Joined by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) this week introduced what the two lawmakers billed as bipartisan legislation intended to address the workforce shortage they believe is created by the ongoing opioid addiction epidemic.

The senators’ bill, the Collectively Achieving Recovery and Employment (CARE) Act, would combine existing grant programs at the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a six-year pilot project to combine job training and addiction recovery services.

“I hear the same thing from mayors all across Ohio: employers can’t fill openings because workers can’t pass drug tests, and Ohioans struggling with addiction can’t find a job to help them get back on their feet. We know addiction treatment and workforce training programs can be successful separately, but this crisis requires them to work together,” Brown said.

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