Credit: MDVM, Roshan Davis

WASHINGTON (WDVM) — On President Biden’s first full day in office, Maryland Congressman David Trone introduced two new bipartisan bills.

The bills — titled the “Preventing Mental Health and Substance Use Crises During Emergencies Act” and the “Family Support Services for Addiction Act” — center around mental health and addiction reform, two issues the congressman has been very vocal about in the past. The bills were introduced with Congressman Steve Womack (R-AR) and Congressman Dan Meuser (R-PA), respectively.

“We have vaccines for COVID, but we will never have a vaccine to cure the mental health and addiction epidemics that have been exacerbated by this pandemic,” said Rep. Trone.

This isn’t the first time Rep. Trone has attempted to get a bill of this nature through. Last year, an opioid response bill introduced by Rep. Trone passed the House unanimously. But the bill was unable to find its way to the Senate floor due to Senator Mitch McConnell. With the new administration the Congress is operating under, Rep. Trone is much more confident.

“President Biden really stressed the importance of unity, trying to get our country back together again, where we work across party lines,” said Rep Trone.

These bills hit close to home for the congressman, who lost his own nephew due to fentanyl.