The crisis has continued to evolve, and the challenges that we face have continued to evolve along with it.

As we know, the country is in the midst of an epidemic unlike any in recent history.

Congress continues to invest $1.5 billion in SAMHSA's state opioid response grants.

Today, the Committee continues its bipartisan efforts to combat the opioid crisis.

Given the complexity of the epidemic and its ability to evolve, states, federal government agencies, and Congress must remain vigilant.

Today, the subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations is holding a hearing entitled 'A Public Health Emergency: State Efforts to Curb the Opioid Crisis.'

Looking forward, the Committee is focused on identifying ways to stem this crisis and bring relief to the millions of Americans who are suffering.

The country is in the midst of an epidemic unlike any in recent history.

Today's hearing focuses on an area of longstanding concern to this committee that has taken on increased importance: The safety and effectiveness of pharmaceutical products made in foreign countries.

Because the FDA can't possibly test every new drug that comes into the U.S., inspections of drug manufacturers abroad are a critical way to ensure that manufacturers around the world are following quality standards and producing drugs that…

I think that'd be really helpful.

This hearing should not be interpreted as an indictment of foreign drug manufacturing generally.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance bipartisan reform that will actually lower drug prices.

The year after that hearing, the world was reminded why securing the global pharmaceutical supply chain is critical, when it was discovered that tainted ingredients were used to produce heparin, which is a critical drug used in surgery and…

data challenges we identified in our 2008 report continue to make it difficult for FDA to accurately identify establishments subject to inspection.

If saving the planet for our children and our grandchildren isn't enough, how about 21st century economic dominance?

I have been trying to find a bipartisan cosponsor of this legislation that would be a market-based solution...

I am, frankly, very concerned by this implication that, since it is an international problem... we should somehow just sit around.

We define American excellence and leadership in climate here in Congress, not by the terrible energy policies of China and India.

A necessary goal if we are to safeguard our planet and future generations from the devastating effects of climate change.

But as I've said numerous times before, we can and will do better to improve the effectiveness.

The fact that our Nation's flu vaccination rates continue to be well below our national target of 70 to 90 percent is alarming.

I have confidence that our Federal, State, and local public health experts have put us in a strong position to respond this year's flu season.

I hope that the witnesses today can provide us an update on the efforts underway to further strengthen vaccine confidence and improve the annual vaccination rates.

Get your flu shot. This week's a good time to do it because it's the flu shot week...