Credit: WDVM, Katie Rhee

WASHINGTON (WDVM) — Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle came together to shed light on a very important issue that has swept the nation.

Congress celebrated “Congress Goes Purple” to recognize National Recovery Month.

Members from the Freshman Working Group on Addiction, founded by Congressman David Trone, led the day to increase awareness for mental health and substance use disorders and to encourage people who are in need of treatment to look into options for recovery.

Members from the Bipartisan Opioid Task Force and the co-chairs and vice co-chairs of the Congressional Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus voiced their support by wearing purple in a celebration video.

Representatives Denver Riggleman (R-VA), Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Tim Ryan (D-OH), and James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Paul Tonko (D-NY) and Dave Joyce (R-OH), and U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) all shared uplifting messages and their personal reasons for supporting National Recovery Month.

This is the second year that Congress has held Congress Goes Purple day of action with this year’s theme focusing on the challenges that people in recovery are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The group of legislators is partnering with The Faces and Voices of Recovery to highlight awareness and resources for those in recovery during National Recovery Month.

Congressman Trone has been a champion of helping those affected by addiction as he lost his nephew, Ian, to an overdose in 2016.