• President Trump created a bipartisan opioid commission
that issued 56 recommendations to help defeat the
opioid crisis.
• In October 2017, President Trump directed The Department
of Health and Human Services to declare the opioid crisis a
public health emergency, allowing grant money to be used to
combat abuse.
• President Trump signed the International Narcotics
Trafficking Emergency Response by Detecting Incoming
Contraband with Technology (INTERDICT Act) that would
give customs agents $9 million for screening tools on
the border.
• In FY 2017, HHS invested nearly $900 million in opioid-
specific funding.
• President Trump successfully pressured China to close
dangerous loopholes that allowed Chines fentanyl
manufacturers to legally ship the compound worldwide,
much of which ended up in the US.
Under President Trump, The FDA has approved the largest number
of generic drugs in history.
• Generics increase competition in the marketplace and lower
the cost of prescription drugs for all Americans.
• In December 2018, year-end drug prices fell for the first time in
nearly 50 years.
SOCIAL PROGRAMS
President Trump and his Administration are fighting back against
drug addiction and opioid abuse.
President Trump declared a Nationwide Public Health Emergency to
address the opioid crisis.
• The President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) found
evidence that suggests that drug overdoses involving opioids
were underreported by as much as 24 percent.
• The Administration provided nearly $500 million to states
to prevent and treat opioid abuse. Another $500 million was
requested in the 2018 FY Budget.
In April, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
laid out a comprehensive five-point strategy to combat the opioid
abuse crisis.
The Department of Justice announced that fentanyl substances are a
drug class under the Controlled Substances Act. This meant anyone
who possesses, imports, distributes, or manufactures illicit fentanylrelated
substances would be subject to criminal prosecution like
other controlled substances.
• Anyone who possesses, imports, distributes, or manufactures
any illicit fentanyl-related substance will be subject to criminal
prosecution like other controlled substances.
26 The TRUMP RALLY Publication