The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, chaired by Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), has scheduled a hearing for Thursday, March 26, at 10:00 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “Examining the Growing Problems of Prescription Drug and Heroin Abuse: State and Local Perspectives." The subcommittee will continue its review of the growing prescription drug and opioid abuse crisis, following up on last year’s subcommittee hearing that brought together several representatives from federal agencies to discuss this issue.
Thursday’s hearing will provide subcommittee members an opportunity to explore prescription drug and opioid abuse from the state and local perspective. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdose is now the leading cause of injury death in the United States and has a growing presence in communities all across the country. Subcommittee members will hear from witnesses about what steps are being taken at a state and local level, what has worked and what hasn’t, and how to improve federal efforts aimed at addressing this challenge.
“The scourge of prescription drug and opioid abuse has blazed a destructive trail of tragedy and sorrow across the United States. Lives are lost, families are left in turmoil, and communities feel helpless to respond. Compounding the problem is that 40% of drug abusers have an underlying mental illness," said Chairman Murphy. “The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will continue examining solutions at next week’s hearing with experts from across the country who are confronting these challenges head on and can share their experiences on what steps we can take to restore communities and save lives."
The Majority Memorandum, a witness list, and witness testimony will be available here as they are posted.
