Sep. 20, 2016
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| On Tuesday, the Capitol’s Main Rotunda was packed for the PA Day of HOPE. This rally was organized by the PA HOPE (Heroin, Opioid, Prevention and Education) Caucus, of which Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne) is a co-founder and co-chairman. |
HARRISBURG – On Tuesday, Rep. Aaron Kaufer (R-Luzerne) joined hundreds of Pennsylvanians, several House and Senate colleagues, as well as Gov. Tom Wolf and members of his administration and others, at the PA HOPE (Heroin, Opioid, Prevention and Education) Caucus’s “Day of Hope” rally held at the state Capitol.
The mission of the PA HOPE Caucus, which was co-founded and is co-chaired by Kaufer, is to ensure every Pennsylvanian has access to high-quality prevention and treatment of the disease of drug and alcohol addiction.
“Today’s rally was about bringing broader awareness to the disease of addiction, so we are able to turn words into actions at the state level,” Kaufer said. “We are losing 10 Pennsylvanians a day to drug overdoses, which is about 300 people per month. This crisis is only going to continue to get worse if left unaddressed. As a co-chairman of the PA HOPE Caucus, I am determined to establish solutions at the state level; the people of Pennsylvania need them desperately.”
Throughout the summer, the PA HOPE Caucus, in conjunction with the House majority and minority policy committees, hosted an eight-stop tour of hearings all across the state, including one in Scranton. At these hearings, members gathered testimony from those who are on the front lines of this epidemic, including medical professionals, members of law enforcement, and health care and treatment centers personnel. In response, Kaufer recently announced at a press conference in Luzerne that he is sponsoring 10 bills related to the opioid and heroin abuse epidemic.
To view Kaufer’s video comments from after the rally, click here.
To participate in the Day of Hope, Kaufer joined the following individuals in speaking: Gov. Tom Wolf; Lt. Gov. Mike Stack; Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs Secretary Gary Tennis; Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine; Drug and Alcohol Service Providers Organization of PA President Deb Beck; PA Recovery Organization Alliance Executive Director Bill Stauffer; a former addict in long-term recovery and advocate for clean sober living; and a parent of a daughter in recovery, as well as several others.
The PA HOPE Caucus is comprised of 52 House members and 29 senators who are dedicated to addressing the growing opioid epidemic in our state. To learn more about the PA HOPE Caucus, visit
pahopecaucus.com.
For more information about this PA HOPE Caucus rally, Kaufer’s bills related to this issue, or any other state-related issue, contact Kaufer’s district office in Luzerne located at 161 Main St., by calling 570-283-1001. Information can also be found online at
RepKaufer.com or
Facebook.com/RepKaufer.
Representative Aaron Kaufer
120th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Krisinda Corbin
717.705.2032
KCorbin@pahousegop.com
RepKaufer.com /
Facebook.com/RepKaufer