Annie Kuster: “I want to speak candidly and directly to the American people. There are many, many issues that we agree upon…”

“I want to speak candidly and directly to the American people. There are many, many issues that we agree upon, Republicans and Democrats, coming together to solve big challenges. In my district in New Hampshire, people are dying, and they are dying from an emergency that did not exist--a continuing resolution will not solve their problem--and that is the opioid epidemic that hits districts all across this country. People are dying, families are suffering, and our communities are hurting. We need to come together, and we can. We have a bipartisan task force with 100 Members of Congress, Republicans and Democrats. Just this week, 50 Members, Republicans and Democrats, came together to ask for funding for this emergency crisis. We ask the President: Extend the emergency. We need to fund, and now is the time. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent, please, together, Republicans and Democrats, bring up H.R. 4872, the End the Shutdown Act of 2018, a continuing resolution that would immediately reopen the government through Tuesday while we continue negotiations on a budget agreement that adheres to parity and other critical issues like this opioid epidemic. This is urgent. Please, I ask my brothers and sisters on both sides of the aisle. The SPEAKER pro tempore. As the Chair has previously advised, that request cannot be entertained absent appropriate clearance. ____________________”