Political Quotes

“I appreciate the comments from my colleague from Rhode Island, who is the author of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. That is the underlying bill we were trying to amend. I would just point out that despite what the honorable chairman of the Budget Committee said, the fact is that the emergency supplemental funding amendment we introduced is very specific about where the funding goes. It goes to programs that are addressed in CARA, expanded, and improved; the substance abuse prevention and treatment block grants that go to the States to be distributed, funding the law enforcement through the Byrne-JAG and COPS grants that are very specific in how they can be used to fight heroin and opioid abuse. Like my colleague, I am disappointed--not surprised but disappointed. I very much appreciate those people who voted for this amendment, who were willing--particularly some of my colleagues from the other side of the aisle--who were willing to step forward and say, if we are going to address this problem, we have to provide the resources that communities, that States need to fight this addiction. The question I have for those people who didn't vote to support this amendment is, How many more people have to die before we are willing to provide the resources that are needed to fight this epidemic--47,000 people in 2014. In New Hampshire, we are losing more than a person a day.…”