I know that he and I both care very, very deeply about this very, very pressing problem that is occurring all across the Commonwealth and, in fact, across our country.

Senate bill 1410 would increase the block grant funding, the so-called Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant.

Senator Toomey outlined that we have a number of legislative proposals.

We have to look at that as a problem in its own right.

I hope you can take a look at it, Senate bill 1455, which would lift that cap.

It seems to me that stopping this epidemic and healing our communities will require at least a three-pronged approach.

Over 5 years, 3,000 people in this State have died either by way of opioid problems or heroin.

Thank you, Senator Toomey and Senator Casey, for your leadership on this issue.

We all say that, but I am not sure those of us who are not professionals or have experience with it fully understand what we are saying or the meaning of it.

I want to focus on the question of resources, and this happens on a pretty regular basis in this town, where folks in Congress will say the IRS or any other agency has to do X, Y, and Z, sometimes pointing the accusatory finger, but not providing the follow-up and the resources that are essential.

All public service is a trust, given in faith and accepted in honor.