April 8, 2023
Dear Friends,
It has long been one of my top priorities in Congress to improve access to healthcare here in our Capital Region and nationwide. Particularly for the most vulnerable Americans, like those struggling with addiction or those suffering from rare diseases, access to quality, affordable care can mean the difference between life and death. That’s why in recent weeks, I’ve worked alongside colleagues from both sides of the aisle to advance legislation that will bolster access to addiction care, support families affected by Alzheimer’s disease, and help find cures for rare and ultra-rare diseases.
Expanding access to addiction treatment
Families and communities in our district and beyond continue to grapple with the shattering impact of the opioid overdose crisis. I’m proud of the major success in my yearslong effort to combat this epidemic with the passage of my Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act. Signed into law by President Biden in December, this bill eliminates outdated requirements that prevented practitioners from prescribing proven addiction treatments like buprenorphine. But we still have more work to do to protect the most vulnerable.
Due to reduced tolerance for opioids and a lack of effective treatment options in prisons and jails, individuals returning home from incarceration face an exponentially greater risk of overdose. In fact, a recent study shows that former inmates are 129 times more likely to die of a drug overdose in the first two weeks after their release than the general population.
With this alarming data in mind, I teamed up last week with a bipartisan group of legislators to introduce the Reentry Act, a bill that empowers states to restore access to Medicaid benefits for incarcerated individuals up to 30 days prior to their release. By allowing inmates to receive addiction treatment and other services before returning home, this legislation will bring targeted treatment to those at the highest risk of overdose. Supported by more than 60 organizations from law enforcement to addiction advocates and religious groups, the consensus is clear that this bill will save lives, lower medical costs, and reduce recidivism.
Supporting patients and families affected by Alzheimer’s
For the millions of families impacted by the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s, easy access to quality care is critical. But for too many of these families, the cost of treatment and the challenges of caregiving place an added burden on patients and their loved ones. My bipartisan Comprehensive Care for Alzheimer’s Act takes meaningful action to expand and improve access for countless patients.
This legislation will create a new model of care management that reduces hospitalizations and emergency department visits and delays nursing home placement, thereby improving quality of life for patients and their families. By providing comprehensive care management services through Medicare and eliminating cost-sharing for patients, my bill will provide caregivers with the support and tools they need to care for their loved ones, while also making this critical care more affordable. I’m proud to advance this powerful, compassionate legislation, and I will always continue pushing in Congress to better the lives of those living with Alzheimer’s.
Bringing hope to Americans with rare diseases
Earlier this year, I was thrilled to stand alongside families and advocates from the rare disease community to celebrate the signing of my bipartisan Helping Experts Accelerate Rare Treatments (HEART) Act into law. Inspired by the tireless efforts of constituents like Melissa Goetz, whose daughter is living with a rare genetic condition, this bill amplifies the voices of those living with a rare disease by directly involving doctors and families in the FDA’s treatment review process, all while accelerating the development and deployment of treatments for these conditions.
But my work to bring hope and treatment options to these patients and their families is far from complete. That’s why this week, I led a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce a resolution to recognize the first annual Barth Syndrome Awareness Day to raise awareness of this ultra-rare, life-threatening genetic disease. I’m thankful to my constituents who have shared their own experiences with this condition, and I’ll keep working to make certain that Congress meets the needs of those living with rare diseases.
Throughout my time in Congress, I’ve worked to advance legislation that improves health outcomes for all Americans, particularly the most vulnerable. With these bipartisan bills, I’m confident that we will continue to bolster access to care here in our region and across the nation.
As always, thank you for reading. And to those celebrating the spring holidays this week, I wish you all a joyous Passover and a blessed and peaceful Easter!
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from federal agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is now accepting applications for $1 billion in grants available under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act.
- Recipients may use REAP funds to install renewable energy systems or to make energy-efficiency improvements.
- Eligible applicants include rural small businesses and agricultural producers.
- USDA is particularly interested in REAP projects that help rural communities through increased market opportunities and improved infrastructure, reduce pollution and increase climate resilience, and invest in underserved communities.
- This program is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are underserved and overburdened by pollution.
- To ensure that small projects have a fair opportunity to compete, USDA will set aside at least 20% of available funds until June 30 of each year for grant requests of $20,000 or less.
- For more information including cost-sharing requirements and maximum grant awards, click HERE.
