US opioid crisis prompts Melania Trump's first solo trip to Capitol Hill
First lady Melania Trump marked the first anniversary of a federal law increasing access to treatment for opioid addicts with her first solo trip to Capitol Hill.
Because of the law, "we are able to look at ways to reduce opioid use during pregnancy," she said in remarks thanking lawmakers for bipartisan passage of the SUPPORT Act signed by her husband.
First lady Melania Trump, center, participates in a roundtable discussion on the opioid crisis, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. The first lady marked the anniversary of the President's signing of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
The event drew a small crowd, including President Trump's senior adviser, Kellyanne Conway, and Republican members of the House and Senate. Also attending was Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, whose home state of West Virginia has the nation's highest overdose rate.
The first lady has focused on solutions to the opioid epidemic since arriving in the White House. She recently promoted Red Ribbon Week with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.