[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 75 (Thursday, May 12, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H2290]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                              OPIOID BILLS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Tennessee (Mrs. Black) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. BLACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the action the 
House is taking this week to combat the crisis of opioid abuse.
  As a registered nurse, I have seen the grim reality of the addiction 
from all sides. I have witnessed its grip on families--the way it 
slowly steals the life behind its victims' eyes and how what was 
thought to be a quick fix can easily spiral into a deadly experience.
  We all know that addiction is an equal opportunity destroyer of 
potential. It does not care about your race, gender, income, or 
political party. Therefore, the solutions that we offer in Congress 
must also reach across artificial boundaries to help all who are 
touched by this epidemic to get back on their feet.
  I am proud that, all told, the House will take up 18 bills this week 
that are aimed at combating opioid abuse. Among these solutions is a 
bill creating an interagency task force to ensure healthcare 
professionals have up-to-date guidelines and best practices for 
treating patients with acute and chronic pain. This is critically 
important as 17 percent of opioid users today get their highs from 
medications that are legally prescribed to them by a doctor.
  The House also passed legislation that makes it safer for veterans to 
seek pain management care. Specifically, the bill would require the VA 
employees who prescribe opioids to receive education and training on 
pain management while also calling for a government watchdog report on 
the VA opioid use and treatment.
  Importantly, for me as a nurse, Congress has additionally taken steps 
to protect newborns from the exposure to addictive opioid drugs while 
in the womb. This includes legislation to authorize residential 
treatment grant programs for pregnant and postpartum women who have 
substance abuse problems, as well as a bill calling for a government 
study on the prevalence of neonatal abstinence syndrome and offering 
recommendations to improve access to treatment.

                              {time}  1045

  While these bills offer an important starting point, Congress cannot 
singlehandedly legislate away the threat of opioid abuse. It takes 
willing partners in our community to help raise awareness and intervene 
before addiction sets in.
  I was reminded of this recently when I visited and met with the Smith 
County Anti-Drug Coalition back in my district. This organization is 
going into schools to arm young people with the facts about drug abuse. 
They are providing drop boxes in the public spaces so citizens can 
safely dispose of unused medication, and they are working with law 
enforcement to ensure that their efforts are as effective as possible. 
We can never underestimate the importance of nonprofits and volunteer-
supported organizations like this.
  Mr. Speaker, opioid addicts are not bad people trying to be good. 
They are sick people trying to get well. When we come together with an 
eye on the solution and an emphasis on personal responsibility, we can 
find victory over this preventable disease and help those who are 
hurting to reassemble their lives and regain their pursuit of the 
American Dream.

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