Press Releases

LOWELL, MA – On Monday, Representatives Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) and John Joyce (R-PA-13) led a bipartisan letter along with 37 of their colleagues urging President Trump to lower American flags to half-staff on August 31, 2020 in honor of International Overdose Awareness Day. 

“This month, we will observe International Overdose Awareness Day, which is held in remembrance of the lives lost due to the disease of addiction. This crisis has claimed over 70,000 lives just last year and has shown no indication of declining. In light of the rising overdose deaths taking place across our country, we write to respectfully request that you order flags to be flown at half-staff on all public buildings on August 31st, International Overdose Awareness Day,” the lawmakers wrote.

“The addiction crisis has affected countless families and communities across the United States. Over the past two decades alone, our nation has lost over 700,000 American lives from drug overdoses. And according to newly released data from July of this year, more than thirty states have reported distressing spikes in overdose deaths over the past few months. We are far from claiming victory in this epidemic, which has only been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic,” the lawmakers continued.

Congresswoman Trahan and Marlborough resident Cheryl Juaire have partnered several times on ways to address substance abuse issues. Cheryl’s son, Corey, died of an opioid overdose at the age of 23. In the wake of his death, Cheryl has worked tirelessly to break down the stigma surrounding substance use disorder (SUD) which often prevents individuals from seeking care. Trahan invited Juaire to attend the State of the Union as her guest earlier this year to highlight her important work on this issue.

“I’m grateful to Representatives Trahan and Joyce for their efforts to have International Overdose Awareness Day recognized by lowering flags on federal buildings to half-staff. Like so many mothers across Massachusetts and around America, I lost my child, Corey, to substance use disorder. This is a commonsense way that we can honor those who have tragically passed away because of addiction and their loved ones still mourning their loss. I’m hopeful that the President agrees that this is an issue worth recognizing nationally and that this is just the first step in addressing the stigma surrounding substance use disorder,” said Cheryl Juaire, Founder of Team Sharing, Inc.

Congresswoman Trahan is currently working across the aisle on federal efforts to dismantle stigma surrounding addiction and equip the medical community with the tools necessary to fight the epidemic. Here’s a look at how:

• Authored the Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act and the Safer Prescribing of Controlled Substances Act, which would strengthen the infrastructure around addiction treatment by equipping medical professionals across our health care system with the tools to recognize and treat addiction as a chronic, treatable disease.
• Introduced and secured passage of two additional bills to support families that have been torn apart by the opioid epidemic – the Stronger Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and the National Family Caregiver Support Program Cap Elimination Act. 
• Introduced the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency (CARE) Act with Senator Elizabeth Warren. This will provide $100 billion for our local clinics and community organizations that are focused on prevention as well as treatment and recovery.
• Supported passage of a budget that provides robust new resources, including $3 billion for addiction prevention efforts. This budget provides funding for increased access to medication-assisted treatment, supports long-term care in recovery centers, and training for more first-responders in overdose reversal drugs.
• Helped establish the Freshman Working Group on Addiction in a bipartisan effort to promote policies to end the addiction crisis across the United States.

The final version of the letter can be accessed HERE and is embedded below:

August 17, 2020

The Honorable Donald J. Trump

President of the United States

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

This month, we will observe International Overdose Awareness Day, which is held in remembrance of the lives lost due to the disease of addiction. This crisis has claimed over 70,000 lives just last year and has shown no indication of declining. In light of the rising overdose deaths taking place across our country, we write to respectfully request that you order flags to be flown at half-staff on all public buildings on August 31st, International Overdose Awareness Day.

The addiction crisis has affected countless families and communities across the United States. Over the past two decades alone, our nation has lost over 700,000 American lives from drug overdoses. And according to newly released data from July of this year, more than thirty states have reported distressing spikes in overdose deaths over the past few months.  We are far from claiming victory in this epidemic, which has only been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Our nation has mourned the loss of lives during the coronavirus pandemic by lowering flags to half-staff when we reached the grave death toll of 100,000. The lowering of our flags served as a necessary and national expression of grief. Those deaths due to COVID-19 left behind an absence in the hearts of all who knew and loved someone who passed. We are grateful for your Administration’s work in acknowledging these crises and believe that your order to lower flags at half-staff on International Overdose Awareness Day would be the appropriate expression in acknowledging the lives lost to addiction.

Thank you for your consideration of this serious request.

Sincerely,

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