October 17, 2017

MANCHIN APPLAUDS PULLING MARINO NOMINATION, THANKS PRESIDENT FOR RECOGNIZING NEED FOR LEADERSHIP AT NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY OFFICE

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today applauded the news that Rep. Tom Marino pulled his nomination from consideration to lead the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Senator Manchin also thanked President Trump for recognizing the need for real leadership at the ONDCP and will help in any way in picking the next nominee.

“I applaud the President for recognizing that we need real leadership at the ONCDP and recognizing that Tom Marino was not it,” Senator Manchin said. “We need a drug czar who has seen these devastating effects and who is passionate about ending this opioid epidemic. I look forward to working with President Trump to find a drug czar that will serve West Virginians and our entire country. It’s because of the fine journalists at the Washington Post and 60 Minutes that we have avoided appointing someone who could have made the opioid epidemic even worse. I am eager to make this wrong right and work with my colleagues and the President to repeal this horrible law that should have never passed in the first place.”

Yesterday, Senator Manchin sent a letter to the White House demanding that Rep. Tom Marino’s nomination be pulled from consideration to lead the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. He urged swift action in response to the Washington Post article outlining Rep. Marino’s involvement in passing a bill weakening the Drug Enforcement Administration’s authority to stop companies from distributing opioids. To read the letter Senator Manchin sent to the White House click here.

Yesterday, Senator Manchin introduced legislation repealing the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act of 2016 after the Washington Post/60 minutes report indicated that the legislation has dramatically restricted the ability of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to crack down on opioid distributors and manufacturers suspected of wrongdoing.

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