[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 69 (Monday, April 29, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H3296]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONSORTIUM TO COMBAT SUBSTANCE ABUSE

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this morning I was at Penn 
State University, a great land grant university, for the inaugural 
conference of the Consortium to Combat Substance Abuse. Penn State has 
brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to address the largest 
public health crisis of our lifetime: the opioid and substance abuse 
epidemic.
  This group will draw on the expertise of researchers, educators, and 
practitioners from Penn State campuses across the Commonwealth to 
develop and implement effective programs, policies, and practices aimed 
at preventing and treating addiction and its spillover effects on 
children, families, and our communities.
  Pennsylvania has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic, especially our 
rural communities, though no household is immune.
  On Saturday, Americans had the opportunity to protect their 
communities and prevent the spread of addiction by safely disposing of 
expired, unwanted, and unused prescription drugs, thanks to the Drug 
Enforcement Administration's 17th Annual National Prescription Drug 
Take Back Day.
  It is encouraging to see communities working together to slow the 
spread of the opioid epidemic. It is my hope that through increased 
awareness and action at all levels we can eradicate it once and for 
all.

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