Political Quotes

“I thank Ranking Member Pallone for yielding to me, and I again want to thank Chairman Walden for bringing this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5009, Jessie's Law, and I am very proud of the work that I have done with my colleague, Tim Walberg, from Michigan. In Michigan, we are really trying to address this problem together. This story is personal to me, as it is to Congressman Walberg and my colleagues who have gotten to know Jessie's story. It has been a moving experience to be part of a process to pass this legislation in her honor. In March 2016, we lost a brave, young woman named Jessie Grubb. She was a great student, a loving daughter, a sister, and an avid runner. She was, as has been noted, recovering from an opioid addiction issue. She moved to Michigan hoping for a reset and a better future. When she had surgery for an infection related to a running injury, her parents came to take care of her and made it clear to the doctors at the hospital that she was a recovering addict and should not be prescribed opioids. As you have heard, she was discharged from the hospital with 50 oxycodone pills. Very soon after, she suffered from a fatal overdose. The story of Jessie breaks your heart, mostly because this death was preventable. We must ensure that doctors are notified when a patient has consented to sharing information related to an addiction. Jessie's Law would require that the U.S.…”