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[Page H3990]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
OPIOID CRISIS EPIDEMIC
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Joyce) for 5 minutes.
Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to appear before you
today.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring awareness to the public health
crisis that continues to devastate communities in Ohio and across the
country while we grapple with the unprecedented challenges caused by
the coronavirus pandemic--the opioid crisis.
I have been proud of Congress' bipartisan work over the past several
years to not only advance recovery and treatment efforts, but also to
prevent the trafficking of lethal, illicit opioids, like fentanyl. I
was even prouder when, in 2018, those efforts resulted in our Nation's
first decline in drug overdose deaths in nearly 30 years. Tragically,
our progress is slipping away.
The CDC's preliminary 2019 overdose death data shows that fatal
overdoses hit a record high last year, accounting for the deaths of
70,980 Americans. More than half of those deaths, 36,500 to be exact,
involved synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl. In total, 37 States saw
their number of fatal overdoses increase or remain stable from 2018.
That deadly trend is ongoing this year as the coronavirus pandemic
continues to impact the mental health and economic security of
Americans across the country. An analysis released by the White House
last month found that overdose deaths were up 11.4 percent from January
to April this year when compared with the same period in 2019.
Mr. Speaker, these are more than just statistics. These are real
people--mothers and fathers, sons and daughters--and their deaths are
causing real pain in communities across our Nation. Back home, a young
man who had been sober for nearly 2 years--2 years--relapsed after the
pandemic began and the place where he worked had to close its doors.
Michael died at the end of March at just 31 years old, with both
fentanyl and carfentanil in his system.
I saw Michael's mom, Cathy, on the local news the other night
speaking out about her son's death, trying to bring awareness to not
only the lack of attention focused on the opioid crisis right now, but
the limited resources available to combat addiction during this
pandemic and the continued rise of synthetic opioids, like those found
in Michael's system when he died.
We have to act now to stop this crisis in its tracks. We have to
redouble our efforts now if we want to prevent other families from
enduring the same kind of loss that Michael's family is currently
suffering. Having met with those on the front lines of the opioid
crisis in my district, ranging from drug court judges to directors of
rehab facilities to law enforcement officers on local drug task forces,
I know that battling this epidemic requires an all-of-the-above
approach that includes prevention and education efforts, promotes
treatment, cracks down on illegal distribution, and enhances resources
for first responders and law enforcement.
That is why I introduced the Comprehensive Opioid Program Extension
Act. My bill, better known as the COPE Act, would help us implement an
all-of-the-above approach by increasing the authorized resources
available for the Department of Justice's comprehensive opioid abuse
program. These grants will help local communities battle the opioid
epidemic by:
Providing training and resources for first responders on opioid
overdose reversal drugs and devices, like Narcan;
Improving collaboration between State criminal justice agencies and
substance abuse agencies;
Enhancing law enforcement efforts to combat the illegal distribution
of opioids;
And developing or expanding programs to prevent youth opioid abuse,
drug take-back initiatives, or for treatment alternatives to
incarceration.
The harsh reality is that everyone in this Chamber knows someone who
has been impacted by this opioid crisis.
{time} 945
With the coronavirus pandemic already causing an increase in fatal
overdoses from last year's record high, action is long overdue.
We must advance legislative solutions that allow Democrats and
Republicans to join together in a bipartisan effort to defeat this
opioid crisis. I stand ready to work with my colleagues on both sides
of the aisle to find a bipartisan solution like the COPE Act that will
help us stop the opioid crisis from causing more death, wreaking more
havoc, and resulting in more tragedy.
This crisis has been breaking apart families and threatening the
safety of our communities for far too long, and the American people are
ready for us to help them stop it.
____________________
