[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 13, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5102-H5103]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Alabama (Ms. Sewell) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out for the 
millions of American families who have been impacted by the opioid 
epidemic.
  Every day we hear another story of parents who have lost their child 
to a heroin overdose or of young children who are left behind without 
care as their parents struggle with addiction.
  In Alabama, which has the highest rate of opioid prescription use in 
this Nation, residents average 1.2 prescriptions per person.
  Mr. Speaker, this epidemic doesn't discriminate by age or income or 
gender. The opioid epidemic has taken from families of every 
background.
  Now, more than ever, these victims need our help. It is our job to 
help them find treatment not as criminals, but as patients in need of 
care.
  Mr. Speaker, I am grateful that we are finally seeing as a society 
that addiction is not something to be criminalized but, rather, 
addiction is, indeed, a public health crisis. It is not a crime. It is 
a chronic neurological

[[Page H5103]]

disorder, and it does make sense for us to find help for those who need 
it and not to put them in jail.
  Unfortunately, during the 1980s and 1990s during the crack addiction, 
we criminalized that addiction and destroyed so many families, many of 
whom are in my district. But, Mr. Speaker, I am glad that we see that 
the opioid epidemic is, indeed, a public health crisis. I am equally 
glad that, Mr. Speaker, we are finally working in a bipartisan way to 
actually find the needed help that these families need in order to 
break such addictions.
  Today I am glad to see that Republicans and Democrats working 
together in Congress are trying to solve the opioid epidemic and to 
help those in need. At a time when Congress is struggling with partisan 
gridlock, I am glad and happy to see that this week has been declared 
by my Republican colleagues as Opioid Week, where we will talk about 
bipartisan bills in order to solve this crisis.
  I am proud to have introduced bipartisan legislation with Republican 
Congressman Peter Roskam. Our bill, the Preventing Addiction for 
Susceptible Seniors Act, helps prevent abuse among seniors without 
limiting access to needed medication.
  For an at-risk senior, our legislation requires part D to create a 
lock-in plan that prevents patients from doctor shopping. Our 
legislation would also streamline communications between CMS and part C 
and part D plans regarding program integrity.
  Mr. Speaker, bipartisan solutions like these are a step forward in 
our work to solve the opioid crisis. I look forward to my bill with Mr. 
Roskam coming before this body next week. I truly believe that we have 
the power to end this epidemic.
  I have heard reports from Alabama groups that our poison control 
center is getting fewer calls about opioid emergencies. A new study 
shows that the opioid prescription rate in Alabama has finally begun to 
decrease.

                              {time}  1045

  States have implemented prescription drug monitoring programs that 
have proven successful, and many pharmacists have limited opioid 
prescriptions to 7 days.
  If we are going to put a stop to the opioid crisis, we need to 
collaborate with every stakeholder. We also need to make sure that our 
societal safety net is working effectively to give a path out of 
addiction, rather than letting them fall through the cracks.
  I want to take a moment to share a story about a person in my 
district, Jessica, a constituent from Alabama.
  Jessica was a victim of parental abuse as a child. She was introduced 
to opioids by a doctor for a sports injury in high school. By 17, she 
was crushing and snorting pills. She received 330 pills a month.
  Jessica had three children and lost custody of all three at different 
points. She started using heroin after losing custody of her youngest 
son. Then her brother died of a heroin overdose.
  I share this story because I believe Jessica's story speaks to the 
financial stresses that working-class Americans recovering from 
addiction feel every day. Now in recovery, Jessica works 10-hour night 
shifts at Burger King. Given the hours she works, Jessica falls into 
our State's Medicaid gap. She doesn't qualify to receive Medicaid, so 
she doesn't have health insurance.
  Jessica has been clean for over a year. But, Mr. Speaker, because she 
doesn't have health insurance, this makes her addiction problem and 
fighting it much harder.
  The bills that we are considering this week and next week are a step 
toward this. There are no silver bullets. But, Mr. Speaker, I do 
believe that we as a body can help to address this horrible epidemic. I 
am glad that we are finally seeing that addiction is not criminal, but 
rather a public health crisis, and we are seeking to solve it.

                          ____________________