Opioid Epidemic

Floor Speech

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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his good work in organizing this Special Order this evening.

The tragic opioid epidemic has, unfortunately, become a major part of our national conversation, and that is what brings us here tonight, to raise awareness and continue our push for bipartisan solutions.

I am grateful for Chairman Walden's and Chairman Burgess' leadership and the work of my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee doing a lot of work to tackle this public health crisis head on.

Too many Americans from all walks of life and from all parts of the country are facing the terrifying realities of the opioid crisis. It is a deeply personal and painful issue for many of our friends and loved ones.

I recently held a number of community forums in my district to collaborate with local leaders and hear from families whose lives had been swept up by the opioid epidemic. At one of those events, I joined with my good friend, a very successful electrical contractor, Mike Hirst, to speak with students at Jackson High School about the dangers of drug addiction.

In 2010, Mike's son, Andy, died of a heroin overdose at the age of 24. This tragic loss has led Mike to dedicate himself to sharing the experience of his son's death and helping educate the community. Mike started a foundation in honor of his son and called it Andy's Angels, where he has counseled addicts, supported families, mentored at-risk youth, and more. People like Mike are making a real difference, and I am committed to ensuring that the Federal Government is a strong partner in this fight.

Thanks to this committee's leadership, we took significant strides last Congress with the 21st Century Cures Act and the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, but we need to redouble our efforts.

One example is Jessie's Law, which is a bipartisan bill I introduced along with my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. It is named after Jessie Grubb, who tragically died of an opioid overdose in Michigan in 2016.

Jessie was a recovering addict doing very well, who was unknowingly discharged after a surgery from the hospital with a prescription for oxycodone that ultimately led to her death. It is a heartbreaking and entirely preventable story, and it is why we need to pass Jessie's Law so medical professionals are equipped to safely treat their patients, prevent overdose tragedies, and ultimately save lives.

I am working with Congresswoman Dingell as well on another bipartisan bill, the Safe Disposal of Unused Medication Act. Our legislation will help prevent the misuse or diversion of unused medications by equipping hospice professionals with the legal authority to safely dispose of unused drugs after a hospice patient's death. Many patients receiving hospice care need painkillers to help with end-of-life pain, but any leftover medications can, unfortunately, end up in the wrong hands, and we need to stop that from happening.

The committee has made addressing the opioid epidemic a top priority, and these are just two of many legislative solutions that we will hear tonight. This is an urgent crisis, and I stand ready to continue working together to advance a bipartisan and comprehensive response, and I thank the leadership for taking this on. There is not a moment to waste.

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