[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 204 (Tuesday, December 12, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H6821]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PREVENTING OVERDOSE DEATHS WITH EDUCATION AND TOOLS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Minnesota (Ms. Craig) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. CRAIG. Mr. Speaker, too many American families know the immense 
heartbreak of losing a loved one to an overdose, but overdose deaths 
are preventable, and we have a responsibility to do everything we can 
in this body to save lives.
  That is why I introduced my bill, the bipartisan RECONNECTIONS Act, 
to get overdose education and prevention tools like naloxone into the 
hands of all of those who need it and to ensure that the opioid crisis 
is treated like the public health crisis it truly is.
  I am proud that my colleagues have recognized the urgent need to 
expand access to these lifesaving overdose prevention resources, but we 
must continue our bipartisan work to keep our community safe.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank so much my mental health and substance use 
advisory council, a group of law enforcement officers, educators, 
parents and community members who I work with regularly to find ways to 
address the opioid crisis in our home communities and across this great 
country.
  Your stories, and especially the memories of your loved ones, that 
you have shared with me over the years have truly touched my heart. It 
is these stories and memories that have informed the policies that we 
champion here and are at the top of my mind as this bill stands on the 
House floor today.
  Thank you for your tireless drive and dedication. You are helping to 
make our community safer.
  We have so much more work ahead of us as a community in Minnesota 2 
and as a Nation. If it helps to save just one life, it is worth doing 
the work.
  Thank you to the Members who are coming together on both sides of the 
aisle today to support this important bill.

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