FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hannah Muldavin, Hannah.Muldavin@mail.house.gov

U.S. Congressman David Trone Appointed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking

WASHINGTON – Today, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi named U.S. Congressman David Trone (MD-06) to the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking. She also appointed Admiral James Winnefeld to the Commission.

The Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking was established by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020 and is tasked with developing a strategic approach to combating the flow of synthetic opioids into the United States.

“I came to Congress to end the opioid crisis, which kills 184 people every day and took the life of my nephew Ian Trone in 2016,” said Congressman Trone. “Our efforts in the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction to elevate and advocate for policy solutions has been a truly bipartisan effort from folks across the country who have been affected by this crisis. I look forward to making progress on this commission to block trafficking of synthetic opioids into the United States from hotspots like Mexico and China. I am grateful for the trust Speaker Nancy Pelosi has placed in me.”

“The opioid epidemic is a staggering public health crisis that is tearing families apart in communities across the country, regardless of age, race, gender or socio-economic condition,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “It is my great privilege to name two outstanding public servants, Congressman David Trone and Admiral James Winnefeld, to the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking.”

“Congressman David Trone is an outstanding Freshman Member who has helped deliver extraordinary progress for the people of Maryland,” continued Speaker Pelosi. “As founder of the Freshman Working Group on Addiction, Congressman Trone has been a proven champion in the Congress to shine a bright light on the growing opioid epidemic and to develop smart, forward-looking solutions to get families the prevention, treatment and recovery resources they need.  He will be an invaluable addition to the Commission and ensure that the values and priorities of House Democrats are heard at the decision-making table.”

You can see Speaker Pelosi’s release here.

Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland. In Congress, he founded the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction, a bipartisan group of 64 freshmen lawmakers dedicated to ending the addiction epidemic in the country. Trone has held multiple workshops about the crisis in Maryland and in December announced that his bill, which would provide $1.5 billion for five years to State Opioid Response Grants, passed through the House of Representatives.

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