Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to the thousands of American families affected by the opioid epidemic. I am pleased the House is working in a bipartisan manner to address this crisis. However, we could be doing more. The prescription opioid death rate has more than quadrupled since the late 1990s. In 2014, prescription opioids played a role in more than 28,000 overdose deaths. We must equip our communities with the resources needed to reverse these trends. Yes, authorizing new grant programs, reports, and studies is an important step, but without new funding, communities won't be able to fully implement these initiatives. On Wednesday, the majority blocked a Democratic substitute opioids package which would have provided $600 million--paid for, I might add-- to fund the initiatives we have considered this week. I understand the need to get our fiscal house in order, but I don't understand the impulse to do so on the backs of millions of Americans grappling with opioid abuse. These bills are great, and I wholeheartedly support them, but we need to put our money where our mouth is. This epidemic does not discriminate. It has touched every corner of our Nation, from my hometown of New York City to the shores of the Pacific. So many Americans have already felt its impact. We need to do everything we can to keep it from impacting more of our families, our friends, and our constituents.…”