I’ve spent my entire life fighting for working families, eighteen of those years spent in a pair of work boots as an Ironworker. And I’m proud to say that when I was elected to Congress, I never left my working class values behind. I know that families in our district are struggling. People tell me every day that they are working more, and receiving less. Wages are stagnant, costs are rising and Covid-19 has revealed to many what we already knew – people are just barely hanging on.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, every 20 minutes another American loses their life due to an opioid overdose. Since his first days in public office, Stephen has worked to strengthen treatment, prevention and recovery efforts to help save lives and restore dignity for those who suffer from addiction. He was instramental in establishing the state’s first recovery home for teenagers when he was a member of the MA State Senate.
In Congress, Stephen is one of the original founders of the bi-partisan Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse, which was first initiated in 2010. The caucus is intended to raise awareness on the federal level of drug abuse and to design policy strategies for prevention, treatment, and research. Collaborative efforts combining education, treatment, drug courts and promoting partnerships at the local, state and and federal levels have helped communities in Massachusetts to deal with issues around opioid abuse. Much more work needs to be done to halt the devastating cycle of substance abuse and to help families across our state.
Members of the caucus have worked to secure critical funding and to improve federal policies. Working with the caucus co-chair, Stephen worked aggressively to ban the powerful painkiller Zohydro EF until the drug was made available in an abuse deterrent form. He also worked to address issues ranging from neonatal abstinence syndrome, to high rates of substance abuse among military veterans, to ensuring access to the overdose reversal medication, naloxone.
Stephen co-sponsored the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, the most ambitious legislation ever introduced in Congress to confront the opioid and substance abuse epidemic. The legislation would support first responders, public health departments, and communities on the front lines of the crisis to ensure that they have the resources they need to provide treatment, prevention and recovery services.
As your Congressman, he will continue to advocate for services for those suffering from addiction and ensure they have the tools to lead productive lives free from dependency.