Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the opioid crisis impacting all Americans. Opioids, such as illicit fentanyl, are flooding across our open borders and sweeping across our Nation and into every town and city. In fiscal year 2022, 14,700 pounds of illicit fentanyl were confiscated at our southern border. How much came across that wasn't confiscated? Over 75,000 Americans lost their lives last year to opioid overdoses, many of them accidental. To help combat this, I introduced the Preventing Overdoses and Saving Lives Act this year, alongside my friend and colleague, Representative Debbie Dingell of Michigan. This legislation was inspired by my home State of Arkansas, which currently encourages prescribers of opioids to also co-prescribe an opioid overdose reversal medication, such as naloxone. This summer, that legislation passed the House in a bipartisan mental health package. Madam Speaker, I am hopeful my colleagues in the Senate will work to move this valuable piece of legislation forward because the data is clear--co-prescribing helps save lives. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. ____________________”