The CUSP Priorities in the State of the Union
On many issues, America is a deeply divided nation. Ahead of the State of the Union on Thursday, we encourage President Biden and members of Congress to focus on themes that enjoy bipartisan support and present commonsense solutions to issues that affect all Americans.
Accelerating Actions to Fight America’s Fentanyl Crisis
The statistics are devastating. More than 100,000 Americans died of a drug overdose in 2023. The majority of those deaths were related to opioids like fentanyl. Regardless of political party, religious belief, economic status, education level, or race, this epidemic is tearing apart families and communities in every county in America. While this problem cannot be solved overnight, we encourage an increased focus on the following areas to help parents, family members, and friends better protect their loved ones.
- Expand access to naloxone and other overdose reversal agents by urging workplaces, public schools, and other institutions to both have naloxone on hand and allow students or employees to carry it with them.
- Make naloxone more accessible through health savings and flex savings account eligibility.
- Encourage the inclusion of naloxone in airline inflight medical emergency kits.
- Crack down on illegal products entering our communities, like counterfeit drugs or disposable Chinese vapes in flavors targeting young people, which can be laced with fentanyl.
Strengthen Protections Against the National and Personal Security Threats Posed by the Chinese Communist Party
It didn’t take a gigantic spy balloon traversing the United States to know that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the CCP have designs on subverting American security and our dominant place in the world. From social media to cybersecurity to drones to intellectual property, the U.S. government has articulated the threats. We encourage greater enforcement and additional actions to address this threat.
- Continue empowering the Department of Defense, CIA, FBI, CISA and other national security organizations to take action limiting the risk of espionage and cyber attack by the PRC.
- Strengthen domestic protections against security threats by investing in advanced cybersecurity measures, fostering partnerships between the public and private sectors and increasing the enforcement to address PRC activities that aim to compromise U.S. security.
- Further limit the risk of Chinese interference in our political process through increased scrutiny of donations by individuals and organizations with ties to the CCP.
- Prevent the PRC from dominating the biotechnology industry in the future, and protect U.S. citizens’ personal data.
Supercharge Investment in American Pharmaceutical Manufacturing to Strengthen Domestic Supply Chains
Semiconductors and other technologies are critical to America’s continued leadership in the global economy. So, too, is its ability to manufacture much-needed medicines and treatments to combat ongoing public health challenges and prepare for those of the future. We encourage action to bolster American manufacturing and domestic supply chains. Doing so is not merely an economic imperative, but a strategic necessity.
- Implement simpler tax and regulatory reforms to ensure domestic self-sufficiency in key industries.
- Promote the importance of manufacturing vital therapeutics and medical countermeasures domestically.
Join us in our mission to protect America’s communities.
Together, we can create a safer environment, free from the threat of illegal vapes. Let's work to ensure a healthier and brighter future for the next generation. Stand with us and take action today!
