You made this possible ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Friend, I’m relieved to share some good news: Congress has passed its annual spending package, securing lifesaving Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) funding for overdose prevention and addiction treatment—funding that we fought hard for. This was critically important given the massive cuts to Medicaid, addiction, and overdose prevention services last year. Our communities couldn’t afford more cuts to the care we all need—and we wouldn’t allow it. Now, the bill goes to President Trump to be signed into law.

This package funds agencies like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which lead our national response to addiction and overdose. While this doesn’t replace the federal funding that was cut last year, this funding is critical for supporting naloxone access, treatment beds, fentanyl test strips, and other lifesaving health services nationwide.

This was only possible thanks to supporters like you. For months, we’ve been urging Congress to keep this essential funding intact to help reduce the harm that has already been caused by the Trump administration’s attacks on these agencies. It doesn’t make up for the hundreds of millions the administration cut last year from addiction and overdose prevention services and $1 trillion cut from Medicaid—the largest source of addiction treatment in the U.S. But the administration wanted to slash even more, so we fought back and convinced Congress to hold the line.

And we showed that we can protect the safety of our loved ones along with the services our communities need. Congress was originally set to pass a spending bill that made fully-funded addiction treatment and overdose prevention programs dependent on funding increases for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The horrific killing of two U.S. citizens during ICE raids in Minneapolis, together with at least 6 deaths in ICE detention this year alone, underscored the need to scrutinize this funding. We demanded accountability to protect the safety of citizens and non-citizens alike. That’s why we urged Congress to move forward with addiction treatment and health funding separate from immigration enforcement.

Congress listened. They passed the LHHS bill and are renegotiating FY26 funding and additional reforms for ICE and CBP. This compromise still led to a short-term funding bill for immigration enforcement while they hash out details of the final bill, but it marks a rare, but much-needed, instance of bipartisanship where lawmakers are questioning the administration’s previously unchecked immigration enforcement that has led to unnecessary death and violence.

While there is more work to do, this moment shows our voices matter when it comes to the health and safety of our communities.

Americans want health and safety: good-paying jobs, accessible housing, and affordable healthcare. Yet the Trump administration continues to prioritize public displays of force over the care our communities need. Just last year, they made catastrophic cuts to treatment services, job programs, housing supports, and safety initiatives. Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” jeopardized millions of Americans’ access to food assistance and stripped $1 trillion from Medicaid—all in order to increase funding for immigration enforcement by $170 billion and fund tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. And we are seeing the results: higher health insurance rates and people getting kicked off plans, treatment clinics reducing hours or closing, addiction hotlines shuttering, high housing costs, and so many finding it hard to find jobs.

Together, we will continue making progress toward securing the services that every American needs to thrive. We pressured the Trump administration to reverse $2 billion in cuts to mental health, recovery, and overdose prevention grants earlier this year. We successfully urged Congress to pass this LHHS funding for addiction treatment and health services in the federal budget. And we will remain vigilant against future attempts to undermine care and put the safety of our neighbors at risk.

Thank you for your support.

With hope,
Maritza Perez Medina
Director of Federal Affairs
Drug Policy Alliance

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