MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist Nikki Sixx has issued the following update:

"I was recently asked to speak in Washington, DC for National Recovery Month by Cynthia Moreno Tuohy from NAADAC (The Association for Addiction Professionals) and Dr. Westley Clark from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Being in recovery myself, it was a no-brainer. To sit alongside Congressmen and women from both the House and the Senate, from Liberals to Conservatives, and, not only showing statistics but promoting the awareness of what is not only one of America’s number one health care issues, but a global epidemic was life-changing for me.

The focus for me on addiction is not only helping to save lives who are in the midst of their addiction but the rippling affect it has on our families, work force and communities. It affects our economic structure and threatens the welfare of our children and our children’s children. When I think of the word “recovery”, I think of recovering what we have lost so we can get back to what it is we started out dreaming and working towards achieving. Alcoholics and addicts are generally above-average in intelligence and over-achievers, so its no surprise that when you treat the addiction, the achievements are usually unsurpassed by few.

The recent Artist-on-Artist piece MySpace did on me and Chester Bennington shows what artists in recovery can accomplish. Both of us are in successful bands (Mötley and LINKIN PARK) have side bands (SIXX:A.M. and DEAD BY SUNRISE) and clothing lines (Royal Underground and Club Tattoo, V-Sell). I will be sharing my experience in addiction and recovery in my book “The Heroin Diaries” and donating proceeds to Covenant House to help at-risk children on the streets. I believe awareness can be achieved through standard and alternative ways (i.e. music, books, statistics, media, and person-to-person communication.) It’s almost a national crime that people who need treatment can’t get it due to lack of support from many insurance companies. Join me and others in not only raising awareness on Drug and Alcohol Recovery Month, but in supporting the Paul Wellstone House Bill 1424."