Indianapolis, Ind. – This week, President Trump signed into law several of U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly’s provisions, including bipartisan efforts to speed up permitting for certain infrastructure projects and others to combat the opioid abuse epidemic. With these provisions on the books, 50 of Donnelly’s legislative efforts have now become law, including 28 since President Trump took office in January 2017.
Donnelly said, “Whether it has been the Sexton Act or the Law Enforcement Mental Health Act that are helping support the mental health of our servicemembers and first responders, efforts to support prevention, treatment, and recovery programs as we combat the opioid abuse epidemic that is harming families across Indiana and our country, or Right to Try legislation that is giving patients the right to try and access potentially life-saving treatments, I have worked with Hoosiers to make life a little better for the people of our state. More importantly, it demonstrates the good work we can accomplish when we work together—Republicans, Democrats, and Independents—to solve problems.”
Donnelly has a proven and consistent record of bipartisanship that has yielded successful results in advancing legislation on behalf of Hoosiers. His approach of working with Republican and Democratic colleagues led to his being ranked by the Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University as the most bipartisan Democrat in the Senate earlier this year. Last year, the Lugar Center rated Donnelly as the most bipartisan Senator since 1993 still serving in the body.
Recent Donnelly provisions signed into law by President Trump:
- A provision, which was included as part of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act, was one Donnelly introduced as standalone legislation with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH). It permanently authorizes a program to allow for dedicated funding for review of permit applications with the Army Corps of Engineers for public utility infrastructure projects. President Trump signed it into law on Tuesday.
- Earlier this month, President Trump signed into law legislation that, in part, included a bipartisan Donnelly-led provision providing $1 million in funding for the implementation of Trevor’s Law. The funding was added as an amendment to the government funding bill with Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID).
- In August, Donnelly’s bipartisan National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act was signed into law, aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the current suicide prevention lifeline system and Veterans Crisis Line.