[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16210]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          DRUG ABUSE EPIDEMIC

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, before discussing the bill currently 
before the Senate, I would like to note that President Obama will be 
heading to West Virginia today with Drug Czar Botticelli to announce 
additional steps the Federal Government will take to address America's 
prescription drug abuse and heroin epidemic.
  This epidemic has been particularly devastating to my constituents. 
Today, drug overdoses--principally driven by painkillers--claim more 
Kentucky lives than car accidents. Today, increased heroin overdose 
rates account for nearly one-third of all drug overdose deaths in the 
Commonwealth. Today, thousands of innocent babies are born dependent on 
opioids.
  I recently hosted Director Botticelli in Kentucky to discuss critical 
issues such as these. I am encouraged to see him and the President 
engaged and proposing certain steps that my home State of Kentucky has 
already embraced.
  Drug abuse certainly isn't a partisan issue. Many Members of the 
Senate are actively engaged on the matter. I know the President will be 
joined today by West Virginia's Republican Senator and Democratic 
Senator. Finding solutions to this epidemic will require all of us, 
Republicans and Democrats alike, to work together at the Federal, 
State, and local levels. Today's announcement is encouraging because it 
is always positive to see Republicans and Democrats working together to 
address this epidemic.
  Here is another bipartisan opportunity for us to work together on 
this issue: Let's pass S. 799, the Protecting Our Infants Act. I hope 
the Senate will pass that important bipartisan legislation very soon.

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