U.S. Congressman Greg Walden (R-Hood River) said it is time to act in the fight against the opioid epidemic that kills as many as 100 Americans a day.
“It is time for us to act,” said Walden. “Not to drag our feet and delay, and wait another day and another 116 people dying,” said Walden. “Today is the day we will move forward. We will do our work.”
The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health voted to advance 56 bills as part of the committee’s ongoing efforts to combat the opioid crisis. The bills now must be approved by the full Energy and Commerce Committee before being considered by the House of Representatives.
During the legislative markup, Walden delivered a call to action for the victims and families of the opioid crisis. Walden held up a picture of Amanda Beatrice Gray, who passed away from overdose in 2018, and whose parents participated in a roundtable discussion Walden held with advocates from across the country in Washington, D.C. last week.
“We need to move forward so that there aren’t more victims like Amanda. And the children of the other parents who were here last Thursday who pled with us not to delay, not to wait, but to move forward,” said Walden.
For more information on the legislative markup, including a background memo, electronic copies of the legislation, and archived webcast, please click here.
