[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 20 (Wednesday, February 3, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S531-S532]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, as I recently mentioned, Speaker Ryan 
and I had an opportunity to discuss some important public health issues 
at the

[[Page S532]]

White House yesterday. One was the Zika virus. We know there is an 
increasing amount of concern about the spread of this virus and what it 
could mean for the United States as we head toward warmer summer 
months.
  Given the public concern that followed the first Ebola case in our 
country, I think we could all benefit from having a better 
understanding of what preparations are being made to protect Americans. 
To that end, I have asked Secretary Burwell and her team to come to the 
Senate to brief relevant committees and leaders in both parties. This 
briefing will happen next week. I appreciate the Secretary's 
willingness to meet this request in such a timely manner, and I know 
the information will be useful to Members and their constituents.
  Another public health issue we discussed is the opioid epidemic that 
continues to have such a profound impact on families and communities 
across the State I represent and, of course, across the Nation as well.
  Despite all of the important steps Kentucky has taken at the State 
level to address this epidemic, the Commonwealth still suffers from 
some of the highest drug overdose rates in the country, driven by 
prescription drug pain killers, heroin, and more recently fentanyl, a 
synthetic opioid that is more powerful than heroin. Republicans and 
Democrats are working together to identify bipartisan solutions to this 
challenge, and I look forward to seeing that collaborative work 
continue.

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