英语访谈节目:特朗普呼吁采取行动来应对阿片类药物危机

Judy Woodruff: From President Trump today, a summons to battle opioid addiction. He called for new action, but not necessarily for new money. William Brangham begins our coverage.

President Donald Trump: As you all know from personal experience, families, communities and citizens across our country are currently dealing with the worst drug crisis in American history and even, if you really think about it, world history.

William Brangham: President Trump, flanked by survivors, first-responders and family members impacted by opioids, declared a public health emergency.

President Donald Trump: This epidemic is national health emergency. Unlike many of us, we have seen and we have seen in our lifetimes, nobody has seen anybody like what is going on now. As Americans, we cannot allow this to continue. It is time to liberate our communities from the scourge of drug addiction. Never been this way. We can be the generation that ends the opioid epidemic. We can do it.

William Brangham: The president spoke at length of the severity of this crisis, which claimed the lives of at least 64,000 people last year, has stretched the ability of first-responders and filled treatment centers to capacity nationwide. But the president also told a more personal story, about his own brother Fred, who died after his struggle with alcoholism.

President Donald Trump: But he really helped me. I had somebody that guided me. And he had a very, very, very tough life because of alcohol, believe me, very, very tough, tough life. He was a strong guy. But it was a tough, tough thing that he was going through, but I learned because of Fred. I learned.

William Brangham: The administration today announced several initiatives. The prescription drug Opana will be removed from the market because it's considered too dangerous. A key regulation will be changed to expand access to treatment facilities. They will allow grants from the Labor Department and money for HIV/AIDS care to be used in this fight. And officials will be able to tap the Public Health Emergency Fund, even though that fund has less than $60,000 in it.

No new money has been allotted by today's action. Many say the president's declaration of a public health emergency is important, but they note that it falls short of a more sweeping state of national emergency, which would give the government far more flexibility to respond to the epidemic.

The president's own commission on this crisis, chaired by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, had urged that more comprehensive declaration earlier this year. Christie today was still very supportive of the president's action.

Gov. Chris Christie, R-n.j.: What the president did today was historic and it is an extraordinary beginning set of steps to dealing with this problem.

William Brangham: Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said that without more robust funding, today's action is simply not enough.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-calif., House Minority Leader: Declaring an emergency means he can have access to some funds, but the funds in that account are like $57,000, $58,000, so show me the money.

William Brangham: Today's declaration lasts for just 90 days, but can be renewed indefinitely by the president. For the PBS NewsHour, I'm William Brangham.