Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the committee for all his hard work and for especially shepherding these 57 bills that we got through committee on the opioid crisis that we have in this country. I thank him for that and for helping on this piece of legislation today. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4284, the INFO Act, the Indexing Narcotics, Fentanyl, and Opioids Act. In Ohio, we have experienced some of the worst of the crisis. In a 12-month period ending June 30 of last year, 5,232 lives were lost due to overdoses. That is a 39 percent increase from the previous year and three times the national average. In talking with my constituents across the district, I have learned that to make a real difference in the lives of those who are struggling with addiction, we need to get more data, information, and funding into the hands of the right people. That is exactly what the INFO Act does. My bill creates a public dashboard consisting of comprehensive information and data on nationwide efforts to combat the opioid crisis. Establishing a one-stop shop makes it easier for advocates, healthcare providers, and State and local governments to access Federal funding, data on opioid abuse, and the best practices for treatment. Due to this crisis, we are losing 115 Americans a day across this Nation. The time to act is now. I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this legislation.”