Patty Murray

You have promised that the Department will take steps to address both the needs of homeless veterans and make the needed improvements at Walla-Walla.

The latest count of veterans experiencing homelessness is increasing and increasingly troubling.

In my home State of Washington, we have a very serious need for more resources and better oversight.

I, too, share significant concerns that this is going to lead to diverting funds from the VA health system that desperately needs it.

I am disappointed again to see the Department is requesting significant cuts to this program compared to previous projections.

I am committed to getting this done, as I know you are, and I really appreciate it.

The 340B Program, which has helped a lot of our hospitals and health centers stretch their resources and serve their communities.

Over the past couple of years, through the actions of this Committee actually, we have increased the caps on the number of patients a healthcare provider can prescribe buprenorphine and expanded the types of providers who can do so.

I am really glad that we are able to bring two leaders together to face an issue, who come not only from opposite sides of the aisle, but even from opposite sides of the country.

So we are watching this issue and trying to figure out how we can change that.

I would not expect you to. But let me just ask you: Do you believe a worker seeking help from a co-worker on a problem related to any term or condition of employment should be protected from punishment from her employer for doing so?

We should be doing everything we can today to protect workers, and that, by the way, includes protection from sexual harassment.

I'm especially glad we have the opportunity to talk about the future and vital work of the National Labor Relations Board.

I want to thank you for holding this hearing today and for remaining very focused on building a bipartisan effort to address this issue.

That actually the data hub on HealthCare.Gov was the part that actually worked.

On a previous trip to a hospital in Longview, Washington, I heard how half--half--of the babies there were born to mothers addicted to opioids.

I heard from an elementary school principal, whose students should be learning to read and write, should be running around full of energy and excitement, but are, instead, struggling to focus at school because of the trauma of their…

I heard from another young parent whose children were taken away because she was unable to overcome her addiction.

I heard from a mother who felt helpless as her son experienced addiction. He sought help. He struggled with relapse and tragically died of an opioid overdose.

I heard from a young man who ended up in foster care because his parents struggled with drug use and mental health issues.

Last week, I was home in Washington State, and I heard firsthand from families and communities who are facing this epidemic.

I am optimistic that we can do this with the same bipartisan spirit we brought to this important issue.

I would just point out that recent studies showed nine out of every 10 pregnancies for women who misuse opioids are unintended, and we can't leave that out of our discussion.

I encourage them to go home and clean out their medicine cabinets and be responsible with the medications that they do have.

What is your best advice to parents in their own communities?