John Rice Carter: “I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his long-time support of these types of issues, both as a member…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his long-time support of these types of issues, both as a member of the Georgia State legislature and as a Member of this august body. Representative Collins has consistently and very diligently worked on these issues. As the son of a law enforcement officer, he understands all too well the importance of making sure that our communities are safe, and I thank him for his support of this. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and of the House amendment to S. 524. This week, the House has worked hard to pass 18 bills that address almost every facet of the opioid abuse epidemic. We called for the creation of a task force to develop best practices for pain management and prescribing pain medication. We have authorized grants for local and State agencies to better fight this epidemic through better resources. We have expanded care for newborn infants who are affected by illegal substance abuse. We have improved comprehensive opioid abuse treatment to pregnant and postpartum women. We have also created safety measures for the use of opioids when treating veterans who have chronic pain. I am proud of the measures this body has passed that make up the House amendment to S. 524. Mr. Speaker, our Nation is facing an opioid epidemic, and no community is safe. It affects all communities across the Nation whether they be urban, suburban, or rural.…”