The Obama Legacy: A Heroin and Opioids Crisis

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, The Washington Examiner has released the newest part of a series: ``The Obama legacy--A raging problem with heroin and opioids.''

Last year, the President announced a new effort to address the new public health crisis. This week, The Washington Examiner revealed:

`` . . . the crisis had been building for five years at that point, and critics say Obama's reactions were too little and too late. Some say his government even contributed to the crisis by approving painkillers liable to abuse. . . .

``Prescription painkiller and heroin overdose deaths have risen to all-time highs. From 2009-2014, the rate of overdose deaths from heroin abuse increased by 240 percent. . . .

``When you add painkiller overdose deaths to the heroin numbers, the rate of overall deaths increased 25 percent from 2009. . . .

``In 2014, more than 14,000 people died of overdoses, the biggest total since the CDC began collecting data in 1999.''

This is a failing legacy of destruction of families.

I am grateful that Congress acted to address the opioid crisis, passing the bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, enabling local communities to develop local solutions.

In conclusion, God bless our troops, and may the President, by his actions, never forget September 11th in the global war on terrorism.

Congratulations, Miss South Carolina, Rachel Wyatt of Clemson, first runner-up for Miss America.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source