Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. CROCKETT. Mr. Speaker, every Member here likely knows at least one family in their district whose life has been impacted by someone struggling with addiction.

This comes at a time where companies are also now trying to use the courts to avoid liability and escape having to compensate families for their role in targeting communities and peddling pills all in the name of increasing profits.

Addiction is painful and it is dangerous. It is a dangerous struggle that too many Americans suffer from. Today, this illness is exacerbated by the prevalence of fentanyl. Fentanyl is 50 percent stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Because people can't see, taste, or smell it, those struggling with addiction don't even know when they are putting their life at risk.

To be clear, fentanyl is one of the leading causes of overdose- related deaths today. Now, more than ever, we need to attack this problem from a holistic approach. This is coming from, again, the gentlewoman from the State of Texas. We know that there is not just a one-trick pony on this. We have got to make sure that we address this side of it, as well as our struggles at the border.

Not only do we need more technology at our points of entry to interdict fentanyl, but we will also need to give our constituents the necessary tools to know whether or not they are about to subject themselves to fentanyl. One way to do this is to arm them with fentanyl testing strips.

I am grateful to Representative Gooden, my Republican co-lead, for supporting my bill, the Test Strip Access Act, to Senators Hassan and Cornyn for introducing it in the Senate, and to the Energy and Commerce Committee for incorporating it into the SUPPORT reauthorization.

My bill will allow fentanyl and xylazine testing strips to be purchased under the overdose prevention programs grants. Access to these testing strips can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the SUPPORT Act so we can give our constituents the tools to be safe and ultimately get them the help they desperately need to treat their illness.

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