U.S. Senator Katie Britt: Everyone Has a Role to Play to Stop America’s Addiction Epidemic

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 10, 2024 – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today participated in a panel discussion about combatting America’s addiction epidemic. It was hosted by the American Addiction Recovery Association (AARA), which was founded by Jeff Breedlove and Scott Cochran.   

“Everyone has a role to play in ending America’s addiction epidemic, and I am proud to partner with so many leaders in our state to ensure Alabamians have the resources, programs, and support they need to thrive,” said Senator Britt. “In addition to funding research and treatment efforts, I am firmly committed to stopping these drugs from getting into the hands of Americans in the first place—whether it’s preventing social media platforms from advertising these drugs to our kids or stopping drug traffickers from bringing deadly fentanyl through our border. We can and must do more as a nation. I appreciate the leadership of the American Addiction Recovery Association in bringing everyone together on this critical issue.”

The panel discussed how the epidemic is devastating American families, and how everyone can work together—from Congress and small businesses to community leaders and the health care sector—to end it.

Other panelists included:

• Lisa Bright—founder and CEO of the Will Bright Foundation. Lisa and Bill Bright lost their son, Will, to an overdose in 2012. They opened a foundation in their son’s name to help men struggling with addiction;
• Scott Cochran—President of AARA and former strength and conditioning coach for the University of Georgia, University of Alabama, New Orleans Hornets, and Louisiana State University. Cochran has been an advocate for helping people recover from addiction after entering recovery himself;
• Curt Lindsey—Executive Director for the Alabama Alliance for Recovery and Residences;
• Frank Long—Executive Director of Development for the Lovelady Center, which is a residential program in Birmingham to help women with addiction recovery; 
• Dr. Tess Stefurak—Associate Dean & Professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of South Alabama; and
• Jeff Breedlove—CEO of AARA and a person in long term recovery. Breedlove moderated the panel.

Background:

Senator Britt has been a champion in Washington working to combat the addiction epidemic. The senator has cosponsored several pieces of legislation, including:

• The Alternatives to PAIN Act, which would ensure access to non-opioid approaches at the pharmacy counter. Lisa and Bill Bright are leaders in supporting this legislation and encouraging other lawmakers to back it.
• The Youth Mental Health Research Act, which would create a national Youth Mental Health Research Initiative to guide long-term mental health recovery efforts, better target preventive interventions for those at risk of developing mental health challenges, and improve treatments for children.
• The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, which would tighten regulations around the use of xylazine.
• The Kids Online Safety Act, which would require protections for minors from online harms. A version of this legislation, the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act passed the Senate on July 30, 2024.
• The Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, which would establish a Federal Work Group on Youth Residential Programs to improve dissemination and implementation of best practices regarding the health and safety, care, treatment, and appropriate placement of youth in youth residential programs. It includes substance abuse, addiction, depression, anxiety, personality disorders, academic failure, sexual promiscuity, and many other mental and emotional health issues related to struggling adolescents.

Senator Britt also secured funding in several committee-passed appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2025 that will help with treatment, research, and harm reduction efforts. Senator Britt secured $2 million for the Veterans Recovery Center in Mobile for equipment for addiction treatment and supported:

• $715 million for VA opioid misuse prevention and treatment,
• $1.59 billion for State Opioid Response (SOR) Grants, and
• $20 million for NIH research towards opioid addiction.

A major focus of Senator Britt’s efforts to help reduce harm from the addiction epidemic is focused on stopping the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. via the southern border. She has cosponsored:

• The Stop Taxpayer Funding for Traffickers Act, which prohibit individuals charged with or convicted of human trafficking or drug trafficking offenses committed near the border of the United States from receiving federal benefits.
• The FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which would impose sanctions on the trafficking of fentanyl and its related chemical sources and opioids by transnational criminal organizations. This legislation was signed into law on April 24, 2024 as part of a larger bill package. 
• The Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act of 2023, which would add the distribution of fentanyl, resulting in death, to the list of crimes that are eligible to be charged as felony murder.
• The No Coyote Cash Act, which would criminalize the financing of unlawful entries into the United States. Today, there is no specific federal law criminalizing this activity.
• The Fairness in Fentanyl Sentencing Act of 2023, which would reduce from 400 grams to 20 grams the fentanyl quantity and from 100 grams to 5 grams of fentanyl analog quantity that triggers a mandatory minimum prison term for high-level first-time or repeat offenders. The bill also reduces from 40 grams to 2 grams the fentanyl quantity and from 10 grams to 0.5 grams of the fentanyl analog quantity which triggers a mandatory minimum prison term for low-level first-time or repeat offenders. Additionally, the bill directs the U.S. Postal Service to increase the availability of chemical screening devices and dedicate the appropriate number of personnel to interdict fentanyl and other substances that are unlawfully imported into the U.S.
• The National Fentanyl Awareness Day Resolution, which supports the mission and goals of National Fentanyl Awareness Day, including increasing individual and public awareness of the impact of fake or counterfeit fentanyl pills on families and young people.

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