Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman, the ranking member, Mr. Pallone, for yielding and for his leadership on this issue. I also want to thank Congressman Latta, as well as Chairman Greg Walden and my colleagues: Chris Collins, Trey Gowdy, and G. K. Butterfield, who all were sponsors of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 449, the Synthetic Drug Awareness Act. H.R. 449 addresses a critical and sometimes overlooked threat: the use of synthetic drugs by teenagers. It requires the Surgeon General to prepare a report on the public health effects of synthetic drug use by individuals aged 12 to 18 throughout America. With the information this study will provide, Congress can work to prevent substance abuse by younger Americans through an enhanced and enlightened lens. The opioid crisis has ravaged families across the country, without regard to ZIP Code, income, race, religion, or gender. Unfortunately, this public health emergency is now taking hold, in insidious ways, of our Nation's young people. Throughout the country, the drug overdose death rate has more than doubled during the past decade amongst younger Americans. This troubling phenomenon, in part, results from the rise and availability of potent and dangerous substances like illicit fentanyl, and synthetic marijuana, drugs that fall within the category covered by this legislation. Fentanyl, for instance, can be 50 to 100 times stronger than opioids, heroin, or morphine.…”