Transcripts For CSPAN2 Key Capitol Hill Hearings 20160505 :

Additional comments or statements. Without objection, so ordered. And when we complete the Opening Statements we will turn to our panel of witnesses. We have five distinguished Witnesses Today, three at the federal level, one at the state and one of the local level for our hearing. We will swear those witnesses in and then we will hear their testimony, and then we will proceed with questions. So that will be the order of business that we will follow. So again, welcomecome and i will start with my opening statement. Unfortunately, the United States is experiencing a historic epidemic of Drug Overdose deaths. Today, Drug Overdose, overdoses are the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. In 2014, i dont have the 2015 figures yet, but in 2014, listen to this, 47,055 deaths caused by Drug Overdose. That means that this hearing lasts for two hours. 10 people will die in the next two hours in the United States from Drug Overdose death. More americans this is a little chart showing the increase since 1999. Remember, i chaired criminal justice drug policy oversight subcommittee from 9899, and we thought we had an epidemic back in 99 with 16,000. And i can show you some of the headlines from my local newspapers where we have people dying in a, many people dying over a weekend. Unfortunately, thats what we are seeing again in my community and across the United States. Unfortunately, more americans have died from drug related overdoses in one year than all that were killed in the lengthy korean war. If the current trend continues, the annual death rate could climb beyond those killed in vietnam over that multiyear struggle, in one year. The carafe from the Washington Post illustrates grabbed disturbing rise in Drug Overdoses between 19992014. Of the 47,000, more than 10,000 americans died of heroin related overdoses. Air when use is increasing at a faster rate you want to talk about a war on women and war on our young people. The heroin deaths are killing our women twice the rate of men come and 109 more with our youth. Unfortunately, weve seen, according to the centers for Disease Control and prevention, that begin with heroin use among, deaths among our youth between 1825 in the past decade have soared. And again, lead the deadly statistics. Across all demographics the rate of heroin related overdoses deaths has increased 286 . While the exact cause of this epidemic is up for debate, many experts believe the use of other drugs is also a driving factor. Addiction to other drugs such as prescription painkillers and marijuana potentially open the door to an epidemic now destroying families and communities. Those addicted to other drugs turned to heroin to get a similar high because its cheaper and more readily available. Mexican drug cartels have established heroin trafficking routes here in the United States and coming across our borders. Now we see increase supplies in recent years. Had a chance to talk with my Police Chiefs and Law Enforcement folks in the district, dea folks, and we are seeing an incredible supply and will have some questions about where that is specifically coming from. We know a lot of it is coming across the Mexican Border. Impact unfortunately is still in communities across the nation. Just a few weeks ago i met with, again, all of the local officials and we have one of my local officials who we will hear from in a few minutes, teresa jacobs. Our county mayor in Orange County whos been forced to deal with the heroin epidemic in Central Florida and her county. And Orange County alone, you hear more about this, we had 475 related heroin bookings in 2013. By the end of 2015, last year we had 840. The majority of those arrested were between the age of 1844. The obama administration, unfortunately i believe has been sending mixed signals about the use of substances such as marijuana, which is one of the gateway drugs. Talk to anyone whos been counseling, treatment, rehabilitation, and youll find out that marijuana is a gateway drug, and many of the heroin users start their and work their way up the chain of deadly drugs. According to daschle institute on drug abuse, now listen to this, more High School Seniors are now using marijuana than cigarettes. A policy that has been adopted, unfortunately has consequences, the just say no drug policy which was championed by the late first Lady Nancy Reagan has turned into a just say okay policy, and now were seeing the consequences. While improving treatment is a key, enforcement is and must remain an essential part of combating heroin epidemics. When i talk to the police chief and i saw the numbers in our locale, i said, well, looks like youve been able to keep the lid on some of those, although it is now at epidemic proportions. They told me, mr. Mica, he said, this is only because we have now and dont that can bring these people back antidotes. The only reason were not seeing double or triple the deaths is because our Law Enforcement and our First Responders can bring these people back, if they can get to them in time. Not only Illegal Immigrants afloat over the Mexican Border but also illegal drugs. We know thats the main source with the supply of heroin, cocaine and marijuana and a host of other deadly narcotics. Stopping deadly direction entering the United States is a federal responsibility. And we wouldve from some of those officials engaged in that were. New statistics show federal drug prosecutions unfortunately are down 6 in the last year, 2015. This comes after 14 drop since the beginning of the obama administration, socalled smart on crime initiative. Our frontline Law Enforcement officers come if were going to save more of these kids and others who are overdosing, they should be equipped with the resources to prevent and save them from overdose death, not just our emergency medical officers. The ems people get their usual after the First Responders and it may be too late so this is Something Else we have learned from our local task force and Law Enforcement officials. One of the Police Chiefs in my district informed me that just within the last month or so, we had one student who had to be revived from overdosing three times in one week. Thats astounding. Whats astounding is he still alive and were able to catch a bat. Speaker ryan announced addressing disparate epidemic as a priority, and the senate has acted on some legislation. I believe that this is absolutely critical that this whole drug situation, including the heroin epidemic, become a priority for this congress. And i look forward hearing from our Witnesses Today as we examine how to protect our communities from this fast growing and skyrocketing national epidemic. I am now pleased to yield to a Ranking Member, mr. Cummings. Mr. Cummings was my Ranking Member, we, together, led the effort from 982000. I remember going into baltimore with him and conducting hearings there when the people were dying on the streets in huge numbers. But mr. Cummings, we are back, unfortunately backsliding and here we are today. Out he did a great job going to say people in his community, and he is now the Ranking Member of our full committee. Mr. Cummings. Thank you very much, mr. Chairman. I want to thank you for holding a hearing on americas heroin and opioid epidemic. I want to take a moment before i start to extend our prayers to the people of brussels, belgiu belgium,. And i would join you. And i would ask everyone for just a moment of silence, if we could. Thank you, mr. Cummings. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Todays hearing is about a National Public health emergency, and we need to treat it like one. People are dying in baltimore, orlando, salt lake city, manchester, in cities all across our nation. We can no longer ignore this Public Health emergency. Congress needs to put its money where its mouth is and actually help, help our statefunded treatment programs to stop this epidemic in its tracks. Drug Treatment Facilities without Adequate Funding are like firemen trying to put out a raging inferno without enough water. Last week leader pelosi sent a letter to speaker ryan to schedule a vote on 600 billion in emergency funding to help states address this epidemic before this recess week. Our colleague from connecticut has already introduced this bill in the house and senator shaheen has been pressing the legislation in the senate. Congress did not leave town until we take Emergency Action to increase funding to help states combat this epidemic. We must also fully Fund President obamas budget request for 1. 1 billion in 2017. This crisis will not end in a day. It will take our sustained commitment, and every one of us owes it to our constituents to make that a priority. They want us to take action, and they want us to take action now. Let me tell you why federal funding is so important. In my hometown of baltimore, ive witnessed with my own eyes in my own neighborhood the destruction drug addiction in flex on our communities. The first time i ever heard of a Drug Overdose death was 55 years ago from heroin. 55 years ago. I didnt understand it then. A young man in our neighborhood who we looked up to who turned to heroin. I can remember being so confused as to what this is all about. So i have seen vibrant neighborhoods and hardworking families and communities destroyed. In baltimore where many of the victims were poor and black, this went on for decades. Our nation treated this issue like a war rather than a Public Health emergency. Weve incarcerated generations rather than giving them the treatment they need. Now things are changing. Between 20062013, the number of first time there when users nearly doubled. About 90 of these first time users worldwide. Were white. This has become a runaway train barreling through every family and every community in its path. It has no respect for barriers. It is now responsible for the deaths of 78 americans every single day. Every single day. Why is this happening . In part as a result of doctors over prescribing pain medication, Drug Companies urging them on so that they can make massive profits. I would like to get into the record an oped by emily that appeared in the Baltimore Sun on march 19. Without objection, so ordered. I just want to read just a paragraph from this article. It says prescription opioids have been traditionally limited to cancer, pain and comfort measures. But in the mid 90s Drug Companies begin marketing these pills as a solution to a new platform, plethora of ailments. In their efforts to expand the market, producers understated and willfully ignored the powerfully addictive property of their drugs. The promotion of oxycontin by Purdue Pharma was the most aggressive marketing of is scheduled to drug ever undertaken a pharmaceutical company. The Sackler Family which owns stanford connecticutbased Purdue Pharma achieved a place on forbes 2015 list of americas wealthiest families. The sacklers comp the richest newcomers on the list, are worth an estimated 14 billion. 14 billion. Now, when on, so as she explains, the United States has only a 5 in this article, we have 5 of the worlds population, but we consume 80 of the worlds painkillers. Tweet that. 5 , ladies and gentlemen, of the worlds population, but 80 of the painkillers we consume. So yes, i believe it was unconscionable that our nation ignored this issue for decades. But now republicans and democrats are starting to work together. And i thank god that this day is finally, and the stars are starting to align for meaningful change. We now have people like orrin hatch, chris christie, rob portman, kelly ayotte and mike pence realizing the gravity of this crisis and supporting more fun to help our cities and states. They are beginning to realize that this is not an urban issue, a rural issue, a black issue, a hispanic issue or a weight issue. This is an American Issue that affects your sisters, your brothers, your sons and your daughters. Theres Something Else we must do. We can no longer allow Drug Companies to keep ripping off taxpayers for lifesaving medication. The chairman mentioned just a moment ago the drug no luck so and its lifesaving the locks on. Cities all around the country recognized the need to equip the First Responders, Police Officers and Public Health officials with the locks one, drug that can reverse opioid overdose in a matter of minutes. But efforts have been directly undermined by corporate greed. As more First Responders begin using this drug, the company that makes it began to increase its prices by staggering amounts. In a 2014, a 10 dose pack cost the Baltimore City Health Department roughly 190. Is what. Today, it costs more than 400. For a lifesaving drug. Despite repeated efforts by the home state of maryland, this Company Continues to overcharge for this drug. Company also continues to obstruct oversight by refusing to produce all of the documents i requested last may about their massive price increases. Mr. Chairman, todays hearing is rightly focused on heroin and opioid epidemic. By to help the committee will return next to my request for documents as well as my request for rehearing with executives from amphastar. With that let me welcome our esteemed panel of what is today, and i thank you for being here. And particularly i would like to welcome leana wen, Baltimore City Health Commissioner has done an outstanding job. She is a True National leader in developing and carrying out Effective Solutions to the opie id price it we were very fortunate to have her head in our Health Efforts in baltimore. We are very pleased to have her here today. And with that, mr. Chairman, i yield back. Thank you mr. Cummings. Again we believe the record open for members who came in late for five legislative days if you would like to submit them at this point in the record. We dont want to again welcome our witnesses, and let me first introduce them and then we will swear you in. I am pleased to welcome the honorable michael botticelli, he is the director of office of National Drug control policy at the white house. We have mr. Lou milione, and he is a Deputy Assistant administrator for to Version Control at dea, the federal Drug Enforcement administration at the department of justice. And then we have ms. Kana enomoto, and she is the Principal Deputy administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at the is department of health and human services. And then we have ms. Leana wen come issues of Health Commissioner for Baltimore City Health Department. And then i would like to also welcome my requested witness, the honorable teresa jacobs, mayor of Orange County florida. Some of your band before us before, some of you happen. We ask that you limit your statements to approximately five minutes. You see a little monitor. You can also request through the chair additional statements or information be added to the record. So if you have a statement want to some right you are welcome to do. Since this is an oversight and Investigations Panel of congress, i would like you to stand now and be sworn. Please stand. Raise your right hand. [witnesses were sworn in] all of the witnesses have answered in the affirmative. We will let the record reflect that. And then we will first turn to our own ondcp representative, the director of the office of National Drug control policy from the white house your