Congress Unites for Congress Goes Purple Honoring National Recovery Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Hannah Muldavin: Hannah.Muldavin@mail.house.gov
Congress Unites for Congress Goes Purple Honoring National Recovery Month
Rep. Trone and Colleagues Introduce Resolution for National Recovery Month
Washington, DC – Today, Members of Congress came together for the inaugural Congress Goes Purple in order to honor and recognize National Recovery Month. Led by Freshmen Working Group on Addiction members Reps. David Trone (D-MD) and Denver Riggleman (R-VA) and Bipartisan Opioid Task Force co-chairs Reps. Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Members wore purple in order to increase awareness about mental and substance use disorders and celebrate Americans in recovery.
“Those among us who are struggling with mental health concerns or substance use disorder need to know that there is no shame in seeking help,” said Rep. David Trone, founder of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction. “I am proud to stand up in the House of Representatives today wearing purple in order to recognize the importance of National Recovery Month. These disorders don’t discriminate, and neither should we in helping people find the path back.”
Rep. Trone also introduced a resolution supporting the designation of September 2019 as “National Recovery Month” along with Reps. Cynthia Axne (IA-03), Raul Grijalva (AZ-03), Alcee Hasting (FL-20), Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Stacey Plaskett (Virgin Islands), Greg Stanton (AZ-09), and Lori Trahan (MA-03). You can read the resolution here.
Congress Goes Purple was inspired by grassroots and local efforts focused on bringing awareness to the addiction epidemic that is ravaging our nation. Purple is the color associated with National Recovery Month and recovery in general. Communities across the country have started their own “Go Purple” campaigns.
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. Thus far, the group has visited Johns Hopkins Medical facilities to see the latest research on addiction, introduced legislation to combat the spread of the epidemic, and promoted practices and policies to tackle the crisis from every angle. In June, Trone wrote about the progress the group has made within Congress, acknowledging the long way we still have to go to stop the spread of addiction.
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