CRIME/DRUGS/HHS/TOM PRICE: “President Donald Trump has scheduled what he called a ‘major briefing’ for Tuesday [8-8-17] on the epidemic of opioid drug use in the United States, a health crisis that kills more than 100 Americans daily.
In the midst of a two-week getaway at his golf club in New Jersey, Trump will meet with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to discuss the matter. Trump frequently mentioned the opioid crisis as a presidential candidate, but has given it less public attention since taking office in January.
A commission created by Trump to study the matter urged him last week to declare a national emergency to address what it called a crisis involving the epidemic use of opioids, framing its death toll in the context of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.
The commission, headed by Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, recommended a series of steps Trump could take on his own without Congress. It called for waiving a federal rule that restricts the number of people who can receive residential addiction treatment under the Medicaid healthcare program for the poor and disabled.”
-James Oliphant, “Trump plans ‘major briefing’ on opioid crisis,” Reuters, Aug. 8, 2017 04:27am