Political Quotes

“I thank Ms. Clark. Mr. Speaker, first, I want to take a moment to thank my colleagues Mr. Guinta, Ms. Kuster, and Ms. Clark for their work and tireless efforts to combat the heroin epidemic that is sweeping across our Nation. Over the last 15 years, heroin-related deaths have quadrupled, leaving families and communities across this country shattered. This crisis has been felt acutely in my district where the region is a major pipeline for illicit drug trafficking. Last November, law enforcement in Washington County, New York, made 11 arrests in one morning of individuals who were illegally selling heroin, cocaine, and prescription drugs. In New York's North Country, I have seen and heard from those in recovery and from those still struggling that heroin addiction and prescription drug abuse is a lifelong challenge. In my district, heroin addiction tragedies have caused parents to bury their children and have left spouses widowed and young children parentless. These drugs reach out and impact even the strongest members of our communities. Addiction is a disease that does not discriminate. The support offered by treatment centers like St. Joseph's Addiction Treatment & Recovery Center in Saranac Lake is critical to those who suffer from this disease. Several veterans whom I had the opportunity to visit with at St.…”