On Tuesday, January 9, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) held a press conference indicating that the Democrats are seeking $25 billion more in opioid funding to be spread across the current fiscal year and the 2019 fiscal year. This year’s budget includes a $500 million increase because of legislation enacted at the end of the last Congress.

At the same time, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) indicated that he too would push for more funding releasing a statement last week that said, “in upstate New York, overdose deaths skyrocketed by 23 percent last year, with a total of 1,392 opioid overdose deaths in 2016. …it is the time to push for increased federal funding to better support the federal agencies that are fighting on the front lines of this crisis…” Earlier this month he also highlighted the significant increases in the New York City borough of Staten Island.