Providing for Consideration of H.R. Stop the Importation and Trafficking of Synthetic Analogues Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. Transitional Housing for Recovery in Viable Environments Demonstration Program Act; and Providing for Consideration of H.R. Securing the International Mail Against Opioids Act of 2018

Floor Speech

Mr. BEN RAY LUJAN of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, every community in America has suffered from the opioid epidemic. These are our moms and dads, our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters. All across America, families are suffering.

This is not a new problem. Earlier this year, The New York Times wrote about how one of the most distressing truths of America's opioid epidemic is that it has been with us for 150 years. For more than a century, this crisis has been breaking communities.

This certainly isn't a new problem in New Mexico. Since 2000, New Mexico has had one of the highest rates of drug overdose deaths in the United States. This cycle must be broken because, if there is no action, America is doomed to see these tragedies repeat for another 150 years.

This week, we are working on passing a package of bipartisan bills to address this crisis, and that is good. However, if you listen to our friends on the other side of the aisle, you might think that congressional Republicans think this problem has been solved.

We need to do more and be more aggressive. As The New York Times wrote, serious legislation needs to be considered, such as proposals modeled on the Ryan White CARE Act that would appropriate $100 billion over 10 years for research, treatment, and support. One of the packages we have today is a bipartisan approach around the Ryan White CARE Act. The funding is not sufficient. We can do more.

Last year in Congress, we came together in a bipartisan fashion to provide a billion dollars to States to address the opioid crisis in the 21st Century Cures Act. We all knew that the billion dollars included in Cures would only be a first step. That is what people said.

I am going to say today what I said last Congress when we were debating these bills: While the House is taking a step toward addressing the opioid epidemic, this is a missed opportunity.

There are good policies in this package of bills, but I am deeply disappointed in the lack of investment on such an urgent crisis facing America. Congress can and must do more.

On behalf of 129 people who will die today from a drug overdose, Congress must do more to address this crisis in a deeply meaningful way. And to do that, real investment must be made, large dollar investments that save lives across America.

My bill extends the bipartisan block grant funding passed in Cures for an additional 5 years. These grants would continue to support States in their efforts to enhance access to treatment, bolster substance abuse prevention programs, and expand evidence-based initiatives that will help address this deadly epidemic.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an editorial written by The New York Times, titled, ``An Opioid Crisis Foretold,'' from April 21, 2018.

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Mr. BEN RAY LUJAN of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on ordering the previous question so we can take a meaningful step toward defeating this crisis.
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