U.S. Senator Bob Corker on Wednesday released the following statement after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Eastern District of Tennessee has been selected as one of 12 federal judicial districts across the country to participate in the Department of Justice’s Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit. The pilot program will utilize data and assign an experienced prosecutor to the Eastern District to identify and prosecute individuals contributing to the opioid epidemic.
“The prescription opioid epidemic is destroying lives and tearing apart families, and I am glad to see the Eastern District of Tennessee selected for this pilot program,” said Senator Corker. “This partnership will be an added resource for the U.S. attorney’s office, and I am hopeful the efforts can bring to justice the pill mills and unlawful pharmacies that are profiting off the hardships of Tennesseans affected by opioid abuse. I applaud President Trump and Attorney General Sessions for their commitment to this critical issue and will continue working with them to further address this crisis.”
Last year, Senator Corker voted for the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, which authorized new funding to address the opioid crisis. In December, Senator Corker voted for Senator Lamar Alexander’s 21st Century Cures Act, which provided state grant funding through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to support a comprehensive array of prevention, treatment and recovery services to fight opioid addiction. Both bills were signed into law last year.