[VIDEO] Courtney Urges Congressional Action to Deal With Growing Opioid and Heroin Epidemic

U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney delivered an impassioned speech on the House of Representatives floor Monday on a proposed bill to curb the growing prescription opioid and heroin abuse problem nationwide.

His remarks came just ahead of Senate debate on a bill introduced by New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the Senate companion to his bill, the Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act.

“The Centers for Disease Control tells us that in 2014, 27,000 Americans suffered accidental overdose deaths across the country - a drastic increase from 2013,” said Courtney, the 2nd District representative from Connecticut. “And this trend is happening again all across the country. In the state of Connecticut, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reported its statistics for 2015, which showed that 723 individuals lost their lives. So we are in the midst right now of a problem that is sweeping across the country that is affecting states that are Republican and Democrat, Blue and Red, and we as a nation need to get all hands on deck and come to grips with it.”

Courtney concluded his speech by saying, “The fact of the matter is that the willingness is there but the resources are not, to deal with a problem of this magnitude. Let’s pass the Shaheen-Courtney measure, let’s get emergency funding to the folks who need that help, who are ready, and they are on standby. They are there to help those families and those individuals who need the help that we as Americans should come together and support.”

According to a statement from Courtney’s office, the Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act would authorize $600 million in emergency funding for the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to fund a range of programs aimed at treating the public health emergency brought on by drug addiction, as well as funding law enforcement efforts to end the illegal drug trade.

The legislation makes grants available to states to assist in the coordination and improvement of already-existing substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.

The bill currently has 19 cosponsors in the House.

Photo and video courtesy of the office of Rep. Joe Courtney