Political Quotes

“I rise to speak with a lot of my colleagues coming down speaking on the opiate crisis we have in all of our States. West Virginia has been hit the hardest in the Nation right now, and I want to speak to this because it is something we must address. This has been a silent killer for far too long. I don't know a person who I have ever met who doesn't know somebody in their immediate family, extended family, or close friends who has not been affected by either prescription drug abuse or illicit drug use. With that, here we are. I rise with my colleagues who have been coming down--they will be coming the rest of the day--to bring attention to this national crisis that is devastating every community. Many of the Senators you are going to hear from--and have already heard from--are from States that are dealing with an increase in this opiate abuse, just like my State of West Virginia. Just like I have, they have heard from families, community leaders who are on the front lines. They are begging for solutions, funding, and they need facilities to properly combat the scourge we have right now. Let me say to everybody who is watching, everybody who is listening in any way, shape, or form that you are hearing this: 20 years, 30 years ago, I was as guilty as everybody in the public policy arena in government, in my State government in West Virginia. If you fooled with drugs back then, we thought, well, we will put you in prison; you committed a crime. Well, guess what.…”