Political Quotes

“I rise this morning to tell the story of Alex Recupido, a troubled high school graduate of 2010, an accomplished pianist, a kid who was known for his creativity. He had gotten his nursing license and had moved to Florida when prescription drugs led to a heroin addiction and Alex died in 2014. Sadly, Alex is not alone as 723 people died last year in my small State of Connecticut, and roughly 30,000 Americans will die this year of opioid addiction. By any standard, this is a national emergency. At great long last, this House is acting this week on a series of bills to improve the training, the awareness, and the treatment that we offer to people who are caught in this cycle. I am concerned, though, Mr. Speaker, that the total funds called for by all of these bills-- about $100 million--is completely inadequate for a national emergency. At the end of the day, it is the resources, not the words, that we must offer. I believe we can do better. Our citizens are worth it. For people out there like Alex Recupido, it is a matter of life and death. ____________________”