[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5617-5626]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        NATION'S OPIOID EPIDEMIC

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Young of Iowa). Under the Speaker's 
announced policy of January 6, 2015, the gentlewoman from Massachusetts 
(Ms. Clark) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the 
minority leader.


                             General Leave

  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this Special 
Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my 
colleagues for joining us this evening for this critically important 
discussion.
  I thank the chairs of the bipartisan task force on the opioid 
epidemic for their leadership and tenacity in pushing reforms. I thank 
Congresswoman Kuster and Congressman Guinta.
  This week the House will debate solutions to our Nation's opioid 
crisis. If there has ever been a time to put away

[[Page 5618]]

partisan differences and ideological rhetoric, it is now. I am proud of 
the work of the task force in supporting bipartisan bills to help stem 
the tide of this epidemic.
  This is a public health crisis that reaches into every community. It 
is an equal opportunity killer, without regard for age, gender, race, 
or economic background. It does not care if you are a Democrat or a 
Republican.
  In Massachusetts, just last year we lost nearly 1,400 lives to this 
opioid crisis. Half of all of the deaths in Massachusetts of opioid 
overdoses involve heroin, but prescription opioid overdoses are also 
surging. Between 2013 and 2014, they increased by over 90 percent. In 
my State more than others, the epidemic is claiming the lives of our 
young people ages 25 to 34.
  Too many parents are trying to save their child from opioid 
addiction's deadly grip, and they are counting on us for help. That is 
why we are here this evening--to do everything we can to save lives.
  At the center of this debate are the families at home who speak out 
and bravely share their stories so no other parent has to endure the 
pain of losing their child.
  Tonight I am thinking of Debbie Deagle, who I met in October during a 
town hall in Revere, Massachusetts. In front of a large audience she 
told the story of Stephen, her only child, who she lost to opioid 
addiction. In her words, she was inconsolable and it was difficult to 
make it through each day. She was also angry because not a month had 
gone by in the last 15 years she hadn't heard of somebody overdosing, 
but nobody wanted to talk about it and everybody was too ashamed.
  Debbie talked about the shame her son felt. She described him as 
brilliant, her miracle child. She raised him as a single mother and, 
while it was hard, his beautiful life was a gift she cherished.
  He was smart, witty, a songwriter, and a musician. He had a bright 
future. He had graduated with honors from St. John's Prep and went to 
Northeastern University, where he became a computer science major, 
which was his gift.
  It was four impacted wisdom teeth his freshman year of college and 
the opioids that he took for pain that started him on his road to 
addiction. When his substance abuse disorder derailed Stephen's life, 
Debbie started reading blogs where people commented: They are only 
junkies. They should just cull the herd. That is what got her angry. 
She thought: These aren't animals. These are children.
  On their own, Debbie and her son battled addiction, insurance 
companies, and the courts. In the end, it was a battle they lost. On 
January 8, 2015, Stephen Deagle passed away after his excruciating 
struggle with opioids, and his mother lived her worst nightmare saying 
goodbye to her only son.
  When we asked Debbie if we could share her story, her request was 
simple: Please get Congress to do something. We deserve real solutions 
now.
  So my request to this Congress is to listen to Debbie and the pleas 
of too many other moms like her. This crisis is an urgent calling for 
Congress to act and save lives.
  This week we will have the opportunity to pass legislation that will 
give critical tools to address this crisis. Ultimately, however, we 
must also provide the financial resources to our State and local 
partners to change the course of this epidemic.
  I thank you for all the work that is being done.
  I yield to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Guinta).
  Mr. GUINTA. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Clark for yielding, 
and I extend my gratitude to her for joining me tonight in this Special 
Order.
  I am also grateful for the opportunity to join bipartisan members--
Republican and Democrat--from around the country to talk about heroin 
abuse, an increasingly deadly public health crisis.
  Last year I joined with my colleague from New Hampshire, 
Congresswoman Kuster, to create The Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the 
Heroin Epidemic. We strive to fight the tragedy of opioid addiction and 
fatal overdose from around the Nation.
  Since its creation last October, our task force has grown to 80 
members. Our growth and impact is a testament to the depth of the 
crisis and the focus of the Members of this body.
  In my home State of New Hampshire, abuse and overdose claimed the 
lives of 430 people in 2015. To put that number in perspective, that is 
1 out of every 3,000 residents died of an overdose last year. The CDC 
reports that, nationally, overdose deaths have tripled over the last 10 
years.
  I am proud of the work we have done so far to combat this epidemic. 
But as many struggling families and ailing communities know, there is 
much more work to be done.
  A few weeks ago the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin 
Epidemic proposed a legislative agenda. Our bills would assist law 
enforcement, treatment providers, and recovery personnel in their 
battle against the epidemic.
  During this Heroin and Opioid Awareness Week, we will see our 
legislation come to the floor for a vote. I am pleased that my 
colleagues have tirelessly worked to protect our loved ones from this 
epidemic, and I am proud to cosponsor many bills coming to the floor 
this week, including the House response to the Comprehensive Addiction 
and Recovery Act.
  To address the comprehensive nature of this epidemic, we must provide 
a comprehensive legislative package to bolster the efforts of those 
helping our communities.
  I have filed several amendments to this package for this week. They 
will increase grants for medication-assisted treatments and long-term 
recovery.
  I also have filed legislation that would reauthorize recovery court 
programs for 3 years, and I am grateful that my bill, the Good 
Samaritan Assessment Act of 2016, passed by suspension in the House 
earlier today. I hope this provision will be included in the conference 
report.
  Very simply, these provisions are absolutely crucial to aiding those 
in need. My colleagues and I have committed to seeing the House of 
Representatives pass the strongest and most comprehensive plan 
possible.
  I believe we will do our due diligence to pass this plan, go to 
conference with the Senate, and put a bill on the President's desk 
before June.
  Our plan is urgently needed. Nearly 129 people die every day from an 
opioid overdose. In my district and around the country, I hear from 
families and friends who know someone coping with substance use 
disorder.
  We will only make a dent in this great challenge by listening to its 
victims. We need to hear fathers like Doug Griffin of Newton in New 
Hampshire's First District. His daughter, Courtney, fell victim to 
heroin abuse at just 20 years old.
  Doug remembers Courtney as a bright, lively girl with a great sense 
of humor and a deep passion for life. She played music. She loved 
s'mores. Courtney told Doug she planned to become a marine and serve 
her country.
  But 3 years later she was lost on the streets, in and out of rehab 
facilities. Prescription pills, fentanyl, and street heroin ensnared 
Courtney into a fatal web of addiction. She lost the will to live.
  Because Courtney's pain was so great and because she had so few 
options for treatment, Doug says he and his family hid the truth from 
the outside world. To help others, they are speaking out now, just as 
this body is this evening.
  Doug is courageously telling everyone he knows about the warning 
signs of heroin abuse and the deficiencies in our public response. 
Millions of Americans share Courtney's story and Doug's anguish. It is 
only by speaking out and sharing grief that we will remove the stigma 
preventing far too many from seeking help.
  Tonight it is about telling the truth. It is about finding the 
solutions we need and why we need them. It is about putting political 
disagreements aside and cooperating for the common good, for the common 
good not just of our constituents, but our country.
  As the House considers this vital legislation, I encourage my 
colleagues to listen to their constituents, hear their

[[Page 5619]]

stories, share their struggles, and help them fight back. We could win 
this public emergency, and it starts this week with the comprehensive 
CARA legislation.
  I thank my colleagues from both sides of the aisle for working so 
judiciously and in a manner that I think puts people ahead of anything 
else that this body is doing. I commend my colleagues, and I am honored 
to work with them on this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the congresswoman from the Commonwealth of 
Massachusetts just to the south of my district.
  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Guinta.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. 
Courtney).
  Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Clark for organizing 
this really important discussion here this evening.
  The scope of the problem in terms of what is facing our Nation is 
pretty astonishing when you look at the statistics from the Centers for 
Disease Control.
  In 2004, 7,000 Americans lost their lives to heroin overdoses. Fast-
forward 10 years and that number is now over 27,000. Again, the 
statistics land in suburban America, rural America, and urban America.
  But at the end of the day, behind every one of those numbers is a 
story of a human being and a family. That is why this discussion is so 
important tonight.
  Next to me I have a chart showing the face of Justice Kelly, who is a 
21-year-old from Tolland, Connecticut. Tolland, Connecticut, is the 
quintessential small-town New England community. It is about 5 miles 
from where I live. Her mother, Jennifer, moved there hoping that this 
was going to be a great community to raise her child, and she went 
through the public school system.
  Battling depression, she fell victim to heroin addiction and for the 
last number of years has been battling this with methadone treatment in 
and out of facilities and programs.
  Last summer she really finally went to her family and just begged 
them to get access to a long-term rehab program. Unfortunately, the 
waiting lists were months. The facilities in Connecticut, like so many 
other parts of the country, were full.
  In August of 2015, when she again was in a predicament where she lost 
her asthma medication, the combination of suffering from asthma and a 
heroin overdose resulted in her being rushed to the hospital with an 
overdose condition.
  The good news is that the folks at the emergency room were able to 
save her life. But as her mother said, ``As we pulled into the parking 
lot of the ER, I knew at that moment I was losing her. All I remember 
from that moment on was being more scared than I have been in my entire 
life. I saw a whole team of people come outside and try and save my 
baby's life. I stood there helpless and alone. All I could do was look 
to God.''
  She now is in a permanent vegetative state, as the photograph next to 
me indicates, and there really are no signs of improvement.
  Her mother went on to say, ``They saved my daughter's life that day, 
but it's been a very hard journey. Justice's injury is so severe that 
the likelihood Justice will ever recover is very slim. More than 
likely, I will have to make the decision to bring my baby home with 
hospice.''
  This story shows that this problem extends far beyond even the 
fatalities. It also is going to leave people with chronic life-changing 
conditions, like this beautiful young girl from Tolland, Connecticut.

                              {time}  1930

  Mr. Speaker, this issue is now coming to the floor this week with a 
number of measures authorizing different changes and approaches to this 
program.
  I want to, again, emphasize the fact that I come from the State with 
the highest per capita income, but even in Connecticut, people cannot 
find access to treatment beds. That is why at some point we have to 
bring this discussion to a higher level and realize that we need to get 
resources out to the communities so that law enforcement can at the 
front lines deal with this issue in emergency situations, so that we 
have treatment options for families like the Kelly family in Tolland, 
Connecticut, and so that we go upstream in terms of prevention and 
education so as to get to the root causes of the pathways to heroin and 
opioid addiction. This is going to require an all-hands-on-deck 
approach.
  Yes, let's support the legislation that is coming forward this week, 
let's make smart policy changes, and let's authorize different 
programs. At the end of the day, we need to put our money where our 
mouth is in that we need to treat this like it is a natural disaster. 
As a Nation, we would instantly respond to a hurricane that is taking 
human lives at a clip much slower, in fact, than what is happening with 
the heroin opioid crisis.
  Let's move forward with the $600 million request for emergency 
supplemental funding, which is before the Appropriations Committee, so 
that we will not just talk about solving this problem but, again, put 
the resources out there so that the police, the addiction counselors, 
the treatment folks, and all of the families who are out there who are 
desperate for help will know that our country is going to treat this as 
the true crisis that it is and will know we will get the resources all 
across the country.
  Again, I thank Representative Clark for organizing this discussion. 
Jennifer Kelly, Justice's mother, thanks the gentlewoman for letting us 
have an opportunity to tell the story about her daughter.
  As a Nation, let's move forward with all of the resources and good 
ideas because that is the only way we are ever going to come to terms 
with this problem and solve it.
  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Please extend our thanks to Jennifer's 
family for sharing that story, and I thank the gentleman for his 
advocacy.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Katko).
  Mr. KATKO. I thank the gentlewoman.
  Mr. Speaker, during my 15 years as a Federal prosecutor in Syracuse, 
New York, I witnessed firsthand on a daily basis the devastating 
impacts of drug use, in general, and of heroin, in particular, and the 
terrible impacts it had on the well-being of our children, on the lives 
of those directly involved, and on the safety of our community. 
Tragically, the devastating impact of heroin and other opioids has 
gotten much worse in recent years.
  As a Federal prosecutor, I have seen every possible drug known to man 
on the streets. I have never seen anything that has had the devastating 
effects that heroin has had on our communities. Literally, fatal 
incidents are happening on a regular basis.
  One of my top priorities during my time in Washington has been to 
facilitate a community dialogue on this public health epidemic to 
discuss ways of treating and preventing addiction. At every forum, at 
every town hall, at every business I visit, at every hospital I visit, 
I hear from my constituents of the devastation this epidemic is 
inflicting on our communities. I hear tragic stories about friends or 
family members succumbing to heroin addiction. I hear from medical 
workers and first responders about the strain this epidemic is placing 
on their resources. I hear stories of pain and loss, and I want to 
share a few of those with you to illustrate what I am talking about.
  During the course of the six town halls I have conducted or have 
participated in throughout my district over the last several months, we 
have routinely heard of the stories of victims. In particular, families 
have told of the loved ones they have lost. One individual really 
caught my attention. They all caught my attention, but this one was 
pretty devastating.
  Morgan Axe was a beautiful young woman and a great athlete--just a 
great kid overall--who battled addiction with heroin for several years. 
At 24 years old, she became pregnant and she stopped taking heroin 
completely in order to protect her baby. She

[[Page 5620]]

stopped taking any drugs that would have helped her with her cravings, 
and she was doing great. At the fifth month--at 5 months of being 
clean--a boyfriend thought it would be a good idea to give her a dose 
of heroin. We have the telephone records to show it. She took that 
heroin and she died, as did her baby.
  Her mother had to come to that forum and talk about this. I applaud 
her for the openness with which she talked about it, for the pain that 
she shared with us, and for the lessons that can be learned from this. 
It can happen to anybody. It is not an inner city drug. When we were 
growing up, we used to think of heroin users as individuals who would 
be under a bridge somewhere or in an alley, but that is not the way it 
is. It affects those in the suburbs, the wealthy, the poor, and 
everyone in between.
  I have one other quick story. When I was renting my congressional 
office, the individual who was showing me the office had a sad look in 
his eye. He began to tell me the story about his daughter, who was the 
Final Four MVP for the NCAA Junior College Lacrosse the year before. 
She died of a heroin overdose because she got into heroin after that 
championship.
  It is an epidemic with enormous consequences, and it is getting 
worse. The epidemic of addiction is claiming the lives from every age, 
class, and race, like I mentioned. I know that society doesn't like to 
talk about drugs, addiction, and overdose, but this is a problem that 
we can no longer ignore, and it is one that we must absolutely, 
positively, address. The scourge must be stopped.
  I am absolutely proud to be part of the House action that is being 
taken this week on several measures that will help to fight against 
this growing opioid epidemic and through the passage of my drug kingpin 
bill earlier today. Much remains to be done, and I hope that Congress 
will build on the actions this week and will continue to work on 
efforts in a bipartisan manner so we can fight back and save people 
from addiction.
  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. I thank the gentleman for sharing 
Morgan's story with us.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the western part of the 
Commonwealth, Mr. Neal.
  Mr. NEAL. I thank Congresswomen Clark and Ann Kuster and Congressman 
Frank Guinta for the good work that they have done in calling attention 
this evening to this crisis that now threatens to overwhelm 
rehabilitation centers across the country. What I want to specifically 
cite in my comments for the next few minutes is a very human story. Her 
name is Bethany, and she wrote to me on January 18 of this year.

       Dear Congressman Neal:
       I am writing to you regarding the heroin prescription pill 
     crisis our State and Nation is currently entrenched in. I am 
     a physician assistant who graduated from Wake Forest Baptist 
     Medical School in their Physician Assistants program in 2003. 
     I have worked in various outpatient clinics, as well as at 
     Bay State Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, and 
     at the Cooley Dickinson emergency room operations in 
     Northampton, Massachusetts. I have treated overdose patients, 
     have been alongside physicians who have pronounced patients 
     deceased from an overdose, as well as having referred 
     patients to crisis support teams, outpatient treatment, and 
     rehabs.
       After all of this, I never expected that I would become 
     addicted to prescription painkillers after a series of 
     surgeries and illness. I suffered in silence, alone in fear, 
     shame, and guilt. I was a functioning professional who 
     referred my addicted patients to various resources, but when 
     I tried to reach out for help, I hit roadblocks.
       For instance, the emergency room I worked in was outsourced 
     so that when I went to the emergency room director on two 
     separate occasions to ask to go to the Employee Assistance 
     Program, I was told that those resources were only available 
     to hospital employees. I tried outpatient therapy and 12-step 
     programs, but I kept sliding backwards.
       After years of struggling, I couldn't keep silent any 
     longer. I confessed my addiction to a coworker. I felt that, 
     finally, help would come. Instead, I was fired for cause and 
     without benefits. The fear that had kept me silent for all of 
     those years was now my reality. My husband was a stay-at-home 
     dad.
       And now how could we support our three children?
       I felt like my life was falling apart. Little did I know 
     that what I was doing was actually falling into place. With 
     family support, I found a rehab program for 6 months where I 
     could go with two young children. I saw my oldest on the 
     weekends.
       After graduating rehab, I interviewed and signed up with 
     the Massachusetts professional reporting system. For 5 years, 
     I have called in daily. I am subjected to at least 15 random 
     drug tests a year. I go to 2 to 4 hours of recovery meetings 
     every week and attend a professionals in recovery meeting 
     weekly. It was in the professionals meetings that I finally 
     found a sense of belonging. It was the vital piece of the 
     puzzle that had been lacking as I searched for recovery but 
     kept backsliding.

  She writes in this letter to me of her strong faith and how it helped 
to get her through this very difficult time in her life, but she also 
points out that the system is broken, that the emergency room funding 
for reaching individuals is inadequate, that pain management is 
inadequate, that pain scales, treatments are inadequate.
  She writes:

       I found myself overtreating pain at times because I was 
     taught that we could get sanctioned from not treating pain. I 
     felt obligated to treat someone's subjective pain without 
     objective findings or reason.

  She writes of all of the challenges that she faced, all having 
started because of surgeries and illnesses that she had that required 
medication that, in fact, in the end, she could not successfully 
escape.
  She testified in a forum that I held. She was courageous enough to 
get up and talk about the problems that she had.
  Do you know what?
  She is doing better.
  So we call attention to those tonight who might find a path forward 
from the grim reality of heroin that sells on the streets of 
Springfield and Hartford for $3 a bag. This was an individual who had a 
normal working relationship with colleagues. This was an individual who 
went to work faithfully, had a professional designation, and found 
herself caught up in the opioid crisis because of the prescriptions 
that had been given to her early on.
  I know of the maintenance plan that is being proposed and of the 
suggestions that are being offered for more physicians to secure 
training and how opioids might be extended to those who need them, but 
I would implore this Congress to act favorably upon that proposal and 
that legislation.
  We all regularly go to caucus meetings, we go to a host of get-
togethers, at which we always attempt to upgrade our skills. There is 
nothing that will upgrade your skills like the coarseness of a 
campaign--I can tell you that--but we all find that professional 
opportunity to challenge ourselves to do better in this institution.
  That should not be unlike those who are outside of the institution. 
Where you regularly require courses for attorneys, CPAs, and others, 
why not for physicians so they may receive the training that today 
would be readily available with the assistance of this Congress, 
hopefully after the vigorous activity that we will take this week?
  I close as I opened. I thank Congresswoman Clark for her leadership, 
Congresswoman Kuster for her leadership, and Congressman Guinta for his 
leadership on this issue. I am telling you, across western and central 
Massachusetts, this is devastating families. There is an opportunity 
here for the Congress to respond.
  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. I thank Mr. Neal for the critical story 
that Bethany shared with him and that the gentleman shared with us. We 
know how devastating this crisis has been in western and central 
Massachusetts, and we thank the gentleman for all of his leadership on 
it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Stefanik).
  Ms. STEFANIK. I thank Ms. Clark.
  Mr. Speaker, first, I want to take a moment to thank my colleagues 
Mr. Guinta, Ms. Kuster, and Ms. Clark for their work and tireless 
efforts to combat the heroin epidemic that is sweeping across our 
Nation.
  Over the last 15 years, heroin-related deaths have quadrupled, 
leaving families and communities across this country shattered. This 
crisis has been felt acutely in my district where the region is a major 
pipeline for illicit drug trafficking.

[[Page 5621]]

  Last November, law enforcement in Washington County, New York, made 
11 arrests in one morning of individuals who were illegally selling 
heroin, cocaine, and prescription drugs. In New York's North Country, I 
have seen and heard from those in recovery and from those still 
struggling that heroin addiction and prescription drug abuse is a 
lifelong challenge. In my district, heroin addiction tragedies have 
caused parents to bury their children and have left spouses widowed and 
young children parentless.
  These drugs reach out and impact even the strongest members of our 
communities. Addiction is a disease that does not discriminate. The 
support offered by treatment centers like St. Joseph's Addiction 
Treatment & Recovery Center in Saranac Lake is critical to those who 
suffer from this disease. Several veterans whom I had the opportunity 
to visit with at St. Joseph's have seen the harsh reality of war and 
are now fighting battles at home--one against heroin and opioid 
addiction and another against posttraumatic stress disorder.
  Heroin abuse touches our communities, our homes, and our families in 
ways that have grave effects on everyday people and everyday lives. As 
heroin use has increased, police departments across this Nation have 
seen a rapid rise in related crimes, such as sex trafficking, domestic 
disputes, larceny, burglary, and prostitution--all tied to heroin use.
  This week, I am honored to stand with my colleagues from both sides 
of the aisle to advance legislative solutions to this widespread and 
insidious crisis. As a member of Representatives Guinta's and Kuster's 
bipartisan task force to combat heroin abuse and assist law enforcement 
efforts, we have worked tirelessly to find solutions. The legislation 
we present this week provides critical tools to medical personnel and 
law enforcement for stemming the flow of drugs and enhancing treatment 
options and availability.
  These are real problems that need to be addressed through innovation, 
cooperation, and thoughtful action. I am confident that we can secure a 
better heroin-free future for our Nation. These efforts are not the end 
of the House's work on this issue. We will continue to seek solutions 
to this crisis that has touched families across my district and across 
our Nation.

                              {time}  1945

  On behalf of the families, communities, and veterans in New York's 
21st Congressional District and across the country, I urge my 
colleagues to join those of us here tonight as we work to eliminate the 
heroin epidemic facing this country.
  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Stefanik for 
telling us of the work of St. Joseph's and highlighting the importance 
of the impact of this crisis on veterans.
  I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I first thank my colleagues, Congresswoman 
Clark for leading this effort, Congressman Guinta, as well as 
Congresswoman Ann Kuster, who have worked tirelessly to move the heroin 
task force agenda forward. I applaud their persevering efforts and 
House leadership's acknowledgement of the danger and devastation the 
heroin and opioid epidemic has caused across our great Nation.
  This serious situation impacts every county in the 9th District of 
Ohio, stretching across all of northern Ohio. We have been impacted 
more heavily due to the major Ohio turnpike, I-80/I-90, and easy 
transport networks that link to international smuggling access points.
  The largest of our district's five counties, Cuyahoga County, 
recently declared a public health emergency because of record rates of 
overdoses. The county lost a staggering 181 citizens in the first 4 
months of 2016, a rate of overdose death that, if continued, would more 
than double the 2015 numbers for that county.
  Mayors across our district report to me the dramatic increase in 
emergency calls connected to the epidemic. For northern Ohio, spikes in 
opioid overdoses are outpacing the ability of local hospitals and 
rehabilitation facilities to respond effectively.
  This week's legislative activity is imperative to communities across 
America. I encourage our colleagues in leadership to work expeditiously 
to conference the legislation. Send it to the President with funding 
immediately. People's lives and local community stability and safety 
are waiting for our action.
  Tonight I would like to share the stories of three young adults--two 
named Matt and one named Tracy--who have been victimized by the heroin 
and opioid epidemic.
  The first is Matt who was 29 from Toledo, Ohio, who never thought he 
would become a drug addict. He never knew anything about drugs. He 
never even smoked cigarettes as a youth. He had a great upbringing and 
a good home with an amazingly loving family. He went to private schools 
from kindergarten through high school, then to college at a Division I 
university on a full athletic scholarship for baseball after graduating 
with a 4.0 GPA.
  So what happened, you ask?
  He tore his rotator cuff as a sophomore in college and was given a 
prescription for 90 percent Percocet. It only took about a week before 
he became physically dependent and totally reliant. Percocet became the 
gateway portal to self-annihilation.
  To sum up, his next year, Percocet pills got expensive, and he 
dropped out of college. And one day, not being able to find any pills 
because of the price and lack of availability, he was offered heroin, 
which was cheaper and stronger. And from that day on, he was hooked and 
injected heroin for 9 years.
  Matt transformed into a shell of who he used to be, a shell of who he 
wanted to be and who he always imagined to become. Matt lost everything 
and everyone in his life because of heroin. After 13 arrests in four 
different states, he is now a convicted felon. He overdosed and died, 
having been kept alive for 5 days by machines in ICU.
  How could this have happened to such a promising young man?
  Heroin and opioid abuse sees no boundaries. It is death masquerading 
as medicine.
  In Toledo, there are only 16 federally funded detox beds for an 
estimated 10,000 opiate addicts. We simply have to have legislation 
that allows for more detox facilities. There are programs like Team 
Recovery that have made a difference in the lives of individuals like 
Tracy, whose story I will place in the Record.
  Let me just say that if there are families out there who need 
assistance, one can call 1-800-662-4357 for advice and direction. That 
is an addiction hotline, 1-800-662-HELP. The life you save may be your 
own or that of a relative, friend, or loved one.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank my colleagues Frank Guinta and Ann 
Kuster who have worked tirelessly to move the Heroin Task Force agenda 
forward. I applaud their persevering efforts and House Leaderships' 
acknowledgment of the danger and devastation the heroin and opioid 
epidemic has caused across this great nation.
  This serious situation impacts every county in our 9th Ohio district 
that stretches across all of northern Ohio. We have been impacted more 
heavily due to the major Ohio Turnpike, I-80-90, and easy transport 
networks that link to international smuggling access points.
  The largest of our district's five counties, Cuyahoga County, 
recently declared a public health emergency because of record rates of 
overdoses. The County lost a staggering 181 citizens in the first four 
months of 2016, a rate of overdose deaths that if continued, would more 
than double 2015 numbers for the County.
  Mayors across our district report to me the dramatic increase in 
emergency calls connected to the epidemic. For Northern Ohio, spikes in 
opioid overdoses are outpacing the ability of local hospitals and 
rehabilitations facilities to respond effectively. This week's 
legislative activity is imperative to communities across America. I 
encourage our colleagues and leadership to work expeditiously to 
conference the legislation. Send it to the President, with funding, 
immediately.
  People lives and local community stability are waiting for our 
action.
  Tonight, I want to share the stories of three young adults--two named 
Matt--and one named Tracy. Individuals from our district who have been 
victimized by the heroin and opioid epidemic.

[[Page 5622]]

  The first is Matt, who was 29, from Toledo, Ohio. He never thought he 
would become a drug addict. He never knew anything about drugs, not 
even wanting to smoke cigarettes as a youth. He had a great upbringing 
in a good home, with an amazingly loving family. He went to private 
schools from kindergarten through high school, then to college at a 
Division 1 university on a full athletic scholarship for baseball after 
graduating with a 4.0 GPA. So what happened, you ask?
  He tore his rotator cuff as a sophomore in college and was given a 
prescription for 90 Percocet. It only took about a week before he 
became physically dependent and totally reliant. Percocet became the 
gateway portal to self-annihilation.
  To sum up--his next year, Percocet pills got expensive and he dropped 
out of college. One day, not being able to find any pills because of 
the price and lack of availability, he was offered heroin, which was 
cheaper and stronger. From that day on he was hooked, and injected 
heroin for 9 years.
  Matt transformed into a shell of who he used to be, a shell of who he 
wanted to be--and who he always imagined to become. He lost 
everything--and everyone--in his life because of heroin.
  After thirteen arrests in four different states, he is now a 
convicted felon. He overdosed and died, having been kept alive for 5 
days by machines in ICU. How could this have happened to such a 
promising young man? Heroin and opioid abuse sees no boundaries. It is 
death masquerading as medicine.
  In Toledo, there are only sixteen federally funded detox beds for an 
estimated 10,000 opiate addicts. Another young man also named Matt was 
one of the lucky ones who was able to secure a detox bed through Ohio's 
Drug Abuse Response Team, or DART program. Today, it has been almost 
eight months since he was able to secure the bed, which has changed his 
course completely.
  In detox, along with three friends, all of which remain sober, Matt 
started Team Recovery, an advocacy group for addicts that makes 
recovery available and achievable. Team Recovery strives to change the 
stigma attached to addiction and make people realize addicts are not 
bad people. They are people who need medical help.
  Team Recovery speaks to Ohio students between 6th grade and college-
age, about drugs and alcohol, and offers assistance to family members 
and friends of those who need healing and support. They hope to 
eventually spread their efforts across the nation.
  Today, Matt has turned his life around and reconnected with family 
and friends. He speaks daily with police, judges, coroners, doctors, 
treatment providers, police & fire chiefs, all in an effort to 
collaborate in this fight against opiates. His message is positive and 
clear. Recovery is possible, and it is beautiful.
  Working alongside Matt at Team Recovery is Tracy, 39 years old, who 
point blank told me that she is a recovering addict. Tracy started 
smoking marijuana when she was 15, to numb the pain from past sexual 
abuse, not otherwise knowing how to cope in a healthy way. She moved 
from Toledo, to Chillicothe, Ohio in 2001, where she met a man who 
introduced her to opioid pills and cocaine. At age 24, she started 
using cocaine and it wasn't long before she used it every day.
  Eventually, she started to smoke it and even inject.
  For 6 years her addiction was so bad she lost everything: jobs, 
friends, family, everything she owned, even her dignity and morals. She 
was alone fighting the worst battle of her life.
  In 2007, she was caught with possession of cocaine, after reoffending 
shortly after, she was sent to prison. Rather than give Tracy any 
chance to seek treatment, she was sent to prison for 5 years.
  In prison, she realized there were just as many drugs in prison as on 
the street. Being there did not help. She needed treatment, not a 
prison sentence. It is nearly impossible to find a treatment facility 
because there are so few available.
  From the age of 15 until May 4, 2007, Tracy abused drugs. What drove 
her to sobriety? She was so tired of losing everything, living couch to 
couch, doing illegal things to get drugs and having her dignity and 
morals stripped away because she was chasing a high. She was ready for 
a change, to take back the life she lost during her addiction.
  Today, her life has changed dramatically. A week ago, on May 4th, she 
celebrated 9 years of sobriety. Now, she uses her experience of moving 
past addiction to help others. She is in college, studying psychology 
to become a substance abuse counselor. She started a job at a recovery 
house as a resident advisor and is also an active member of Team 
Recovery.
  The legislative action the House will address this week will provide 
much needed correction to our justice and health systems--which have 
not adapted fast enough to this crisis.
  I wish to emphasize a few lessons Team Recovery highlighted to me. 
These are the recommendations of individuals who understand the plight 
of heroin and opioid addiction better than most:
  1. There needs to be more funding for detox beds. They should not be 
limited to 16 beds per facility.
  2. Medicaid should not cap facilities to 16 detox beds.
  3. Prevention, education, and awareness are paramount! The innovative 
approach of Team Recovery's school presentations allows students to 
better relate, impacting their understanding and behavior.
  4. Better monitoring of prescription prescribing and over-prescribing 
is needed. Creating stricter limitations on prescription counts is 
highly necessary.
  5. Suboxone and Methadone (opioids) are not the solution to an opiate 
epidemic for everyone, but cannot be ruled out as an option for some.
  6. Vivitrol is a key resource and should be utilized more.
  7. Recovery is possible but detox and treatment are paramount. Jail 
without addiction treatment fails those who need help.
  8. Opioids impact the way the brain functions. Recovery can take 
months, if not years, if it is to be effective.
  Finally, if anyone listening is facing this terrible monster of 
addiction, or you know a friend or loved one who is, call 1-800-662-
HELP.
  That's 1-800-662-4357 for advice and direction.
  The life you save may be your own, or that of a relative, friend or 
loved one.
  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Kaptur for 
putting a face to this addiction with the moving stories of Matt and 
Tracy.
  I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot).
  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Clark and Mr. Guinta for their 
hard work in making this Special Order happen tonight and in moving 
forward on this very, very important issue.
  Mr. Speaker, opioid use is an epidemic in this country, and 
unfortunately the problem is only getting worse.
  I want to also commend Senator Rob Portman for his leadership in 
introducing and passing in the other body CARA, legislation to combat 
opioids, especially heroin. I would expect that whatever we pass here 
in the House--and we are considering a number of bills--will ultimately 
be reconciled with the Senate and Mr. Portman's bill over in the 
Senate. This will help many struggling Americans.
  I talked to a member of a city council in one of the smaller 
communities in my district back in--I represent the greater Cincinnati 
area--in Lorain County. It happened to be North Bend.
  According to the last census, there are only 857 people who live in 
the entire village, so it is pretty small. But the first councilperson 
that I talked to talked about the heroin problem they are having in 
this community. This is a very small community, kind of a normal, 
middle class area. There are great people, families, hardworking 
people. Yet, heroin is becoming a scourge in this community.
  William Henry Harrison, one of our earlier presidents--he has his 
monument and was buried--is from this community. It is just amazing to 
me to think that if it is hitting a small community like this, it is 
hitting virtually everywhere.
  Simply put, we must find workable solutions to this epidemic. High 
income, low income, urban, suburban, rural, it really doesn't matter. 
This epidemic is impacting communities all across this country.
  In fact, in my home State of Ohio, 13 out of 16 congressional 
districts are designated as high intensity drug trafficking areas by 
the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Back in 2014, just a little 
over a year ago, we had a staggering 2,744 heroin deaths in our State 
alone. Obviously, States all over the country are having this problem 
as well.
  Mr. Speaker, in searching for an answer to this problem--I happened 
to be the dean of the Republicans in Ohio--we had a briefing with the 
head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Michael Botticelli. 
We actually learned an awful lot about what is happening in our State 
and nationally.

[[Page 5623]]

  Basically what we learned is that there are two fronts. It is 
reducing the supply and it is eliminating the demand. Supply reduction 
is a complex issue. Since much of the heroin is coming across the 
Mexican border, obviously, increased border security is important. 
Treatment is absolutely important.
  The Drug Enforcement Agency often has take-back days where people can 
drop off old prescriptions to licensed agents for disposal. What we 
have seen are that an awful lot of especially young people who are 
getting hooked on heroin start out with prescription drugs, and 
oftentimes it is something that they got from a family member in their 
own home.
  Despite additional control mechanisms, if there is one thing we have 
learned over the years, it is almost impossible to completely cut off 
the supply of any particular drug. So we must also eliminate the 
demand.
  We need to focus on drug treatment and prevention programs. For 
example, in Cincinnati, we have something called the Talbert House, 
which is one of many nonprofits that help folks in southwest Ohio and 
northern Kentucky to combat substance abuse. So there are many, many 
programs that we already have. We need to have more.
  I want to, again, commend the fact that this is happening in a 
bipartisan manner. We have a lot of Members in the House, both 
Republicans and Democrats, who have come together and have a lot of 
good plans. They have talked with the folks in their districts. I 
commend my colleagues for working on this together in a bipartisan 
manner.
  Let's reconcile what we pass here with the Senate, let's get this 
passed into law, and let's move this forward on this very, very 
critical issue.
  I thank the gentlewoman from Massachusetts for pulling this Special 
Order together this evening.
  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 
Ohio for reminding us that even rural America has not been spared this 
epidemic.
  I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, this is an emotional night for me. I 
thank the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark) for guiding us. I 
also thank Representatives Guinta and Kuster. I am so moved by the fact 
that we are here on a bipartisan statement.
  As I spoke to Ms. Kuster and indicated, as a ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations 
count me in, as she began to expand the tragic window of the impact of 
drug addiction, particularly opioids. Let me speak very quickly because 
I have a lot to say.
  This is an epidemic that has gone beyond reason. Between 2000 and 
2014, almost half a million people died from drug overdoses. In 2014 
alone, more than 47,000 people died of drug overdoses. The largest 
percentage of overdose deaths in 2014 were attributed to opioids like 
prescription painkillers, methadone, morphine, and heroin.
  Today in the Rules Committee, we made it clear that we want to work 
with doctors and law enforcement. We also said that we understand the 
use of painkillers during end of life. We understand that, so we are 
not here to condemn. We are here to help.
  I am so glad that the Judiciary Committee will have on the floor this 
Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act that responds to this crisis. 
It is a treatment bill where we will bring together law enforcement and 
substance abuse treatment persons.
  This emergency is compounded due to the perilous connection between 
prescription painkillers and heroin. Approximately three out of four 
new heroin users report that their use began with their abuse of 
prescription drugs.
  Not only were 11 million people at risk of overdosing due to their 
abuse of prescription painkillers, 11 million people were also at risk 
of becoming addicted to heroin with its attendant risks.
  We have heard the stories, and let me share some with you very 
quickly. I read one on the plane as I came up. It was a very painful 
story. A woman was detained in a fatal car wreck. In that car was her 
little 2-year-old and a little 7-year-old. She was on hydrocodone. She 
sideswiped two cars and then killed a person on a motorcycle. That 
person's family does not have them anymore. This woman will be 
subjected possibly to life imprisonment. Those children will not have a 
mother.
  What about the situation in Ohio?
  We don't know what the circumstances were, but eight persons of a 
family were killed execution style. Drugs were behind it.
  What about this mother who supplied hydrocodone and alcohol to her 
son and his date on prom night?
  There is an epidemic that we must confront. There are those who would 
do wrong, but those who are addicted.
  This is evidenced by a study, ``How the Heroin Epidemic Differs in 
Communities of Color.'' It is important, as I stand here and look at 
the suburban and rural areas, that we, again, remember how it has 
doubled among African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans and that 
we look to the kind of resources that would include all.
  In conclusion, let me share these numbers with you that I think are 
so very important. They are startling. The increase in overdose by 
rates: 267 percent by the White population from 2010 to 2014. 213 
percent by African Americans from to 2010 to 2014. 137 percent by 
Hispanic. And Native Americans, 236 percent. Not one person can be 
counted out that needs to be included in our work here on the floor of 
the House.
  I am glad that we are making this statement today and next week 
because now America knows the Congress is speaking, the bully pulpit 
will be heard, and I hope we can save lives.
  I am pleased to join my colleagues of the Bipartisan Task Force to 
Combat the Heroin Epidemic to speak on this important issue impacting 
all Americans.
  I want to thank Congressman Frank Guinta (R-NH) for his leadership in 
elevating this issue to a national forum that has drawn unprecedented 
attention and concern.
  We must take action because today a leading killer of Americans is 
drug overdose.
  Between 2000 and 2014, almost half a million people died from drug 
overdoses.
  Many of these deaths were preventable.
  In 2014 alone, more than 47,000 people died of drug overdoses.
  The largest percentage of overdose deaths in 2014 was attributed to 
opioids--like prescription painkillers, methadone, morphine, and 
heroin.
  Specifically, 28,647 people overdosed and died because of an opioid 
in 2014.
  We are experiencing an emergency that impacts citizens in every 
state, city, and town in this country--that is prescription painkiller 
and opioid abuse.
  This emergency is compounded due to the perilous connection between 
prescription painkillers and heroin.
  Prescription painkiller abuse is the strongest risk factor for future 
heroin use.
  Approximately three out of four new heroin users report that their 
use began with their abuse of prescription painkillers.
  Heroin use becomes appealing to those addicted to prescription 
painkillers because it is cheaper and easier to obtain.
  Due to its potency, heroin use tends to lead to addiction.
  Heroin addiction is often deadly, leading to overdose or other 
chronic diseases.
  The rate at which the occurrence of heroin overdose deaths increased 
is cause for alarm.
  In the four years between 2010 and 2014, heroin overdoses more than 
tripled.
  More than 10,500 people died from heroin overdoses in 2014.
  In 2013, more than 8,200 people died from heroin overdoses.
  In that same year, 11 million people admitted to improper use of 
prescription painkillers.
  Not only were 11 million people at risk of overdosing due to their 
abuse of prescription painkillers, 11 million people were also at high 
risk of becoming addicted to heroin--with its attendant risks and 
dangers.
  This current crisis requires an immediate and comprehensive response 
and the bill before us today is one element of a broader strategy.
  I am proud to say that I have worked with my colleagues on the 
Judiciary Committee and with members of the Heroin Task Force to 
introduce and cosponsor legislation that help combat this deadly 
epidemic.

[[Page 5624]]



                  Legislation Supported by Jackson Lee

     1. Bipartisan Comprehensive Legislation:

  H.R. 953--Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2015; 
Representative Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [R-WI-5] (Introduced 2/12/
15); 124 Cosponsors (84 Dems--including SJL, 40 Reps); *No Sentencing 
Enhancements or Penalties.
  H.R. 3719--``Stop the Overdose Problem Already Becoming a Universal 
Substance Epidemic Act of 2015'' or the ``STOP ABUSE Act of 2015''; 
Representative Guinta, Frank C. [R-NH-1] (Introduced 10/08/2015); 8 
Cosponsors (4 Dems, 4 Reps); *No Sentencing Enhancements or Penalties.
  H.R. 4697--Prevent Drug Addiction Act of 2016; Representative Esty, 
Elizabeth H. [D-CT-5] (Introduced 03/03/2016); 2 Cosponsors (Reps); *No 
Sentencing Enhancements or Penalties.

     2. Legislation to Improve Pain Management Practices:

  H.R. 4499--the ``Promoting Responsible Opioid Prescribing Act of 
2016'' and as the ``PROP Act of 2016''; Representative Mooney, 
Alexander X. [R-WV-2] (Introduced 02/09/2016); 31 Cosponsors (18 Rep, 
13 Dem); *No Sentencing Enhancements or Penalties.
  H.R. 2805--Heroin and Prescription Opioid Abuse Prevention, 
Education, and Enforcement Act of 2015; Representative Brooks, Susan W. 
[R-IN-5] (Introduced 06/17/2015); 41 Cosponsors (23 Reps, 18 Dems); *No 
Sentencing Enhancements or Penalties.
  H.R. 1821--Opioid Overdose Reduction Act of 2015; Representative 
Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1] (Introduced 04/15/2015); 6 Cosponsors (4 
Reps, 2 Dems); *No Sentencing Enhancements or Penalties.
  H.R. 2335--Stop Tampering of Prescription Pills Act of 2015; 
Representative Keating, William R. [D-MA-9] (Introduced 05/14/2015); 9 
Cosponsors (5 Dems, 4 Reps); *No Sentencing Enhancements or Penalties.
  H.R. 4599--Reducing Unused Medications Act of 2016; Representative 
Clark, Katherine M. [D-MA-5] (Introduced 02/24/2016); 14 Cosponsors (10 
Dems, 4 Reps); *No Sentencing Enhancements or Penalties.
  H.R. 4063--Jason Simcakoski PROMISE Act; Representative Bilirakis, 
Gus M. [R-FL-12] (Introduced 11/18/2015); 30 Cosponsors (17 Reps, 13 
Dems); *No Sentencing Enhancements or Penalties.

     3. Legislation to Improve Treatment:

  H.R. 2536--``Recovery Enhancement for Addiction Treatment Act'' or 
the ``TREAT Act''; Representative Higgins, Brian [D-NY-26] (Introduced 
05/21/2015); 25 Cosponsors (18 Dems--including SJL, 7 Reps); *No 
Sentencing Enhancements or Penalties.
  H.R. 4076--The Reforming and Expanding Access to Treatment Act or the 
``TREAT Act''; Representative Turner, Michael R. [R-OH-10] (Introduced 
11/18/2015); 6 Cosponsors (all Dems); *No Sentencing Enhancements or 
Penalties.
  H.R. 3865--Cradle Act; Representative Jenkins, Evan H. [R-WV-3] 
(Introduced 10/29/2015); 38 Cosponsors (30 Reps, 8 Dems--including 
SJL); *No Sentencing Enhancements or Penalties.
  H.R. 4586--Lali's Law; Representative Dold, Robert J. [R-IL-10] 
(Introduced 02/23/2016); 3 Cosponsors (2 Dems, 1 Rep); *No Sentencing 
Enhancements or Penalties.
  H.R. 2872--Opioid Addiction Treatment Modernization Act; 
Representative Bucshon, Larry [R-IN-8] (Introduced 06/24/2015); 5 
Cosponsors (4 Reps, 1 Dem); *No Sentencing Enhancements or Penalties.

     Sentencing Reform Legislation:

  H.R. 3713--Sentencing Reform Act of 2015; Representative Goodlatte, 
Bob [R-VA-6] (Introduced 10/08/2015); 65 Cosponsors (48 Dems--including 
SJL original, 17 Reps)
  We must make our best efforts to prevent individuals from moving from 
painkillers to heroin by making treatment for addicts more accessible 
by encouraging the use of evidence-based programs, such as medication-
assisted treatment.
  Life-saving overdose reversal drugs, like naloxone, are most valuable 
in the hands of trained individuals who regularly come in contact with 
individuals who are prone to drug overdoses.
  It is important that we support these measures that will increase the 
use and availability of naloxone and other overdose reversal drugs to 
first responders.
  Addiction is a disease that affects the brain and eventually changes 
the behavior of addicts, causing them to experience mental health 
issues and encounter legal problems.
  Treatment is the most reasonable and effective approach to diverting 
these individuals away from homelessness and prison.

                  [From WETA FRONTLINE, Feb. 23, 2016]

        How the Heroin Epidemic Differs in Communities of Color

                          (By Sarah Childress)

       Most of the media attention in the current nationwide 
     heroin epidemic has focused on the uptick in overdose deaths 
     among suburban, white, middle-class users--many of whom 
     turned to the drug after experimenting with prescription 
     painkillers.
       And it's among whites where the most dramatic effect has 
     been seen--a rise of more than 260 percent in the last five 
     years, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
       But the epidemic has also been seeping into communities of 
     color, where heroin overdose death rates have more than 
     doubled among African Americans, Latinos and Native 
     Americans, but gone largely overlooked by the media.
       People develop addictions for a variety of reasons, which 
     makes it difficult to gather concrete data on what's 
     happening in each community, said Dr. Wilson Compton, deputy 
     director at the National Institute of Health's National 
     Institute on Drug Abuse. ``To a certain extent, these are 
     hidden behaviors, and we only notice people at the end of 
     their lives sometimes,'' he said. ``So we don't always know 
     all of the pathways that lead to this.''
       FRONTLINE spoke to experts and community outreach workers 
     around the country to try to understand the differences. 
     While some have followed a similar trajectory as the white 
     community, a closer look at the epidemic in some communities 
     of color reveals a different story.
       And outreach workers in several cities say that while funds 
     and attention have been directed to aid white opioid and 
     heroin users in the suburbs, they are still struggling to get 
     the resources they need to support minorities who are dealing 
     with the same addiction.
       ``Our job is to help those services really make it deep 
     into the community,'' said Jacqueline Robarge, founder and 
     director of Baltimore-based Power Inside, which serves drug 
     users who are mainly African-American women. ``And if they 
     aren't going to arrive, we want to have an accounting that 
     these people have been suffering for decades. It really is 
     disingenuous if the resources are only going to be directed 
     at the suburbs and the counties where, basically, the white 
     folks are getting high.''

                              {time}  2000

  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Jackson Lee for 
her advocacy and leadership and always championing our communities of 
color who have also been devastated by this crisis.
  I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus).
  Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and 
thank her and Mr. Guinta for this very important evening where we are 
talking about a plague on our country.
  I am pleased to stand here today to join my colleagues from both 
sides of the aisle in resolve to find real solutions for the heroin and 
opioid epidemic hitting our communities and our Nation. Our Bipartisan 
Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic is actively bringing together 
law enforcement, treatment, and recovery experts to share critical 
information that has been helping us to better understand the issue.
  This House is working on crafting better laws that will help law 
enforcement tackle this problem so that treatment and recovery 
professionals can effectively offer lifesaving treatments to those 
currently suffering from addiction.
  Our words must be followed by action. We are working with all levels 
of government, from the Federal down to the local level, as well as the 
private sector and nonprofits to fix this problem.
  For example, I introduced the Co-Prescribing Saves Lives Act with my 
Democratic colleague, Congressman Bill Keating, which would encourage 
physicians to co-prescribe naloxone alongside opioid prescriptions and 
make naloxone more widely available in Federal health settings. 
Naloxone is a safe and effective antidote to opioid-related overdoses, 
including heroin and fentanyl, and is used as a critical tool in 
preventing fatal opioid overdose, having reversed more than 26,000 
overdoses between 1996 and 2014.
  I have cosponsored and supported several other bills, such as the 
ones we are working on this week, to advance stronger, up-to-date 
solutions to this brutal epidemic.
  But it is the human side of the story that motivates us. Every 
district has

[[Page 5625]]

their stories, and I commend the families that are speaking out so that 
others don't experience the pain and loss that they have.
  Vonda Probst from Friedens, Pennsylvania, lost her son Jared Carter 
to a heroin overdose 2 years ago. Jared enjoyed motorcycle riding, four 
wheeling, fixing old cars, and being outdoors. He would have turned 30 
last summer. There are far too many stories like Jared's in 
Pennsylvania and throughout the Nation, stories about lives full of 
potential and value that are cut short by drug abuse.
  Chad Schilling was another individual from my district whose family 
has spoken out. Chad died last month at the age of 32. He was the third 
member of his high school's 2001 football team. ``It can happen to 
anybody,'' Jeff Schilling, Chad's dad, said. ``I don't care if you're 
poor, you're homeless, you're wealthy, it can happen to you. So get 
help.''
  And then there is Tony Swalligan. As stated in an editorial in 
Johnstown's Tribune-Democrat, Kathi, Tony's mother, wants others to 
know that she is both grieving and angry that heroin claimed Tony, her 
baby, the youngest of 10, who was just 23 years old.
  She said: ``As a woman of faith, I'm taking this to God and asking 
him to damn heroin. That's how I feel: Damn heroin.''
  ``You only have to come over to the funeral home,'' Tony's mother 
said, ``to know there's absolutely nothing fun about heroin. And it's 
not just themselves they're killing. They're doing this to their whole 
family. You think, `Ooo, I want to get high.' But you're killing your 
whole family.''
  His mother said: ``What part of `heroin is highly addictive' don't 
our young people understand? Do they all think they're 6 feet tall and 
bulletproof?''
  It is these stories that are all too often, but we must, we can find 
effective solutions to the opioid epidemic for these families. I am 
confident, by working together, we can turn the tide and save lives. I 
thank, again, my colleagues for organizing this very important hour.
  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Rothfus 
for sharing the stories of Jared, Chad, and Tony and really putting a 
face and a name to this epidemic.
  I now yield to the gentlewoman from Maine (Ms. Pingree).
  Ms. PINGREE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues very much for 
organizing this Special Order and for the bipartisan approach to 
dealing with such a challenging issue.
  I would like to rise today to share some of the stories, as my 
colleagues have, about my constituents whose lives have been impacted 
by addiction.
  We are now so well aware that addiction to prescription opioids is on 
the rise nationwide. In my home State of Maine, that trend has also 
been accompanied by a drastic increase in the use of heroin and other 
illicit drugs. Sadly, now heroin and other drugs provide a cheaper, 
more readily available alternative to diverted prescription medicines. 
The unpredictable formulations of these drugs, which can vary 
drastically in toxicity, have made Maine's epidemic of addiction 
particularly deadly.
  In cities, small towns, and rural areas across the State, people are 
dying each week. Everyone knows someone--a family member, a friend, a 
neighbor--who has overdosed. No one is immune. People from every 
background, income level, and generation are at risk.
  One of the individuals we have tragically lost was a brother of a 
staff member of mine. His name was David McCarthy, and his struggle 
with addiction was captured in a feature this summer in The Washington 
Post, entitled, ``And Then He Decided Not to Be.'' David, who had been 
sober for several months, relapsed on the evening before he left home 
to return to his winter job at a ski resort.
  His family came forward to speak openly and honestly about his death 
because they believe, as I do, that removing the stigma and silence 
around addiction is an essential part of treating it as the serious 
illness that it is.
  One of the most poignant aspects of this family's experience is that 
the day after David's death, his brother Michael overdosed on the same 
batch of heroin. In Michael's case, however, he was found while he was 
still alive, and the same paramedics who responded to David's death 
happened to have a physician with them who administered an overdose 
reversal drug to revive him, so he survived. With his family's support, 
he has now entered a long-term treatment program. Access to those 
resources, like readily available Narcan and quality treatment 
opportunities, quite literally saves lives.
  I am deeply frustrated and disappointed that my colleagues here in 
Congress have been unable to come together to provide funding to 
address this epidemic. I am very glad to see the House working on 
legislation this week related to opioid abuse, but the reality is, 
without funds appropriated to support the new programs created, many of 
these bills are nothing more than political rhetoric.
  I am afraid that some lawmakers would prefer to have people suffering 
from addiction continue to turn to our already overburdened emergency 
rooms for care, to continue asking them to enter treatment, only to be 
turned away because they can't pay, or asking those people who are 
addicted to continue struggling to recover while also dealing with 
homelessness, food insecurity, and a range of other challenges. That is 
just unacceptable.
  Every victim of this epidemic represents an incredible loss, not only 
to the people who love them, but to all of us, in the form of missed 
potential.
  This summer I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Poulos, a University 
of Maine law graduate who was working to get his security clearance for 
a fellowship at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. 
The process was especially difficult for him because he is a convicted 
felon who was arrested for drug possession during a period of addiction 
to opioids and other drugs; but now Chris is devoting his considerable 
talent and intellect to helping others--not despite, but because of his 
own recovery. The State of Maine and our country are better off because 
he could access treatment when he needed it.
  Our constituents need treatment, and they need it now. States can't 
face the epidemic alone, and they shouldn't have to. The difference 
Federal funding can make became clear to me recently when I visited 
Crossroads, a recovery center in my district. Through a Federal grant, 
they established a treatment program for pregnant and parenting women 
which allows them to remain unified with their children while working 
on their recovery.
  One participant, Helen, came to the program while pregnant with her 
fourth child. The caring staff at Crossroads worked with her to ensure 
that she was able to bond with her baby after his birth and help 
facilitate her transition to a long-term sober housing program. I am 
proud that Federal funding played a part in her recovery. I firmly 
believe that helping Helen to get clean is a great investment in her, 
in her children, and in our society.
  During my visit to Crossroads, though, I heard about the many people 
who struggle to access affordable treatment or find themselves left 
without any support when they have completed it. They, too, need us 
urgently.
  Congress needs to come together and appropriate emergency funds to 
combat the epidemic of opioid abuse in our country. Clearly, it is a 
matter of life and death.
  Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from 
Maine. I thank her for sharing the personal story of David and Michael. 
I know that, in my extended office family, we grieve and remember and 
will continue to work for change for Kyle and Emmett, who we have lost 
in the past year as well. We will remember all the names that were 
mentioned in this first hour of Stephen, Jennifer, Morgan, Bethany, 
Matt, Tracy, Jared, Chad, Tony, David, and Michael.
  I thank my colleague from New Hampshire again for his work on this 
bipartisan task force.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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