Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this Rural Opioid Abuse Prevention Act. I am from rural America. I am from rural Iowa, and I have seen the effects of opioids. It affects all ages. Those that are in high school that get hurt, that have a knee go out or a shoulder, they get affected by taking opioids. This bipartisan legislation, which I introduced with my colleague, Conor Lamb, will help prevent opioid abuse and overdoses in rural America. In 2021 alone, nearly 100,000 Americans died from some drug overdose. This is unacceptable. This bill can do something about it. My legislation will help the most vulnerable in rural America, in rural communities, recover from addiction and provide our first responders with the support they need to save lives. There are too many barriers to rural healthcare right now, and we need to ensure that our Federal programs can efficiently reach communities in rural America that can make a difference when it comes to opioid abuse, and that is exactly what this bill does. I urge my colleagues to support this important program because too many families have lost loved ones to the opioid epidemic, and they have also been affected by a family member's addiction. That needs to change. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this bill.”