Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Gowdy for his leadership and for working together to craft this legislation. I thank Chairman Meadows and Ranking Member Connolly for helping us reach the compromises that made this legislation possible. In 1988, Mr. Speaker, Congress created the Office of National Drug Control Policy. This is the office that should be coordinating our Nation's drug control efforts and leading our response to the drug crisis, which is now, by the way, killing 175 people per day. Let me repeat that: killing 175 people per day. However, ONDCP is failing, just when we need it the most. In fact, an article published this week described the office this way: ``empty desks, squabbles, inexperienced staff.'' The failure is glaring. For example, the office is required to produce a national drug control strategy by February 1 of each year. Two February 1sts have now come and two have gone since President Trump took office, but the Trump administration still has not come up with a solution to this most glaring and painful problem. This is simply unacceptable. Life expectancy in this Nation is falling because we are failing to respond appropriately to this drug crisis. We urgently need to revitalize and strengthen ONDCP. H.R. 5925, the CRISIS Act, would make changes we need and would improve our drug control efforts if it is fully funded and implemented--fully funded and implemented.…”