The United States Senate passed a bipartisan bill aimed to tackle the opioid crisis in the country as 98 senators backed the legislation and only one, Republican Senator Mike Lee from Utah, opposed it.
According to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the opioids legislation will "deliver major relief to the American communities that have been decimated by the scourge of substance abuse and addiction." McConnell added that the legislation will also "deliver critical resources to establish opioid-specific recovery centers and equip local medical practitioners."
The bill, supported by both Republicans and Democrats, sets out a number of measures to fight the opioid crisis, including cracking down on illegal opioids being imported by mail from abroad and lifting some limits on Medicaid paying for care at addiction treatment facilities. The 660-page long bill will now be sent to President Donald Trump who has to sign it into law.
