Hey, Donald, why no ‘emergency’?
TWO SENATORS sent President Trump a reminder Thursday that he called America’s opioid epidemic “a national emergency” — but still hasn’t declared one 63 days later.
“We applaud your stated commitment to addressing opioid addiction and agree with you that the crisis is a ‘serious problem’ deserving increased federal resources,” Sens. Elizabeth Warren (DMass.) and Lisa Murkowski (RAlaska) wrote in a letter to Trump.
“However, we are extremely concerned that 63 days after your statement, you have yet to take the necessary steps to declare a national emergency on opioids, nor have you made any proposals to significantly increase funding to combat the epidemic.”
The senators — whose states have been hit particularly hard by the opioid plague — urged Trump to immediately send recommendations to his Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis for how to finally handle the emergency.
The White House did not respond.