Schumer: Trump Admin. Budget Would Jeopardize Key Program That Fights Opioid Crisis

MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-New York) said Monday that a Trump administration budget proposal would put a key resource combating the opioid scourge in jeopardy.

As WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported, Schumer said it is all hands on deck when it comes to the opioid crisis. Thus, he is fighting to keep millions of dollars in federal funding through the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, or HITDA, program.

Schumer said HITDA helps federal, state and local authorities work together, and the program would be in jeopardy because of a Trump administration budget proposal.

"When the feds hear of a new shipment that's come in; when they hear of a different group of drug traffickers that's gotten hold of a bunch of bad drugs, they inform local law enforcement – and vice versa," Schumer said.

He said last year alone, "over 600 people on Long Island died of overdoses – more than one a day; almost two a day."