NJ Gov. Chris Christie insists GOP budget won't cut drug control amid opioid crisis

He also said governors like him know what's best for their own residents.

ByABC News
May 9, 2017, 9:27 AM

— -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who’s leading a new commission to combat the opioid drug crisis, said this morning that he doesn't believe proposed Republican cuts to drug control efforts will actually occur in the end.

"I have good reason to believe that's not going to happen," Christie told ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos, who pressed Christie on “Good Morning America” about federal funding in the battle against the opioid crisis afflicting parts of the country.

Christie also addressed the GOP health bill passed by the House last week, expressing concern about how it handles essential benefits.

To that end, Christie said, he favors President Trump's wanting to give more power to states.

"Governors know what's best for their people," he said.

"For eight years, Republican governors were clamoring for [the Obama administration] to give us more control.”

Christie denied that the new GOP health care bill would hurt people in his home state, and also said that he believed it will be a different bill whenever it leaves the Senate.

"I don't think this is a final product," he said of the House version that passed last week.

The governor also commented on retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser, who is now facing multiple investigations in connection to his communications with the Russian ambassador to the United States.

"General Flynn and I did not see eye to eye on certain things," Christie said.

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