Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to speak in favor of this bipartisan bill and thank Representative McNerney and Representative Griffith for working so hard to advance this important policy. Currently, there are limited data on the long-term efficacy of opioids, their increased addictive tendencies over time, and their overall place in the treatment of pain. This legislation will enhance the Food and Drug Administration's authorities and enforcement tools to ensure timely post-marketing studies for chronically administered opioids. Collecting and analyzing data is the best way to ensure that patients and physicians have access to evidence-based treatments. This bill will advance our understanding of the science underlying long-term use of opioids, and I encourage my colleagues to support its passage. Mr. Speaker, I especially appreciate the work of the sponsors of this bill, including Representative Griffith, who would be here with us to speak in favor of this legislation but for traffic congestion on his way back from his district that has detained him from getting here as he had previously scheduled. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.”