Heroin Epidemic Field Hearing

Senate Committee Coming to Pewaukee to Hear From Those Battling Heroin Epidemic

On Friday, April 15 in Pewaukee, Sen. Ron Johnson will hold a field hearing on the heroin epidemic. The public is invited to attend this hearing of  the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Johnson and includes Sen. Tammy Baldwin. 

“The inescapable conclusion from the committee’s 15 hearings on border security this Congress is that our borders are not secure,” said Chairman Johnson. “The rise of heroin-related deaths in Wisconsin is directly related to the insecurity of our borders.  The latest figures from the Department of Homeland Security indicate that approximately 80 percent of heroin entering our country is coming across our porous southwest border.  Protecting Wisconsinites is my first priority, and I look forward to hearing from law enforcement, local lawmakers, family members and treatment experts on how Congress can continue to address our opioid epidemic.” 

WHEN: April 15, 2016
WHERE: Waukesha County Technical College, 800 Main St., Pewaukee
TIME: 2:30 p.m. CT

Bill to Stop Overprescription of Opioids

Sen. Johnson also introduced legislation this week to reduce the risk of pressure on healthcare providers to overprescribe painkilling drugs called opioids.

Currently, patient survey results are factored into Medicare payments to hospitals. But experts point out that questions specifically related to pain management could have the unintended effect of pressuring physicians to prescribe opioids in order to ensure high patient satisfaction scores and reimbursement. The Promoting Responsible Opioid Prescribing (PROP) Act would ensure that pain management questions on patient surveys would not factor into Medicare reimbursement calculations.

Learn more here in the Badger Herald. 

Ron in Wisconsin 

Congrats to Brewers Catcher Jonathan Lucroy

Sen. Johnson was honored to appear on the scoreboard at Miller Park to congratulate Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy as he received the Bob Feller Act of Valor award for his support of servicemen and servicewomen. Lucroy is a tireless advocate for veteran and military causes.  In fact, Sen. Johnson invited Lucroy to the State of the Union Address last year in recognition of those efforts.

Visiting Waukesha Rotary 

Sen. Johnson appreciated the warm welcome from the Waukesha Rotary Club at a members' special breakfast meeting. Nice to see so many folks in Waukesha looking to improve their community by putting service above self.  

ICYMI: Ron in the News 

Washington Examiner: Experts say ISIS using social media to build 'kill lists' of Americans overseas.

Breitbart :  “We’re looking for a needle in a haystack. The problem is there are more needles and haystacks growing." 

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