Dan Donovan: “I thank Congressman Guinta and Congresswoman Kuster for their leadership in this area. Mr. Speaker, this week the House…”

“I thank Congressman Guinta and Congresswoman Kuster for their leadership in this area. Mr. Speaker, this week the House of Representatives will act to pass a package of bills addressing the opioid crisis. One of them, the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act, will authorize new grant programs for cities and nonprofits for education, treatment, and enforcement, and not a minute too soon. Opioid abuse is an epidemic. It is everywhere you look. It is in our neighborhood, in our social circles, and in our schools. Too many parents have buried their sons and daughters or watched them struggle for years with addiction, treatment, and relapse. It has to stop. An effective response needs to address three areas: education, treatment, and enforcement. Today's youth have to be educated about the dangers of addiction, and loved ones need to learn to recognize the early signs. {time} 2030 The legislation the House will pass this week authorizes new grants to prevent the next generation from abusing pills and heroin. Proven diversion programs, like the drug treatment courts I participated in as district attorney of Staten Island for 12 years, should have the resources and the staffing needed to accomplish their mission: To get users off of drugs. The Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Reduction Act authorizes grants to establish new drug courts and expand those already in operation.…”