Opioid Epidemic

Floor Speech

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Ms. GABBARD. Mr. Speaker, for too long, companies like Purdue Pharma have lied, cheated, and swindled the American people, leaving death, addiction, and despair in their wake, all because of their greed and their desire to improve their bottom line.

Through marketing lies and overdistribution of these dangerously addictive drugs, they have oversaturated parts of our country already struggling from high levels of addiction, while knowing but not disclosing their highly addictive nature and risks. Because of their tactics, this opioid epidemic now takes 115 American lives every single day.

The time for holding these drug companies and their leaders accountable is long overdue. These companies rake in billions of dollars in profit every year on the backs of the American people, and not one of them has been prosecuted or held accountable.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting bicameral legislation, the Opioid Crisis Accountability Act, that would prohibit illegal marketing and distribution of opioids and empower prosecutors to punish those who break the law.

We cannot allow perpetrators of this epidemic to continue ruining lives in this country. We must hold those responsible accountable for the damage, heartache, and suffering they have caused.

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