Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, again, I support this legislation, the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, and other efforts of my colleagues to address the opioid crisis, but these policies will only be a drop in the bucket if the administration continues undermining access to affordable, comprehensive healthcare that includes robust Affordable Care Act protections for preexisting conditions like substance use disorder. If we are to stem the tide of this epidemic, Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers must fully cover addiction treatment and safer alternatives to opioids for pain. One thing is clear: Changing policy alone won't stop this crisis. We also need more resources for prevention, treatment, and innovative solutions. The urgent need for more funding is wide and varied. Prevention programs need to be able to reach more people. Researchers need additional funding to gather data that will drive effective solutions. Overstretched public health departments need to be able to coordinate a comprehensive response. Treatment facilities need more beds and more staff. Healthcare providers need further education and training. We must increase the resources to match the scale of this problem, this crisis, and focus on making smart investments to adequately address the opioid crisis.…”