[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5190]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
             NO ACTION ON ZIKA, FLINT, AND OPIOID ADDICTION

  (Mr. CARTWRIGHT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to give voice to lament that 
House Republican leadership has done nothing at this point to help the 
thousands of Americans struggling to protect their families from the 
threat of three different public health emergencies: the Zika virus, 
the opioid addiction and overdose problem, and the Flint water crisis 
as well.
  Last month, House Democratic leadership wrote to Speaker Ryan asking 
for him to address these public health crises, calling for swift and 
decisive congressional action. Unfortunately, House Republican 
leadership has not responded with anything but inaction and 
indifference.
  As reported by Roll Call: ``an average of 78 people are dying every 
day from opioid overdoses, and mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus have 
been found in 30 States. But Congress has shown no urgency about 
addressing those issues. Maybe that's not surprising from a Republican 
majority that can't even adopt a nonbinding budget resolution after 
months of `family' discussions.''
  Mr. Speaker, hardworking families deserve a Congress that can get 
things done.

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