Senator Hassan Statement on President Biden’s Announcement to Nominate Dr. Rahul Gupta as Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, issued the following statement after President Joe Biden announced that he will nominate Dr. Rahul Gupta to be the next Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), which focuses on addressing substance misuse.

“The Director of the ONDCP will have a personal impact on the thousands of Granite Staters who are affected by the substance use disorder epidemic. Substance misuse is one of the most pressing public health and safety issues that New Hampshire continues to face, and it is paramount that we have a leader in this position who understands the complex challenges ahead. I look forward to meeting with Dr. Gupta and sharing the experience of Granite Staters who are on the frontlines of this fight. In addition, I look forward to hearing from Dr. Gupta about the ways in which we can work together to strengthen substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery, support law enforcement in their work to stop the flow of illegal drugs, and hold Big Pharma accountable for their role in this crisis.”

During the previous administration, Senator Hassan pushed back against proposed cuts to the ONDCP, and she repeatedly called for qualified leadership of the agency. The COVID-19 relief and government funding bill that Senator Hassan helped pass into law at the end of last year included $437 million for the ONDCP.

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