. In the three months since the president called for an emergency declaration, hundreds of thousands have suffered the ravages of the opioid crisis. How many more Americans will die before President Trump takes the bold steps this crisis demands?”

Murphy also denounced Capitol Hill Republicans for pushing a federal budget that fails to fund efforts to combat the crisis. “A true commitment to confront this crisis head on will require more funding for local communities, and more resources for families and individuals coping with opioid addiction,” he said, adding that the presidential declaration was “a total hollow promise when the administration is spending its time trying to gut the services that help those struggling with addiction.”

Murphy”™s office also released data from Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner Dr. James Gill, who reported 539 accidental drug overdose deaths in Connecticut over the first half of the year, including 322 deaths involving fentanyl. The senator added that Connecticut could see a projected 1,078 overdose deaths this year if the current rate continues, an increase from the 917 deaths last year.