U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner and a coalition of bipartisan lawmakers are pushing for immediate passage of legislation to keep the lights on at 21 community health centers in Colorado that treat 830,000 patients.

Congress has to reauthorize the national community investment act, or it expires Nov. 21 and will impact 29 million patients nationwide.

Gardner and 26 lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle wrote a letter to Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Democrat Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, urging speedy passage of the bill.

“These centers work to combat the opioid epidemic, offer preventive care to patients, and treat chronic conditions to improve the health of those they serve while saving taxpayer dollars.”

We much prefer the treatment of opioid addiction through community centers rather than taking the radical step of legalizing injection centers, and urge Congress to get their act together and do as Gardner says to keep these community centers operating.