Rosa DeLauro

I talked to families who have the firsthand knowledge of the heartbreak and the havoc that is caused by addiction.

Last year's omnibus moved the Federal budget in the right direction.

I do have a worry that we are not going to be able to make these kinds of increases again without a stronger allocation.

We were able to secure a $50,000,000 increase to the mental health block grant, and a $38,000,000 increase to the substance abuse prevention and treatment block grant program for 2016.

Public service is the rent you pay for space on this Earth.

I think there are many folks, and I don't know if you share this view, Mr. Chairman, that are here who think...

We ought to take a look at how we can make it more accessible and do that in a way, since we know what it does.

The answer is not incarceration. The answer is treatment.

What about the medication-assisted treatment, which seems to be a good road to follow?

Your leadership in shedding light on this issue, your commitment to speaking with families, to visiting our providers, is so greatly appreciated because the scope and depth of the crisis is really measured in human terms.

Connecticut has a large population of veterans and active military personnel, and you support military families and veterans.

I am grateful for that effort. And, look, we have got more and more people retiring every day...

We can put a trained AmeriCorps member from one of our programs like FoodCorps and others, nutritionists literally in every school there teaching the children, their parents, the faculty, the community leaders.

I am going to work like hell to be able to get the Department of Agriculture to be able to take these kids and get them WIC help from age 5 to 10 instead of just up to age 5.

I think that we helped to restore funds in that program last year, and I think the explanation that Ms. Spencer has given us about the value of the program moves us in the direction of looking at really public investment and private…

National service is a core American value. It makes this country exceptional.

I would hope we could have a hearing on the high cost of prescription drugs in this committee and during this period of time.

I shudder when I think of 9,000 children who have lead poisoning, which is irreversible.

Are we examining the opportunity for Head Start for all eligible children?

Unbelievable tragedy, 8,000 kids. Doctors, everyone tells us lead poisoning is irreversible, OK?

If we had received an allocation that was commensurate with our portion of discretionary spending, we would have received an additional $5,200,000,000 to what we have had.

I was disappointed to see cuts to cancer screenings and public health programs at the CDC.

I strongly believe, as you know, that programs in the HHS budget are among the most important responsibilities that the Federal Government has.

It is imperative that we resolve the crisis immediately, provide health and education interventions that these children and their families will need going forward.

A contract of citizenship defines the duties of care that a public official owes to the people of a democratic society.