Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Murphy for his incredible leadership on this important topic and for holding this Special Order this evening. I can tell you, the citizens of the State of Ohio are paying attention. The opioid epidemic continues to intensify with over 2 million people addicted to prescription opioids and more than half a million addicted to heroin in 2015, alone. According to an estimate from The New York Times, drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans under 50; and drug overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death in our country, with prescription opioids responsible for more than 20,000 deaths in the United States just in 2015, according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine. I have to mention that Medicaid plays an important role in addressing this epidemic because it is a lifeline program, providing coverage to over 650,000 non-elderly adults with opioid addiction and covering a range of treatment services. Ohio, tragically, leads the Nation in opioid overdoses in 2014. Sadly, deaths have continued to rise with increased use of heroin and fentanyl. Many States have expanded Medicaid, including Ohio, to cover adults who make a modest $16,500 a year per individual. By broadening coverage of adults, the Medicaid expansion reaches many low-income adults with opioid addiction who were previously ineligible for coverage and facilitates access to treatment.…”