Sheila Jackson Lee: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. I just want to add my voice and thank Mr. Upton, as the chair of the conference, and…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. I just want to add my voice and thank Mr. Upton, as the chair of the conference, and Mr. Pallone, and all of the conferees, for what I thought was a significant historical moment. We have passed legislation, as a member of the Judiciary Committee, with no mandatory minimums. Our CARA bill speaks about grants, helping people overcome their addiction, but more importantly, helping communities. My community alone is suffering from something called Kush. That is not heroin, but all of these issues have to be confronted as a health epidemic. I thank the gentleman for accepting my amendment dealing with other drugs, about dealing with a public health epidemic, and I ask for support of the conference report. Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss the conference report for S. 524, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. The conference report is the product of a long process of consultation and hard work between Congress and experts and advocates representing a wide range of interests--including victims, addiction treatment specialists, and law enforcement. In many respects, this bill is a compromise--but it does reflect advances in our approach to substance addiction issues. As a Member of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic I have worked with my colleagues to come together with a comprehensive legislative package to address this national epidemic.…”