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Last updated on Thursday, October 25, 2018
(INDIANAPOLIS) - This week, President Trump signed into law several of U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly’s provisions, including bipartisan efforts to speed up permitting for certain infrastructure projects and others to combat the opioid abuse epidemic.
With these provisions on the books, 50 of Donnelly's legislative efforts have now become law, including 28 since President Trump took office in January 2017.
Donnelly said, "Whether it has been the Sexton Act or the Law Enforcement Mental Health Act that are helping support the mental health of our servicemembers and first responders, efforts to support prevention, treatment, and recovery programs as we combat the opioid abuse epidemic that is harming families across Indiana and our country, or Right to Try legislation that is giving patients the right to try and access potentially life-saving treatments, I have worked with Hoosiers to make life a little better for the people of our state. More importantly, it demonstrates the good work we can accomplish when we work together - Republicans, Democrats, and Independents - to solve problems."
Donnelly has a proven and consistent record of bipartisanship that has yielded successful results in advancing legislation on behalf of Hoosiers. His approach of working with Republican and Democratic colleagues led to his being ranked by the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University as the most bipartisan Democrat in the Senate earlier this year. Last year, the Lugar Center rated Donnelly as the most bipartisan Senator since 1993 still serving in the body.
Recent Donnelly provisions signed into law by President Trump:
A provision, which was included as part of America's Water Infrastructure Act, was one Donnelly introduced as standalone legislation with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH). It permanently authorizes a program to allow for dedicated funding for the review of permit applications with the Army Corps of Engineers for public utility infrastructure projects.
President Trump signed it into law on Tuesday.
Four Donnelly provisions were included as part of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, which became law yesterday.
One, based on the bipartisan Donnelly-Murkowski-Hassan Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Act, will incentivize substance use disorder providers to work in areas that have high overdose rates, or a shortage of treatment providers, by providing up to $250,000 in student loan relief in exchange for up to six years of service.
Another, based on the Dr. Todd Graham Pain Management, Treatment, and Recovery Act, legislation Donnelly introduced with Senator Todd Young (R-IN), aims to expand the use of non-opioid alternatives in Medicare.
And two further provisions, based on bipartisan Donnelly-Young efforts, encourage the development of non-addictive or opioid sparing treatments. They will help bring non-addictive pain medications and treatments to patients more quickly and help clarify how the FDA approves treatments that reduce the need for opioids.
Earlier this month, President Trump signed into law legislation that, in part, included a bipartisan Donnelly-led provision providing $1 million in funding for the implementation of Trevor's Law. The funding was added as an amendment to the government funding bill with Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID).
In August, Donnelly's bipartisan National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act was signed into law, aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the current suicide prevention lifeline system and Veterans Crisis Line.
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