Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, all Members of the Chamber are acutely aware of the devastation caused by the opioid epidemic. The epidemic is destroying lives and families across the United States. It affects every area of our country, and grandparents, parents, and children alike. Especially during the course of this week, we have been reminded that over 64,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2016. More than 20 percent of these deaths resulted from an overdose of synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which can be as much as 100 times more powerful than painkillers like morphine. Additionally, synthetic analogues with street names like K2, spice, bath salts, or molly, are designed to mimic other drugs like marijuana, LSD, and ecstasy, and can be more potent and deadly than the real thing. Criminal drug manufacturers, largely from China and Mexico, work continuously to stay ahead of our laws by altering the molecular structure of their drugs as soon as the government bans them. The Controlled Substance Act, which was signed into law more than 40 years ago, was designed to protect the public from the dangers associated with drugs and drug use. However, this law was not designed to handle the magnitude and speed with which these new psychoactive substances have emerged in our communities. It currently takes 3 years to schedule a new drug, but criminals can skirt the law by quickly changing a drug molecule and get it to the U.S.…”