Contact: Aaron White
Phone: 202-225-5506
Aaron.White@mail.house.gov

Bipartisan PROPER Act passed unanimously through House, moves to Senate

La Crosse – Last night, the bipartisan PROPER Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, unanimously passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives. Once signed into law, the PROPER Act will help in combatting the growing opioid and drug crisis in Wisconsin by providingMedicare beneficiaries more information about the risks associated with opioid medication, expanding coverage of alternative pain management treatment, and promoting proper disposal of opioid medications. The bill was coauthored by Rep. Erik Paulsen of Minnesota.

“As a former prosecutor in Wisconsin, I know the grip that the opioid and drug crisis has had on our state. I also know that solving this problem will require all of us to come together to break the cycle of addiction in our communities.” said Rep. Ron Kind. “I am proud that this bill passed the House, so we can take another step forward in helping our communities heal.”

The PROPER Act was included as part of Rep. Kind’s comprehensive Drug Epidemic Action Plan, which was collaboratively created after a series of listening sessions with Wisconsin law enforcement officials, community health centers, medical professionals, drug treatment officials, and families of those suffering from addiction.

Over 64,000 people in the United States died from drug-related overdoses in 2016 – 42,000 from opioids alone. In Wisconsin, emergency room visits for opioid overdoses more than doubled over the course of a year.

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