Senators Baldwin, Murray, Collins Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Opioid, Fentanyl, and Substance Use Disorder for Pregnant and Postpartum Women

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Patty Murray (D-WA) to introduce a bipartisan bill to reauthorize critical research and prevention efforts for expectant and new mothers battling substance use disorder. The bipartisan legislation, the Promoting Maternal and Child Health Through Substance Use Prevention Act, was initially established in 2018 as part of the Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act, a comprehensive package to help address the root causes and ripple effects of the opioid crisis.  

“The fentanyl and opioid crisis continues to devastate communities across the country and sadly, expectant mothers and their newborn babies are not spared. We can and must do more to ensure that every American struggling with substance use disorder has access to the treatment and resources they need to get better, and that is especially true for pregnant women and new mothers,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to lead this bipartisan legislation to help identify the root causes of this crisis, better prevent substance use in prenatal and postpartum women, and ensure that every baby can get the strong start they deserve.”

The legislation the Senators introduced today would extend for five years the portion of the SUPPORT Act that authorizes programs carried out by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to research and prevent substance use disorder among pregnant and postpartum women. These CDC programs support data collection on prenatal substance abuse and misuse, research on prenatal and postnatal substance use prevention, evaluation of treatment and cessation efforts, and public outreach and education efforts.

Senator Baldwin has led the charge to deliver more resources for Wisconsinites struggling with substance use disorder. Her FEND Off Fentanyl Act was included in the Senate-passed FY24 National Defense Authorization Act, bipartisan legislation that would combat our country’s fentanyl crisis by targeting the illicit fentanyl supply chain, including chemical suppliers in China and cartels that traffic the drugs from Mexico. As Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, Senator Baldwin also advanced bipartisan funding legislation for Fiscal Year 2024 that includes $5 billion for opioid treatment and prevention, a more than $125 million increase over fiscal year 2023.

Full text of this legislation is available here.

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