WASHINGTON, DC - Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union Address.
“I applaud President Trump for laying out an optimistic vision of a hopeful America in the midst of a resurgence. With a growing economy, rising wages, and new investments announced daily, Americans have every reason to believe that our best days are yet to come. At the Energy and Commerce Committee we support President Trump’s mission to improve our country’s infrastructure, ensure the U.S. is a world leader in innovation, and unleash our unsurpassed energy potential.
“The President is also right that now more than ever it is imperative we work to tackle out of control health care costs. Patients need access to quality, affordable health care, and I look forward to continuing to work with the administration and our new HHS Secretary to deliver for them. But quality health care means more than affordable treatment, it means addressing the opioid epidemic that is killing our friends, family members, and neighbors in communities across the country. It’s a deep and complex issue that we are tackling at Energy and Commerce - through a number of ongoing investigations, by monitoring implementation of signature laws from last Congress, and by exploring additional legislation and reforms that could help stem the tide. Our work continues and I’m glad we have a partner in this administration because combating the opioid crisis requires an all-hands-on-deck approach."
