News From Congressman Eliot Engel,

  ENGEL STATEMENT ON IRAN DEAL WITHDRAWAL

  Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action:

“President Trump’s decision today makes much more likely a scenario we have long dreaded: an Iranian nuclear weapon. The nuclear agreement has its weaknesses—particularly that certain inspection provisions sunset a few years down the road rather than binding Iran in perpetuity. My hope was that in that time, we could have worked with partners to build upon the deal, extend its life, and address all of Iran’s other aggressive and harmful activities. The only way to improve the deal was for all parties to live up to their obligations.

“But by creating a phony crisis, President Trump has moved those sunsets up to today, and at the same time undermined American leadership and credibility on the global stage. Whatever the problems with the deal, we made a commitment, and now it’s the United States breaking its word. And President Trump bears sole responsibility for scrapping this deal rather than making a real effort to improve it.

“It’s hard to imagine another power—such as North Korea—would enter into an agreement with this Administration. This manufactured crisis and rash decision have cast doubt on everything the United States does and says around the world. But one thing is crystal clear: President Trump has made the world less safe today.”

House Energy & Commerce Committee Passes Engel RESULTS Act to Help Combat the Opioid Crisis

  Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a top member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, applauded the unanimous Committee passage of H.R. 5272, Reinforcing Evidence-Based Standards Under Law in Treating Substance Abuse (RESULTS) Act and called on the GOP to end their assault on affordable health coverage to turn the tide of the opioid crisis.

The RESULTS Act, a bill introduced by Congressman Engel and Congressman Steve Stivers, directs the National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory to issue new guidance to applicants seeking federal funding to treat or prevent mental health or substance use disorders. This guidance will ensure that those applying for federal funds have the information they need to implement evidence-based solutions to the opioid crisis, as well as the tools necessary to emulate successful approaches in their communities.

“This is a straightforward bill that will make it easier for those fighting the opioid epidemic in communities across the country to implement solutions that work,” Engel said. “I am very pleased that this commonsense bill will move to the House floor, along with several additional bills that will help address the opioid crisis.

“However, it’s important to recognize that these efforts do not happen in a vacuum. The Trump Administration has proposed more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, which covers 4-in-10 nonelderly adults living with an opioid addiction. These Americans covered by Medicaid were twice as likely to get the treatment they needed, compared to those without insurance or private coverage, in 2016. 

“If the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans are serious about ending the opioid epidemic, they must also end their attacks on Medicaid and affordable health care.”