The Leader’s Floor Lookout: Week of June 2, 2025

Supporting Americans Struggling from Substance Use Disorders

In 2018, President Trump signed into law the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act to fight the opioid epidemic by expanding access to treatment and recovery services, addressing workforce shortages, and taking an overall comprehensive approach to confronting substance use disorders (SUDs).

With overdose rates across the nation beginning to drop, this vital bipartisan legislation had a significant impact on reversing the deadly overdose trend and saving American lives from that tragic outcome. In 2024, opioid overdose deaths declined to 54,743 from an estimated 83,140 in 2023 – a very welcome decrease for friends and family all around America.

While the 2018 SUPPORT Act has had great success, the fight against the fentanyl and opioid crisis cannot stop here. We must continue funding and expanding the live-saving prevention programs, treatment services, and recovery opportunities by building on this legislation and the work of previous Congresses.

House Republicans are bringing legislation to continue championing prevention, education, treatment, recovery, workforce, and law enforcement resources to support Americans struggling with SUDs. This legislation, among other things, will secure access to naloxone for first responders, bolster state Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), increase treatment options for pregnant and postpartum women, motivate recovering individuals to enter the workforce, and continue resources for Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers.

SUDs and opioid and fentanyl overdose deaths have impacted every American in some way. Enough is enough: too many loved ones have lost their lives to this devastating epidemic that has ravaged communities across the country.

Chairman Brett Guthrie’s legislation, H.R. 2483, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025, reauthorizes vital public health programs for the prevention, treatment, and recovery of Americans suffering from substance use disorders that were established in the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act of 2018.

Let’s continue to fight to save American lives by reauthorizing and expanding meaningful legislation that has proven to be effective.
 

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Ensuring SBA Loan Assistance Only Goes To American Citizens

In March, the Trump Administration announced the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) would begin requiring proof of citizenship and age verification when applying for SBA assistance – long overdue reforms ensuring taxpayer dollars take care of American citizens first, not people in the U.S. illegally.

Earlier this year, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) uncovered flagrant abuse of SBA’s loan programs, including more than $630 million in loans given to applicants older than 115 years old and younger than 11, according to data from the Social Security Administration.

This is unacceptable. Hardworking Americans fight every day to run a successful small business and provide for their families – taxpayer dollars should support American owned businesses, not businesses run by illegal immigrants or ineligible fraudsters.

House Republicans are bringing forward legislation to codify President Trump and SBA Administrator Loeffler’s reforms to the SBA loan application process, putting American families and small businesses first by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse, and making sure SBA loans go only to businesses owned by American citizens. 

H.R. 2966, the American Entrepreneurs First Act, introduced by Rep. Beth Van Duyne, codifies the SBA’s new verification requirements, including proof of citizenship and age verification, for SBA assistance applications, strengthening protections against fraud and ensuring taxpayer-funded loans go only to Americans. 

House Republicans are fighting to empower American job creators and businesses with the resources they need to flourish. Will Democrats vote with us to implement these common sense reforms, or will they continue to put fraudsters and illegal aliens before hardworking Americans? 
 

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Relocating SBA Offices Away from Sanctuary Cities

Sanctuary cities work against our nation and people’s interest, blatantly ignoring U.S. immigration laws to shield illegal aliens from facing the consequences of their actions – threatening the safety of American families, communities, and small businesses and weakening rule of law. 

The Democrat politicians implementing harmful ‘sanctuary’ policies could repeal these policies at any time and comply with federal immigration enforcement to the benefit of their communities – they choose not to. It’s time for these sanctuary cities, counties, and states to be held accountable for their disastrous policies, instead of hardworking American taxpayers.

Under the Trump Administration, sanctuary cities are once again being held accountable and the rule of law is being restored. President Trump continues to take steps to redirect federal resources away from jurisdictions that disregard immigration laws and put Americans at risk and toward communities that prioritize Americans’ safety.

House Republicans are bringing legislation to ensure the SBA is focused on supporting the growth and safety of American workers, businesses, and communities by providing vital resources while rejecting woke Democrat sanctuary policies that put our communities, SBA workers, and offices in danger.

H.R. 2931, the Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act, introduced by Rep. Brad Finstad, relocates SBA offices from sanctuary cities and jurisdictions to non-sanctuary municipalities to better make sure these federal resources are going to benefit American small businesses and communities. 

American citizens and small businesses should be the ones being served by SBA offices, and they should have access to these resources without the threat of violence  – House Republicans won’t stop working to hold sanctuary cities accountable, keep Americans safe, and ensure compliance with federal law.