PORTLAND, ME – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) attended and gave remarks at the Rally 4 Recovery at Deering Oaks Park in Portland. The event, which was sponsored by Portland Recovery Community Center (PRCC) and Young People in Recovery (YPR), celebrated those who are recovering from substance use disorders, as well as their friends, families, and support systems. The event also featured brief remarks by USM President Glenn Cummings, Maine people in recovery, recovery allies, and other advocates.

“People across Maine are being devastated by the opioid epidemic, which kills more than one person per day in our state,” said Senator King. “But it’s important to remember that addiction is not a death sentence – people with substance use disorders can recover and lead happy, healthy lives of service and productivity, if they have the proper support systems. That support system must include us – all of us – and that is why today’s fifth annual Rally 4 Recovery is so important. We can’t end this scourge on our communities without contributions from citizens across our state, whether they’re affected by a substance use disorder or not. We need to use every tool at our disposal to help those struggling with addiction enter recovery, so we can finally stem this terrible pain that is being felt by families and communities throughout Maine.”

Senator King has made combating the opioid crisis one of his top priorities in Washington. In July, Senator King hosted a panel of medical professionals, employers and advocates to discuss to battle the opioid crisis and reduce the stigma surrounding Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), and met with the Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development, Anne Hazlett, and a number of medical professionals, law enforcement officers, advocates and local leaders at a Bangor roundtable discussing the opioid epidemic’s impact on rural Maine. In June, he highlighted the importance of the Affordable Care Act’s protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions to those struggling with substance use disorders – which is considered a pre-existing condition, so those who seek treatment could then be denied coverage or charged exorbitant rates based on their past substance use. He has repeatedly called on Congress and both the Obama and Trump administrations to fund laws and agencies that help address the drug epidemic.

Senator King has held roundtables throughout Maine -- from Portland to Bangor to Milo to Paris – and has spoken with health professionals, first responders, community members, and people in recovery to find ways to help people get better and make Maine communities safer and healthier. He has also joined a group of his Senate colleagues to write to the nation’s top health insurers urging them to do their part to combat the opioid epidemic. In an effort to hold the insurance industry accountable, the Senators asked the companies to both review their existing policies in light of the epidemic, and to take additional steps to make sure they are working actively to help curb addiction. In the FY 2018 Omnibus Federal Appropriations bill which passed in March, Senator King supported a provision which increased funding to fight the opioid and mental health crises by $3.3 billion, including an increase of $2.8 billion in treatment, prevention and research for programs within the Department of Health and Human Services. Also, in November 2017, Senator King led a letter to the Trump Administration urging additional funding for the opioid epidemic, and in October 2017 he joined with a group of colleagues to introduce the Combating the Opioid Epidemic Act, legislation that would invest $45 billion for prevention, detection, surveillance and treatment of opioids.

Picture 1: Senator King addresses attendees at the Rally 4 Recovery

Picture 2: Senator King speaks with representatives from Milestone Recovery

Picture 3: Senator King speaks with representatives from Liberty Bay Recovery Center