Walden shepherds 25 opioid-fight bills through House

Continuing his efforts to address a public health crisis that is killing more than 100 Americans every day, Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., led a bipartisan effort Tuesday to advance 25 bills through the House to combat the nationwide opioid crisis.

During a speech on the floor of the House, Walden stressed the importance of pushing forward in the fight against opioid addiction in Oregon and across the country, according to a news release from Walden’s office, which continues below.

“In my Oregon district, I’ve held multiple round table discussions with parents, those addicted and those who treat the addicted. I’ve talked with law enforcement officials and emergency room physicians. I’ve sought the counsel and advice of those who are closest to this national problem and I worked with my colleagues to carefully craft federal legislation that responds to their suggestions,” said Walden.

“The headlines are everywhere, and they tell the tragic stories of loved ones gone far too soon. We’re confronting an addiction that mercilessly seizes control and destroys. This killer doesn’t discriminate – not by age, not by race, not by where you live or what you believe. We’re here because opioid addiction continues to take the lives of more than 100 Americans each and every day. These are real people, in all of our districts.”

As Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Representative Walden has been at the forefront of the Congressional response to the opioid crisis.

Under Walden’s leadership, the Energy and Commerce Committee has advanced 57 bills to the House of Representatives aimed at addressing the opioid crisis through treatment and recovery, prevention, protecting communities, and fighting dangerous synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

During his speech today, Walden shared the story of Grants Pass resident Mike Pelfrey, whose family has been personally impacted by opioid addiction and who has attended multiple meetings Walden has held in southern Oregon to discuss solutions to combat the opioid crisis.Walden highlighted the ALTO Act (H.R. 5197), which passed by voice vote today and focuses on alternatives to addictive opioids for pain management.

“The first time I met Mike was at a roundtable I held in southern Oregon. Mike didn’t know anyone in the room. He had heard the news about our meeting to discuss opioid abuse and wanted to share his family’s story,” Walden said. “His son was injured in a school sporting accident and became addicted to the prescription painkillers provided by his doctor to aid in his recovery. Eventually, Mike’s son made the all-too-familiar transition to a cheaper source: heroin.

“To this day, Mike’s son still struggles with his addiction that began with opioid abuse. Mike went on to speak about his sister who also suffered from addiction. A nurse, his sister found herself with easier access to pills than most. When coworkers and others caught on, she moved and continued to procure pills. She died as a result of her addiction.”

“At a more recent meeting I held in southern Oregon, Mike was present once more. During our meeting, Mike urged everyone to make combating the opioid crisis a top priority, saying, ‘The only way we are going to do it is address it, do something about it, and make this an everyday part of our thought.’

“Well, Mike, this Congress we have made addressing this scourge an everyday part of our thoughts and efforts, and we will continue to do so no matter how long it takes to rip this terrible menace out of our communities,” Walden said.

Walden concluded by vowing to continuing searching for solutions that attack the opioid crisis from all angles.

“So, while the scourge of addiction looms large before us, I believe that we as a Congress, and we the American people, are up to the task,” he said.

“The bills before us are not our first efforts in this fight, and you have my word that they won’t be our last. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation before the House these next two weeks. We have an opportunity to save lives, and we have a responsibility to our families, friends, communities and nation to lift people out of addiction get America on a better path.”

For a complete list of legislation — all of which originated in Walden’s Energy and Commerce Committee — that advanced through the House of Representatives Tuesday, click here.