On the recordMay 11, 2016
I thank Mr. Barletta for yielding the time and for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Infant Plan of Safe Care Improvement Act. Like many of the bills the House has slated to consider this week, this legislation will help address the growing opioid epidemic that has swept across America, focusing specifically on the most vulnerable among us. This crisis has led to a number of painful consequences for individuals and families across the country. But few are as tragic as those suffered by infants born to parents struggling with an opioid addiction. As is often the case with addiction, the parents' struggle affects those around them, including their newborns. In fact, according to a recent Reuters investigation mentioned earlier by Mr. Barletta, more than 130,000 babies born in the United States in the last decade entered the world addicted to drugs. This report described the pain suffered by newborns going through withdrawal and told the stories of infants who actually lost their lives because of a terrible addiction. Many of the stories are too disturbing to even mention. But perhaps even more disturbing than the details is the fact that these deaths should have been prevented. Current policies, including the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, are meant to prevent these tragedies from ever happening. The law is simple.…
