I know that all of us are dedicated to ensuring that the 340B program achieves its critical mission of helping providers serve the indigent.

Make no mistake. The terms 'combating' and 'battles' are entirely appropriate; our nation is in the midst of a tremendous fight against death and devastation affecting every corner of our nation.

We are in one of the worst medical tragedies of our time, perhaps the worst.

For 2016, we have learned from an analysis by The New York Times that we have lost roughly 60,000 people to drug overdoses.

I think this committee has dealt with so much fraud.

That's important to me. So we've identified a few things here such as we have a crisis shortage of providers.

I need treatment now. Now is the best time for treatment. Giving them a waiting list is not helpful at all.

Make no mistake, the term 'combating' and 'battle' are entirely appropriate. Our nation is in the midst of a tremendous fight against death and devastation affecting every corner of our Nation.

But in this time period of which it was available, I would assume that your addiction rate, your overdose and death rates have climbed, correct?

I know when I was prescribed a lot of fentanyl and other opiates when I had an injury in Iraq, nobody ever asked me about any other questions, just, take these, take these, take these.

In 2015, there were more than 52,000 deaths from drug overdose in the U.S., with more than 33,000 deaths involving an opioid.

Yes, I want to help, but we need honest data here.

We're probably going to have to do things with the states and Federal Government providing scholarships or pay for their internships or something to get them out there.

I appreciate the gentleman's comments and his dedication to helping his State of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus), whose district is just north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to talk about…

I thank the gentleman for his impassioned words and dedication here. I want to refer back to my map here a moment. Dr. Bucshon was referring to his district in southern Indiana here, which, on this 2014 map, was already showing high…

We have to make sure we have more border security so that we are intercepting these drugs as they come across the border. We need funding for the post offices because, in many cases, unwittingly, the letter carriers are the ones who are…

I thank the gentleman from Ohio. I point also on this map here to the Cincinnati area in southern Ohio, which is one of the hot spots in 2014 that has continued to grow as a problem. We recognize this is both a local problem and a…

Now, what if they wanted to pick up an opioid prescription? Do they have to show an ID? Are they required by law to have the same kind of restrictions?

As a pharmacist, when people come into the pharmacy, for example, if they want to get Sudafed, a cold medication, they have to go through some special process. It is behind counter. Is that right?

But as the gentleman knows, that is data within the State, but across State lines, that data is still not populated.

Tonight, I am joined by a number of Members here to talk about one of the most insidious problems our Nation has faced in a long time. It is the problem of opioid abuse. We are in a crisis mode. We have now reached a point where we will…

I appreciate that. That is a problem we are going to have to fix in our committee. I want to call up the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Johnson), eastern Ohio. Speaking of being able to jump across State lines and have prescriptions filled…

I thank the gentleman from Ohio. I want to next recognize the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bucshon). Certainly he sees this issue, too. As I mentioned before, one of the problems physicians have, if they do not know what kind of…

I thank my colleague and friend for his dedication on this issue. And, yes, he is right: we have to cross party lines and work on this together. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot), another friend, who has seen…

I thank the chairman for his passion and hard work on the Energy and Commerce Committee. We know this is a life- and-death issue. This is one of those things where Members are coming together from both sides of the aisle to deal with. Let…