Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to offer amendment 2 on behalf of my colleague, Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, who welcomed her second son, Sam, last week. Unfortunately, outdated House rules prevent Congresswoman Pettersen from voting remotely while she recovers and cares for her newborn. I am proud to stand here today to advance the critical amendment that she authored, one that ensures the legislation before us does what it is intended to do: Save lives. This amendment adds a straightforward but essential guardrail. Before this bill can take effect, the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General must certify that it will actually reduce overdose deaths. Mr. Speaker, we are at a pivotal point in the fight against the opioid crisis. For the first time since 2018, overdose deaths have declined over a 12-month period. That is not by chance. It is because of evidence-based strategies, including many championed by the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force. The investments we have made to disrupt the illicit drug trade, expand access to treatment and recovery support, and make naloxone widely available, they are working. We should be building on this progress, not undermining it. That is what this amendment ensures. While we have made real strides in this fight, the reality is still devastating: More than 80,000 Americans lost their lives to overdoses in 2024.…”