Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016

Floor Speech

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Mr. HILL. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleague from Arizona for yielding me time to speak on this very important amendment. I want to thank him for his leadership.

Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic in my home State of Arkansas and throughout our country. I am so grateful for people like Chief Kirk Lane of Benton, Arkansas, who leads on this issue throughout my district.

Tonight I speak from the well of our beloved House first as a dad, and a Congressman second. I have had personal experiences with the tragic loss of life that come as a result of prescription drug abuse, and many times our children and our loved ones are the ones who are so closely affected and impacted.

My daughter is 18 years old, and she already knows four people in her age group who have lost their lives due to the influence of prescription drugs and the related impacts. That is tragic.

I am proud that Arkansas recently passed legislation that gives law enforcement investigators access to our State's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. This law in my State will enhance investigative capabilities and will give law enforcement investigators better ability to bring criminals to justice who are abusing prescription drug practices and trying to dump those drugs back on the street.

This is a serious problem that deserves more of our attention, first at our dinner tables, in our schools, and in our capitol buildings. I am so proud to support Mr. Gosar's amendment that cuts money from the overhead at the ATF and will strengthen these prescription drug monitoring activities.

I thank the gentleman from Arizona.

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