Senator Toomey Votes Against Funding to Address Opioid Crisis

Today, Senator Pat Toomey, who votes with Republicans 94% of the time, stood with Senate Republicans to oppose an amendment that would provide $600 million to fight the substance abuse crisis. The amendment included millions to local law enforcement agencies and to substance abuse treatment and prevention programs.

A new analysis shows that in recent years, Republican budgets that Toomey supported proposed to cut important programs for addressing the crisis by more than $1.5 billion. And in December, Toomey voted down an amendment to the budget that would have put more than $15 billion behind anti-drug measures by making millionaires pay their fair share in taxes.

“It is shameful that Senator Pat Toomey would vote against emergency funding to fight the opioid abuse epidemic that is affecting thousands of Pennsylvanians,” said Lauren Passalacqua, DSCC National Press Secretary. “Last year, Toomey voted down a substance abuse funding measure to protect millionaires and billionaires, and now he’s doubling down. Pennsylvania deserves a Senator who will fight for them.”

BACKGROUND

TOOMEY VOTED WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY 94% OF THE TIME

Toomey Voted With Republican Party 94% Of The Time. According to CQ vote studies of party unity, Toomey voted with the Republican Party 94% of the time during his congressional tenure. [CQ Vote Studies]

SHAHEEN’S AMENDMENT INCLUDED $600 MILLION IN EMERGENCY FUNDING TO FIGHT THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC

Shaheen’s Amendment Included $600 Million In Emergency Funding To Fight The Opioid Epidemic.  “Efforts in Congress to combat heroin and prescription-drug addiction are creating an unexpected dilemma for vulnerable U.S. Senate Republicans as they seek to keep control of the chamber in the November election. Republican senators including Rob Portman of Ohio and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania face a choice: Back a Democratic push for $600 million to fight the opioid epidemic or risk accusations they aren’t doing enough to combat an epidemic killing tens of thousands of Americans each year. […] Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire plans to offer a floor amendment to add $600 million in emergency funding to bolster treatment, prevention and other efforts to fight opioid abuse.” [Bloomberg,2/29/16]

• Shaheen’s Amendment Included Funding To Help Law Enforcement. “Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked $600 million in emergency funding to help law enforcement combat heroin abuse and improve the monitoring of prescription drugs. In a 48-47 procedural vote, Republicans prevented the amendment from being attached to a larger bill aimed at fighting the heroin and opioid epidemic sweeping the U.S. The legislation, called the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act, would establish an interagency task force to create best practices for prescribing opioids, and shift federal officials toward prevention-driven drug policy and away from punishment. The emergency funding provision would have allocated $230 million to law enforcement initiatives, including treatment alternatives to incarceration. Another $10 million would have gone to state and local law enforcement units that oversee communities with high levels of drug use. ” [Huffington Post, 3/2/16]

Bloomberg: “Republican Senators Including Rob Portman Of Ohio And Pat Toomey Of Pennsylvania Face A Choice: Back A Democratic Push For $600 Million To Fight The Opioid Epidemic Or Risk Accusations They Aren’t Doing Enough To Combat An Epidemic Killing Tens Of Thousands Of Americans Each Year.” [Bloomberg, 2/29/16]

PREVIOUS REPUBLICAN BUDGETS PROPOSED CUTTING IMPORTANT PROGRAMS FOR ADDRESSING THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS BY MORE THAN $1.5 BILLION

TOOMEY VOTED FOR THE FY 2014 AND FY 2013 RYAN BUDGETS

Toomey Voted For The FY 2014 And FY 2013 Ryan Budgets. [CQ, 3/21/13; S.Amdt. 433 to S.Con.Res. 8, Vote 46, 3/21/13; CQ,5/16/12; H.Con.Res. 112, Vote 98, 5/16/12]

IN FY 2014, THE RYAN BUDGET PROPOSED TO CUT CRITICAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS BY NEARLY $802 MILLION IN ONE YEAR ALONE

The Republicans FY14 budget would’ve enacted a drastic 20% cut in non-defense discretionary programs that would improve the response to the heroin and opioid epidemics.  In 2014 alone, the Ryan budget would cut funding for these programs by an additional 20% beyond the cuts already needed to comply with the BCA caps. This across-the-board cut is calculated relative to what funding would be compared to the BCA caps in FY14.  The Senate-drafted appropriations bills for FY14 were drafted with the intent of replacing sequester, and are used as the baseline funding levels.  [CBPP, 3/27/13]

• Ryan Budget Threatened Large Cuts To Mental Health And Substance Abuse Services. “Major health and environment programs threatened with large cuts under the Ryan budget include: […] Mental health and substance abuse services. These grants help states prevent and treat alcohol and drug abuse and provide community mental health services to adults and children with serious mental illness. In 2008, over two million individuals attended substance abuse facilities that received federal funding; over six million received federally supported mental health services.” [CBPP, 3/27/13]

IN FY 2013, THE RYAN BUDGET PROPOSED TO CUT CRITICAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS BY MORE THAN $763 MILLION IN ONE YEAR ALONE

The Republicans FY13 budget would’ve enacted a drastic 19% cut in non-defense discretionary programs that would improve the response to the heroin and opioid epidemics.  The 19% cut is calculated by taking the level Congress agreed to in the Budget Control Act for non-defense discretionary programs in 2013 and subtracting the proposed $406 billion cap for 2014 in the House Republican Budget. That’s a $95 billion cut that, when left undistributed, is a 19% cut to the 2012 level of services in every non-defense discretionary program. [WH, 4/6/12]

IN DECEMBER, TOOMEY VOTED DOWN AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET THAT WOULD HAVE PUT OVER $15 BILLION BEHIND ANTI-DRUG MEASURES BY MAKING MILLIONAIRES PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE IN TAXES

Dec. 2015: Toomey Voted Against Expanding Coverage For Addiction Treatment, Increasing Resources For Substance Abuse Prevention And Treatment. In 2015, Toomey voted against: “Shaheen, D-N.H., motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Enzi, R-Wyo., point of order against the Shaheen, D-N.H, amendment no. 2892 to the McConnell, R-Ky., substitute amendment no. 2874. The Shaheen amendment would require qualified health care plans to provide coverage for more than one FDA-approved addiction-treatment drug and would create a Substance Use and Mental Health Capacity Expansion Fund. The substitute, instead of repealing the 2010 health law’s requirements for most individuals to obtain health coverage and employers to offer health insurance or face tax penalties, would remove the law’s penalties for noncompliance. The substitute also would reinstate in 2025 the tax on certain high-value employer-sponsored health insurance plans, which would be repealed under the bill, and would add a provision that would force individuals to pay back the full amount of any subsidy overpayments.” The Senate rejected the motion by a vote of 47-52. [CQ Floor Votes, 12/3/15; HR 3762, Vote 317,12/3/15]

• Senator Shaheen: Amendment “Provides Over $15 Billion Of Needed Funding To States And Municipalities” Including Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grants. In a Senate floor statement, Senator Shaheen said: “Finally, this amendment provides over $15 billion of needed funding to States and municipalities to help address the public health emergency in those States and communities that are the frontlines of this crisis. Through the substance abuse prevention and treatment block grants and the community mental health service block grants, this service is targeted to those most at risk for substance abuse and mental illness, giving the States flexibility to develop and fund programs that work best for them. This prevention, intervention, and treatment of substance abuse and mental health disorders have the potential to make the difference in millions of lives.” [Congressional Record, Senate Floor, 12/3/15]

• The Measure Was Paid For By Ending Tax Breaks For Millionaires And Corporate Offshoring. “Senator Shaheen’s amendment is fully paid-for by enacting the Buffett Rule, preventing corporations from moving offshore to avoid paying taxes, and closing tax loopholes that allow corporations to write-off executive bonuses.” [Office Of Sen. Shaheen Press Release, 12/3/15]