Senator Kim Pushes for Comprehensive Research and Treatment Options During Nomination Hearing for Health and Human Services Secretary

January 30, 2025

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Senator Andy Kim addressed top public health concerns including addiction prevention and treatment, vaccine access and development, and research around gun deaths during the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions’ Nomination Hearing for U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kim began his question line on a top priority for New Jersey and our country, combating the opioid crisis and saving lives with expanded treatment options, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT). 

“I know we all take this very seriously, in terms of the plight of opioid addiction in our country and that is something I hope we can recognize that we need to lift up more and more…” said Senator Kim. “In fact, an NIH published study does call [MAT] the gold standard of treatment for opioid use disorder.” 

As a member of the House of Representatives, Kim prioritized expanding access to opioid treatment to prevent addition-related deaths, including as a co-sponsor of the bipartisan Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act, which became law in 2022, to expand access to MAT and expand healthcare providers’ treatment options for substance use disorder. 

Senator Kim is a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and the Special Committee on Aging. Learn more about Senator Kim’s service on behalf of New Jersey here. 

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