Second Gentleman Pool Reports of August 31, 2023

SGOTUS pool report - announces $450 million with families of overdose victims

Approximately 50 people who have lost loved ones to overdoses were seated around half a dozen tables in a room in the EEOB. Framed photos of the person each one had lost were positioned in front of them on the tables.

SGOTUS Douglas Emhoff entered the room at 1:06 p.m., joined by Director of National Drug Control Policy Dr. Rahul Gupta and Director of the Centers for Disease Control Dr. Mandy Cohen. The trio stood behind a podium facing the families.

Gupta spoke first, telling a story he has related previously about one of his early patients named Billy who struggled with addiction and ultimately died from an overdose.

"He died in my hands. So this experience was one of the most formative experiences for me . . . but I want you to know that in so many cases, for a lot of you also, it was out of your control."

Gupta said "This is the most dynamic drug environment we've seen" and that so many pills bought online have potentially fatal doses of fentanyl the odds are worse than "playing Russian roulette with your life."

He highlighted the administration's $800 million supplemental funding request to Congress to fight drugs such as fentanyl. And he described Biden's strategy as combatting drug trafficking while funding treatment and recovery.

"We know after years of sharp rises, overdoses flattened in 2022, but we cannot stop," Gupta said. "We've got to keep pushing and push urgently forward."

He turned the podium over to Justin Phillips of Indiana, who lost her son Aaron to an overdose, to introduce Emhoff.

Surveying the room, Emhoff said he saw a lot of familiar faces from last year and assured them that previous meeting had stuck with him.

"Those stories that you shared and the pictures that you showed me, like I said, just seared into my memory. I talked about it with the president and the vice president at length and I will continue to do so and I look forward to seeing my wife tonight and talking about what happened here today," he said.

He said the administration is working on finding ways to reach young people and talked about the importance of battling the stigma surrounding conversations about overdoses, a stigma he said hampers treatment.

"This room really is a cross section of our country. You come from all over the country, red state, blue state, it doesn't matter where you're from, your socio-economic status, what faith you are . . . this crisis affects everyone equally and that's how we have to treat it."

He said Harris has been working on the issue throughout her career.

"She's working hand in hand with the president each and every day and the entire administration to fight for you and fight for everyone in this country so we can solve this issue," he said.

He touted successes in making life-saving Naloxone more available and the administration's work on the "Real Deal on Fentanyl" ad campaign. He said the administration has convened state attorneys general and other leaders to disrupt illicit fentanyl supply chains.

He announced an additional $450 million in funding that will go to local, state and rural communities to strengthen prevention, harm reduction treatment, recovery support services, as well as supply reduction.

"This funding will support 164 community prevention coalitions to help prevent youth drug use before it begins. Stop it before it begins," he said, as some of the family members nodded along in agreement.

He added the funding will bolster local law enforcement efforts to keep dangerous drugs out of the community.

"President Biden and Vice President Harris are committed to ending this overdose epidemic," he said. "We've seen progress the last couple of years. Like we've said, we know it's because of people like yourselves who have the courage and the strength to carry on and come forward and advocate for other families."

He said it's important they keep doing this work.

"We need to take the pain, the unbearable, unspeakable pain that you have gone through and will continue to go through and turn it, like you've all done, into purpose," he said. "And each of our communities and our children and our entire nation will be better for it and will be safer for it."

He wrapped up after about ten minutes and turned the podium over to Cohen, who spoke briefly and announced an additional $279 million in "Overdose Data to Action" funding to improve prevention efforts.

Pool was ushered out about 1:27 p.m. as Emhoff started to make the rounds and visit with people individually.