John Rice Carter: “I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for yielding and for his efforts, along with Dr. Bucshon and others across the…”

“I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for yielding and for his efforts, along with Dr. Bucshon and others across the aisle, Congressman Gene Green and all those who have been involved in this. This is a very important subject. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4981 because making sure modern treatments are available for opioid addiction should be one of our top priorities in the fight against opioid drug abuse. H.R. 4981 makes reforms to the Controlled Substances Act that would modernize the way doctors approach opioid addiction and how patients obtain treatment. These reforms, which make treatment tools more available to patients, are one more step we can take to improve treatment services for patients. With these reforms, more patients will receive higher quality care, increasing the success of overall treatment. As a lifelong healthcare professional, I have witnessed patients firsthand who have struggled with receiving care for their addiction. We must stop the cycle of failing to provide patients with proper care because the system is not adequately structured to provide it. The only way we are able to provide the appropriate care is if we continue to support the evolution of treatment and care for this ever- changing opioid abuse epidemic. That is why I am supporting H.R. 4981. By reforming the way treatment is provided, we can begin to truly help all patients with opioid addiction. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.”