[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E897]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE HONORING MEGAN POSER

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                             HON. MAX ROSE

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 11, 2019

  Mr. ROSE of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my 
distinguished colleagues to join me in honoring my constituent Megan 
Poser for her efforts to dispel the stigma of addiction and to 
congratulate her on receiving the Girl Scout Gold Award.
   No community has been hit harder by the opioid epidemic than Staten 
Island. And at just 17 years-old, Megan decided that she wasn't going 
to just sit around and wait for others to do something about it. She 
decided she'd take it upon herself to change the perception and the 
stigma surrounding this crisis. Beyond her research of the drug 
epidemic on Staten Island, she took the initiative to become trained in 
the use of naloxone, a drug that has saved countless lives in our 
borough.
   She also surveyed young people in our community about the dangers of 
this crisis, because she recognizes that the first step in overcoming 
the opioid epidemic is addressing the perception of the issue. She 
built on her findings to create a presentation that she then used to 
educate her fellow young Staten Islanders about the nature of the drug 
epidemic. She became certified in Mental Health First Aid which gives 
people the tools to help someone experiencing a mental health or 
substance use-related crisis.
   The Girl Scouts have already recognized Megan's hard work and 
dedication to the Staten Island community by presenting her with its 
Gold Award, and it is my honor to do the same here in the Halls of 
Congress. She has successfully set herself up on a foundation of 
service to her community that is already having an impact on Staten 
Island, and I am confident that she will continue to build on these 
accomplishments to make the world a better place.
   So, Madam Speaker, today I ask my colleagues in the House of 
Representatives to join me in recognizing Megan for her selfless and 
compassionate service to the Staten Island community. Megan's 
commitment to extend this project beyond receiving the Girl Scout Gold 
Award shows a continued love for learning and educating her peers. Ms. 
Poser is already an inspiring leader and I look forward to seeing her 
other projects unfold.

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