[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 172 (Wednesday, October 25, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6804-S6805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                            Opioid Epidemic

  Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss an issue that is 
devastating families and communities in my home State of New Hampshire 
and across the United States: the fentanyl, heroin, and opioid crisis. 
This crisis is the most pressing public and safety challenge that New 
Hampshire faces. It does not discriminate. It affects people in every 
community and from every walk of life.
  In 2016 alone, 485 people in New Hampshire lost their lives as a 
result of this epidemic. The rising use of synthetic drugs like 
fentanyl is making matters worse, killing people faster with smaller 
amounts. Last year, 72 percent of drug-related deaths in New Hampshire 
involved fentanyl. Behind those numbers are real people--moms and dads, 
sons and daughters who are dying. Their loss reverberates in pain and 
suffering for the family and friends whom they have left behind.
  The people of my State have a longstanding tradition of sharing their 
stories and their priorities with their elected officials who represent 
them. Everywhere I go, I hear stories from those families and friends 
of people who have been affected by this crisis. Granite Staters are 
stepping forward and explaining what they have gone through, all in an 
attempt to break down the stigma of addiction, push for solutions, and 
hope that they can help others by making their voices heard.
  Earlier this year, Greg and Linda of Derry, NH, reached out to my 
office to share the story of their son, who was also named Greg. They 
wrote to say:

       If you were to put a name and face to this disease, it 
     would be that of the devil. Let's change that. Let's put a 
     face of hope and humanity to the disease of addiction. If by 
     doing so, even if just one life is saved, it is worth it.

  I would like to share some of Greg's story today. Greg was born on 
November 16, 1985. He and his younger brother Neil were raised in a 
caring and loving home, where their parents did their best to teach 
them right from wrong, stressing the importance of being considerate, 
polite, and kind.
  When Greg was 15, his parents moved to Derry, where he attended 
Pinkerton Academy and graduated with honors in 2004. During his senior 
year, like so many other students his age, he applied for college, 
eventually deciding on Keene State College, pursuing a major in 
biochemistry. He had a dream of becoming a physician.
  He excelled academically, but his mom Linda said that during his 
transition between his freshman and sophomore year, something began to 
appear off. She wrote:

       I saw firsthand that something was off about him. He was 
     very quiet and withdrawn. He was showing obvious signs of 
     depression which runs in both sides of the family.

  Even as his depression progressed, Greg battled through. He graduated 
cum laude with a bachelor's degree in biochemistry. After graduating 
and moving back home, his parents urged him to seek help, but Greg held 
back. During this time, he had an outpatient surgery, after which he 
was prescribed an opioid-based painkiller. His mom said that after he 
was prescribed that opioid, he went from bad to worse.
  Eventually Greg sought help. He saw a physician and was prescribed an 
anti-depressant. His mom said he seemed to be coming back around; he 
seemed happier. He took steps to advance his career, hoping to find a 
job with his biochemistry degree that would offer him a reimbursement 
on tuition so that he could continue to pursue a career in medicine. 
Though the job market was tough, his mom said:

       Hands down, I have to say that one of the happiest days of 
     my life was when he finally got a decent job. . . . The dark 
     cloud was lifted--temporarily.

  Unfortunately, Greg eventually lost that job, and then things 
spiraled out of control. His mom wrote:

       The years following were a nightmare to remember. Just 
     imagine a loved one slowly losing all sense of themselves. 
     Legal trouble, bouncing from one job to the next, losing his 
     license more than once while we drove him back and forth from 
     jobs--some an hour away.
       A restraining order here, a night in jail there. Debts that 
     weren't getting paid. Fits of rage, fights, a lack of 
     interest in family, friends, and basic hygiene.

  She said:

       By the time our worst fears were confirmed, he was using 
     heroin, we basically lost the soul of our son.

  Greg's last few years were filled with back-and-forths. He had 
overdosed, his brother finding him in the bathroom of their home. Tired 
of being dependent on heroin, he sought help, signing up for a 
methadone clinic, entering rehab, and giving his parents hope that he 
would make progress.
  Unfortunately, he started to use again but was getting ready to enter 
a drug court program. After joining his family on a vacation to visit 
an ailing relative, he decided to clean up his act, going to the gym 
and eating right.
  Tragically, though, his mom wrote:

       This was short lived however, as the demon snuck into his 
     room and stole him from us. All he left for us was a lifeless 
     body on the floor behind a locked door.

  Greg's death and his heartbreaking story is the story of far too many 
people in New Hampshire and across the country, of people with dreams, 
hopes, and aspirations, whose lives are cut short as a result of this 
illness. Greg wanted to be a doctor. He wanted to be a husband and a 
father. He loved dogs and video games, and he loved to watch Patriots 
games on Sunday with his mom, his dad, and his brother. As his mom put 
it:

       Brilliant and head strong, he was to be reckoned with, and 
     as his parents, we will never stop trying, on his behalf, to 
     see that there is an end to this epidemic.

  His parents wanted to make clear that his substance use disorder 
really grew as a result of the opioid he was prescribed following 
surgery, a painkiller that was originally manufactured for terminally 
ill patients. They believe that pharmaceutical companies marketed this 
drug at the expense of their son, saying: ``Given to ease pain and 
suffering, ironically, it has caused irreparable pain, suffering, and 
death.''
  We can never thank families who have lost loved ones enough for 
speaking out about this issue and for working tirelessly and 
courageously to try to prevent others from suffering as they have. Nor 
can we forget to thank law enforcement and first responders who are on 
the frontlines of this epidemic.
  I want to make a special mention of Greg's father, Greg senior, who 
is a firefighter in Nashua, witnessing as a first responder every day 
the havoc that this crisis wreaks on other families and living with the 
reality of his own family's loss too.
  Greg's mom said that at the moment of his death, she vowed that she 
would ensure that his life would not be in vain. His family reached out 
because they wanted to make a difference. I am grateful for their 
efforts to do this because they do, in fact, have the ability to make 
change.
  Speaking up helps break down the stigma that prevents too many from 
seeking help and prevents too many others from offering it. It provides 
a

[[Page S6805]]

voice to the voiceless, making those who have died more than just a 
statistic. It gives us a perspective from which we can learn, and it 
pushes us to take action.
  While thanking these families for their bravery is appropriate, it is 
simply not enough. Their bravery and their struggle must be marked by 
constant vigilance and urgent action. We must continue to focus on an 
``all hands on deck'' approach at all levels of government and with 
those on the frontlines in order to make progress, save lives, and end 
this epidemic.
  I am going to continue fighting and working with Members of both 
parties to combat this crisis, and I will continue sharing the stories 
of the people of my State. It is up to all of us to stop this from 
happening to more families.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. WARREN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.