Gettysburg, PA — Subcommittee on Health Chair Brett Guthrie's (R-KY) and Congressman John Joyce's, M.D. (R-PA) opening remarks today at the Health Subcommittee Field Hearing in Gettysburg, PA, on “Addressing the Opioid Crisis: Examining the SUPPORT Act Five Years Later.”

Subcommittee Chair Guthrie's remarks as prepared for delivery:

THE OPIOID CRISIS AFFECTS ALL AMERICANS

“Thanks to everyone for being here today to address such a significant issue facing every single American household.

“The overdose crisis continues to tragically claim the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans. In 2022, the U.S. sadly reached a historic high of 107,000 overdose deaths.

“For context, more than 33,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdose in 2015.

“This means in less than a decade, there was shocking 224% growth in drug overdose deaths.

“In Kentucky, we saw 14% growth in overdose rates between 2020 and 2021, and illicit fentanyl contributed to over 70% of those overdoses in both years.

“Overdose rates promisingly declined last year by 5%, a sign that what we are doing is working, but far more needs to be done.

“This Committee has acted on a number of occasions, in a bipartisan fashion, to address the overdose crisis.

“This includes passing the 21st Century Cures Act, the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-being Act, the HALT Fentanyl Act, and the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act.”

REAUTHORIZING THE SUPPORT ACT PROGRAMS

“The SUPPORT Act is why we are here today. We are working to examine the programs within SUPPORT Act, which expires this year.

“This landmark legislation is known as the single largest Congressional effort to tackle a drug epidemic in our nation’s history and overwhelmingly passed in House in 2018 and was signed into law by President Trump.

“The law is responsible for improving access to alternative pain management therapies for seniors, greater access to medication assisted treatment for vulnerable populations, and comprehensive wrap-around treatment and recovery support resources for those seeking to overcome their substance use disorders.

“The SUPPORT Act also included my Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers Act, a program that focuses on delivering targeted services to communities hardest hit by the opioid epidemic.

“I’ve introduced legislation to reauthorize this important program and look forward to working with my colleagues on the committee to ensure Americans continue to have access to these services.

“Over the next few weeks and months, we will dive further into the policies of the SUPPORT Act to better understand what is working and what isn’t.

“In closing, I want to personally thank Dr. Joyce for hosting us here today. He’s worked tirelessly during his time in Congress to address the ongoing overdose crisis, and I know his work won’t stop until this crisis ends.”

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Remarks as prepared for delivery from Rep. Joyce, whose district includes Gettysburg, Pennsylvania:

COMBATTING THE SCOURGE OF ADDICTION

“Thank you for yielding Chairman Guthrie, and I would like to also thank Chair Rodgers and the Committee for coming to Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District for this hearing on such an important topic.

“We are meeting together today at one of the most important historical sites in our Nation’s history.

“As we approach the 160th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, we recognize the 7,058 Americans who lost their lives at this site and remember their sacrifice today as we meet on another issue devastating our community here and across the nation today.

“That is the scourge of addiction and drug overdoses which in recent years have erased over 100,000 American annually leaving behind devastated families, loved ones and friends.

“As we look as a committee and as a Congress to address these matters, we must look to the communities outside of Washington for answers and real time feedback to better inform federal policy.

“So far this year we have made progress by passing the Halt Fentanyl Act which will permanently schedule fentanyl analogues that have been flooding our communities with a deadly substance leaving death and tragedy in their wake.

“In 2022 alone, DEA seized almost 379 million deadly doses of fentanyl which is more than enough to kill every single man, woman and child in the United States. And this was just what was seized.

“While I am hopefully this bill will pass the Senate and be signed into law, there is much more we need to be doing in supporting our local law enforcement, health care providers and patients who are facing these issues every day.”

FIGHTING THE INCREASE IN OVERDOSE DEATHS

“In 2018, President Trump signed the SUPPORT Act into law which was a comprehensive measure aimed at combating addiction and helping treatment for those facing this disease.

“Despite these efforts, and exacerbated by the response to COVID-19, we are still seeing an increase in deaths and we must examine what more can be done.

“For example, the number of adolescent overdose deaths in the United States has been steadily rising from 492 in 2019 to 952 in 2020 and, in the most recent available data, 1,146 in 2021.

“Experts estimate prescription and synthetic opioids account for 77% of overdose deaths.

“Opioid overdose deaths could be avoided by the timely administration of naloxone, a safe and effective opioid reversal agent.

“And today I hope we are able to hear from our witnesses about the use and availability of naloxone.”

ENSURING ACCESS TO CRISIS AND RECOVERY SERVICES

“We must also be examining what policies need to be addressed to ensure all patients have access to crisis and recovery services and the ability to receive the treatment they need.

“Some of these barriers include looking at the impact of the IMD Exclusion which has restricted access to residential and inpatient care and whether this can be modernized to ensure the availability of treatment for all patients.

“The SUPPORT Act also recognizes that to ultimately be successful in combating the opioid misuse crisis, we must do a better job helping the 50 million Americans suffering from chronic pain.

“Pain is a serious and growing disease which is more prevalent in older adults, women, veterans, blue collar workers and people living in rural areas like Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District.

“The SUPPORT Act contains numerous pain related provisions directing the federal government to promote patient awareness of and access to non-opioid therapies.”