[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 20, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5908-S5909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. LEAHY (for himself and Mr. Grassley):
  S. 3359. A bill to amend title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and 
Safe Streets Act of 1968 to authorize grants for heroin and 
methamphetamine task forces; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I have come to this floor many times to 
speak about the toll the abuse of prescription opioids and heroin has 
taken on our communities. When I talk with Vermonters about this 
crisis, whether at our Judiciary Committee field hearings in Vermont or 
in conversations at kitchen tables or on street corners, I hear how 
opioid abuse destroys lives, tears apart families, and overwhelms 
communities.
  As a lifelong Vermonter, I am proud of our small State. I see law 
enforcement and community leaders joining together. They have taken a 
real constructive approach to fighting addiction. They have created 
innovative and successful programs, such as the Rapid Intervention 
Community Court in Burlington and Project VISION in Rutland. The Boys & 
Girls Clubs throughout Vermont are working with schools and public 
health officials to help children affected by this epidemic. They are 
trying to keep them from being swept up into that world. Our local 
television stations are participating in public awareness campaigns. 
They are educating our citizens about drug abuse. These are the 
positive efforts that make me proud to be a Vermonter. But I am not 
just here to praise the good work in my State. I am here to work for my 
State and for all States that are coping with this drug addiction 
scourge--because all States are.
  Earlier this year, Congress took an important step forward by passing 
the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, or CARA. This new law 
treats addiction as the public health crisis it is. I was proud to 
support this legislation in the Senate. But the final product fell 
short. CARA did not include the funding necessary to put its programs 
to work. The final legislation stripped out many of the best practices 
that were included in the Senate bill, including, among others, my 
provision to authorize the anti-heroin task force program I helped to 
establish. This provision was approved overwhelmingly by the Senate, 
and I thank my colleagues--Republicans and Democrats--who joined with 
me on that. But it was stripped out at the last minute by the House. 
That was really a shortsighted decision. It could hamper law 
enforcement agencies' ability to keep illegal opioids out of our 
communities.
  So today I am introducing bipartisan legislation along with Senator 
Grassley to help ensure that State and local law enforcement agencies 
can get the necessary funding and the support for anti-heroin task 
forces around the country. Our bill would authorize the Attorney 
General to provide grants to law enforcement agencies--those agencies 
that are engaged in statewide collaborative efforts to investigate and 
stop the unlawful trafficking of heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and 
prescription opioids. The bill also authorizes grants to support task 
forces to combat the trafficking of methamphetamines.
  Our States are seeing an influx of powerful, deadly opioids that have 
never been seen by law enforcement before. Communities that have been 
struggling with heroin and prescription drug abuse are now encountering 
opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil. What is so frightening about 
these is that they can kill the user even in small amounts. So I think 
we have a responsibility--all of us in Congress--to support smart 
policies and reduce the demand for these poisons. We must support 
targeted enforcement efforts to keep them out of our communities in the 
first place.
  Now, I know these task forces work. Last month I heard from Vermont 
law enforcement officials who shared examples of how the Vermont Drug 
Task Force is helping to combat heroin trafficking in our State. The 
Vermont Drug Task Force has seen a significant increase in heroin 
investigations so far this year--up 70 percent from the same period 
last year. The task force has seized the equivalent of more than 94,000 
bags of heroin this year alone, with a street value of more than $1 
million. Now, in an urban area that might not seem like much, but our 
State has 625,000 people. The largest city in our State has 38,000 
people. We are being hammered by this.
  But there is good news. The recent addition of five new investigative 
positions, as a result of Vermont's $1.4 million anti-heroin task force 
grant, could not come at a more critical time. So this legislation will 
provide the anti-

[[Page S5909]]

heroin task force program with the resources they need to help more 
States, just like it is helping in Vermont.
  I say this because we should know and the American public should know 
that our work in Congress on opioid abuse and addiction did not end 
when we passed CARA. In fact, I would say that it only began. If we are 
serious about combating drug addiction--and all of us will say we are 
against it, but if we are really serious--then we have to invest in our 
communities. Let us build on what we know is working. Let us give law 
enforcement agencies the tools they need to do their job effectively.
  In my State of Vermont, I spend considerable time every month. I was 
there just a couple of days ago. We are a special State because you can 
talk with people. My wife Marcelle and I will talk with people coming 
out of church on Sunday or in the grocery store or just walking down 
the street to pick up our paper. Some of the stories we hear are so 
sad. We hear from people we have known for years--wonderful families, 
pillars of the community--who will tell us of their son or daughter 
suffering from opioid and other addictions. The saddest, though, are 
those people we have known who have lost a member of their family 
because of the powerful new drugs coming on the market.
  I saw a lot of terrible things in this area when I was a prosecutor, 
but nothing like what we are seeing today. So let us look at the 
legislation that Senator Grassley and I are introducing. Let us stop 
trying to fight this with slogans and goodwill. Let us fight it with 
real tools.
  Again, I would add, let us not just rely--any of us--on saying we are 
against this. Let us do something. It is too bad the House stripped out 
much of what we had done well in our bill, but there is no reason why 
we cannot fight to put it back in. There is no reason why we cannot get 
the funding necessary. This will only work if we have the tools and the 
money.
  I know that in our State it is not just law enforcement but the faith 
community, educators, parents, Boys & Girls Clubs, and medical 
professionals who are all working together. It is not just numbers. 
Every one of us--almost every one of us in our State--knows people who 
have suffered. I want to go back home and say that we are doing 
something to help them.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mrs. FISCHER (for herself and Mrs. Feinstein):
  S. 3364. A bill to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
carry out a pilot program to accept the donation of facilities and 
related improvements for use by the Department of Veterans Affairs; to 
the Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the CHIP IN 
for Vets Act.
  Lengthy delays and cost overruns have impeded construction of new 
health care facilities for our veterans, raising roadblocks between 
them and the quality health care they have earned. These delays and 
overruns have not only negatively impacted our veterans' access to 
care, but also our nation's confidence in their health care system.
  My legislation would create a 5-year pilot program that would allow 
communities to contribute real property toward on-time and on-budget 
construction projects. Partnerships between veterans, their local 
communities, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA, will allow 
previously appropriated funds to be put to good use. Through five 
initial projects, community leaders and private sector experts can lead 
construction projects from start to finish and test a model that can be 
expanded into the future.
  State or local authorities, and specified non-federal entities, will 
be eligible to partner with the VA. Entities would comply with the 
Department of Veterans Affairs' standards, except to the extent the 
Secretary determines otherwise, as permitted by law. Eligible projects 
would be limited to those for which funding has already been 
appropriated, or those on the VA's long-term planning list. The VA's 
financial obligation for these projects would be limited to the amount 
previously appropriated. The VA would select the project and community 
partner, but it would not influence, control, or be involved with 
either the management or construction of these projects. The Secretary 
would include information regarding real property and improvements 
donated under this legislation in the budget submitted to Congress. The 
Comptroller General would also submit to Congress a report on the 
donation agreements entered into under this legislation not less 
frequently than once every 2 years until its termination.
  A significant amount of work went into revising this bill. I very 
much appreciate the support of Senator Feinstein, who serves as lead 
cosponsor. Chairmen Isakson and Alexander are supportive of this 
legislation. They, and the members of their staff, have been 
extraordinarily helpful through this process. The Department of 
Veterans Affairs staff has also been actively involved in the crafting 
of this legislation. They fully support it. The Congressional Budget 
Office has stated this bill would have an ``insignificant impact on 
direct spending,'' or less than $500,000 total.
  For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this common sense, 
bipartisan legislation. Thank you.

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