Hannah Funk
President Obama signed a bill into law Tuesday that was partially written by a Minnesota senator. The funding bill is called, “The 21st Century Cures Act.”
It provides $1 million in funding to fight the opioid epidemic across the country. It also sets aside almost $5 million to research diseases like cancer an Alzheimer’s. Some of that money will end up at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar says the bill will help provide more resources to those fighting an addiction.
“The funding will go to the state and the states will decide where that funding goes,” said Klobuchar. “It can go to primarily treatment. That was the number one thing I heard when I was down in Rochester. Despite all the good hospitals, it’s still hard for addicts sometimes to get treatment beds.”
Senator Klobuchar has taken an active role in combating the opioid addiction epidemic in the U.S. Earlier this year she helped introduce The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. Which is a bipartisan bill promoting a number of different strategies to help communities fight addiction.
Out of the 100 Senators, Klobuchar has worked on the most bills that have been turned into law. She says her staff has played a huge role in helping her achieve this.
“It’s really due to our great staff that is willing to work with people across the aisle,” said Klobuchar. “I believe to always look for common ground. Not just to see the differences you have with other members from the opposite party or from other parts of the country, but to find that common ground.”
This is the 27th bill that Senator Klobuchar either sponsored or co-sponsored that has become a law.