Political Quotes

“our Nation is in the midst of the worst drug epidemic in its history. There is no town too small, no suburb too wealthy to be spared. Every day, more than 115 Americans die from an opioid overdose. In the past 3 years, there has been a 53-percent spike in drug overdose deaths in Illinois, with more than 2,400 lives lost in 2016. I am glad we are finally doing something to address this crisis. To truly prevent addiction and stop the next drug epidemic, we need to look at the factors driving this crisis. I am pleased that several of my bills to help prevent opioid addiction have been included in the bill before us. Whether it is witnessing violence, experiencing a parent's opioid addiction, or facing abuse in the home, traumatic experiences can harm a child's brain. Thanks to the Adverse Childhood Experiences, ACEs, study and advancements in brain science, we know that, left unaddressed, these events can have an impact on future health problems, mental illness, drug use, and the cycle of violence. But with the right care and support, we can help heal children who experience trauma and prevent serious, negative consequences. I want to thank Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray for including legislation I introduced with Senators Heitkamp, Capito, and Murkowski. Our language will help train more teachers, doctors, social services, first responders, and the justice system to recognize signs of trauma in children and provide help to those in need.…”