[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 176 (Tuesday, October 31, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S6885]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             OPIOID CRISIS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the opioid crisis is hurting 
communities across our country. Its challenges are complex and its 
causes are many.
  As I said last week, no single bill or program is going to solve this 
crisis on its own. Only a sustained, committed effort can do that. That 
has been my view over the many years that I have been involved in this 
issue, from the first time I invited the White House drug czar down to 
Eastern Kentucky to see the challenges posed by prescription drug abuse 
firsthand to my work on other initiatives, such as helping pass a law 
to help address the tragedy of babies born addicted to drugs.
  It is also what I believed as the Republican-led Senate worked hard 
to pass important legislation such as Jessie's Law, the 21st Century 
Cures Act, and the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act in the last 
Congress.
  I believe President Trump took the same view as he announced another 
important step last week by declaring a public health emergency for 
opioids. I would like to, once again, thank the President for his 
commitment to confronting this crisis.
  We all know there is much further to go, and as we move forward, 
Republicans and Democrats, the House and the Senate, the States and the 
White House, we should remain committed to working together on policies 
and programs that actually deliver results.
  About an hour ago, the Government Accountability Office released a 
report I requested about the Federal Government's response to opioid 
use disorders. The Government's chief watchdog recommends that as the 
Department of Health and Human Services expands access to medication-
assisted treatment, it should also develop clear measures to gauge 
performance. This GAO study will help to ensure that dollars are spent 
wisely to fight the crisis of opioid abuse taking lives in communities 
all across our country. The announcement of GAO's conclusions will help 
us as we continue to build a comprehensive approach to combating heroin 
and prescription drug abuse. It is another step in the right direction.
  As government officials review this morning's report and as agencies 
develop new plans to fulfill its objectives, I will continue to work 
with partners in Washington and Kentucky to address this important 
crisis. The goal, of course, is that one day we can finally put the 
pain of opioid abuse behind us once and for all.

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