U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., shared stories of individuals, families and communities during a Senate health committee hearing this week, stating there is an urgent need to provide additional funding and services to combat the misuse of opioids.
She examined the impact of opioid addiction in the state and the government’s role to fight against the epidemic.
During the hearing, Sen. Murray heard testimony from Sam Quinones, the author of “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic.”
Murray has in the past led bipartisan efforts to pass the 21st Century Cures Act and the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act which include federal investments to help combat opioid misuse and addiction, according to a press release from her office.
She plans to convene additional hearings as the top Democrat on the Senate health committee.
“This epidemic hurts families. It leaves children struggling to cope with the impact of their parent’s addiction,” Murray said during the hearing. “It leaves many of them in foster homes. It leaves parents shattered with the heartbreak of their child’s illness, and leaves many struggling with the financial costs of opioid misuse and treatment and recovery as well. And this epidemic hurts our communities as a whole. It takes up resources of public health, hospitals, and law enforcement. It takes workers out of the local economy. It takes a toll on the morale of small towns and big cities alike with each new tragedy. We are behind the curve on fighting this epidemic.”
