[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 27, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5755-H5756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           COMBATING OPIOIDS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. McHenry) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. McHENRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the opioid 
crisis that is devastating families and communities all across our 
country, including my fair State of North Carolina and my district in 
western North Carolina.
  Like the rest of the country, North Carolina has not escaped the 
opioid epidemic. My State has seen a terrifying rise in the number of 
opioid-related deaths. From 1999 to 2016, the number of deaths tied to 
opioids grew more than 800 percent.
  In 2016 alone, there were are almost 2,000 opioid deaths in North 
Carolina. In just one of the counties I represent, Gaston County, the 
number of dispensed opioid pills rose to more than 20.5 million pills. 
That is in a county of just over 200,000 people. That same county 
experienced a thirteenfold jump in heroin deaths, as well.
  While I can list facts all day, it is only by talking to the loved 
ones who have lost family members due to opioid addiction or those who 
have come through addiction and are on the other side that you can 
truly understand the devastating effects of this crisis. Take, for 
example, one of my constituents, Jennifer Kline.
  Jennifer lost her brother, Jake, to opioid addiction. Before Jake 
became an addict, Jennifer and her brother shared a very, very close 
relationship. But opioid addiction turned him into a person she barely 
knew. Even though Jake went to rehab and had a family who supported him 
through this whole process throughout his addiction, he still lost the 
battle against opioids.
  I had the honor of meeting with Jennifer. She helped me and my staff 
host a workshop for local law enforcement in my district, where she 
shared the heartbreaking story of Jake's addiction. Jake's and her 
story is a powerful reminder that we must do more to address this 
epidemic. We are not doing enough. The human toll of this crisis is 
very, very real, indeed.
  Like Jennifer, I have been working hard to help raise awareness in my 
district, the 10th District of North Carolina, against the dangers of 
opioid addiction. I have been working with local businesses, law 
enforcement officials, and other community leaders to combat this 
crisis: I have hosted roundtables and helped facilitate discussions 
between community leaders on different ways we can work together to 
combat this crisis and this epidemic; I have been there as local 
municipalities have received funds for tools that enable safe disposal 
of unused prescriptions, as well.
  Over the past 2 years, there have been dozens of bills passed in the 
House that will help people like Jake and provide support for family 
members like Jennifer. These bills address this issue from all sides. 
Some of these bills help with the prevention of addiction; others 
ensure everyone has access to treatment and help facilitate their 
recovery; still, others provide important support to communities 
affected so that they can have the tools and resources they need to 
combat this epidemic.
  Last Friday, these bills were passed in the House of Representatives 
together in a bill, H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities 
Act. It is now headed to the United States Senate and, hopefully, to 
the President's desk for signature.
  This is an important, holistic step that this Chamber has taken on a 
bipartisan basis to help combat the opioid epidemic and help prevent 
the tragedy experienced by the Kline family from happening to other 
families in this country.
  We all have stories. We all have loved ones who have been affected by 
this crisis. Congress must do more. We will continue this fight until 
we eradicate this epidemic once and for all.

[[Page H5756]]

  

                          ____________________