[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[House]
[Pages 9550-9551]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      OPIOID AND HEROIN ADDICTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Bost) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, prescription opioids and heroin addiction are 
ravaging our Nation, causing heartache and pain for millions of 
American families, and destroying our communities. This is no secret.
  In my own home State of Illinois, opioids contribute to nearly 1,200 
overdose deaths in 2016. Heroin played a role in those deaths of 
another 1,000 people, many of whom started with prescription drugs.
  According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, more people 
die from opioid drug overdose than from homicide and motor vehicle 
accidents.
  These aren't just numbers or statistics. The people battling 
addiction are moms and dads and neighbors and students. Addiction 
doesn't care about

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your race, your gender, your income, your political leanings. It is an 
issue that affects everyone because it impacts every community and 
every person we love.
  Congress took an important step last year in passing the 
Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. This bipartisan legislation, 
which was signed into law, created a coordinated and balanced strategy 
for communities to tackle issues regarding prescription and opioid 
abuse in their communities.
  Just last month, Congress voted to fund programs designed to prevent 
and treat opioid and heroin use. But the real leaders of this effort 
will be citizens in our local community. Many local police departments 
now offer drug drop boxes. Parents, especially, are on the front line 
of this issue and are responsible to educate our children about the 
dangers of prescription medication.
  If you see someone struggling with addiction, please encourage them 
to speak to their local drug and alcohol commissioners.
  Completely ending addiction nationwide may not be possible, but 
together we can save lives and begin to put hope back in our 
communities.

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