{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://barletta.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/chairman-barletta-statement-hearing-on-the-opioid-epidemic-in-appalachia", "Chairman Barletta Statement: Hearing on \"The Opioid Epidemic in Appalachia: Addressing Hurdles to Economic Development in the Region\"", "2017-12-12", "2017", "2017-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Lou Barletta", "B001269", "barletta.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\"The purpose of today\u2019s hearing is to examine the impact of the opioid crisis on economic development in Appalachia.\nThe opioid crisis has touched the lives of countless Americans.\u00a0 This public health emergency has taken the lives of far too many of our nation\u2019s citizens, and has had significant adverse effects on our economy and labor force participation.\nAs the subcommittee with jurisdiction over a number of economic development agencies \u2013 including the Appalachian Regional Commission \u2013 we are specifically focusing today on the ways the opioid crisis has affected the Appalachian workforce, and efforts to promote economic development in the region.\nThe opioid epidemic has profoundly affected all of our districts and uprooted the lives of so many of our constituents. \u00a0Ninety-one Americans die every single day from an opioid overdose.\u00a0 In my home state of Pennsylvania, 4,642 drug-related overdose deaths were reported in 2016.\nIn 2015, there were 5,594 overdose deaths in Appalachia \u2013 a drug-related death rate 65% higher than the rest of the nation.\u00a0 Sixty-nine percent of these deaths were caused by opioids. \u00a0An overwhelming majority of these deaths throughout Appalachia were individuals between the ages of 25 and 44, people who were in their prime working years.\nThese troubling statistics make it clear that the opioid crisis is not only destroying lives, it has created a significant challenge to workforce expansion and economic development throughout Appalachia.\nThis crisis is economically disastrous for our nation. This past month, the White House office of economic advisers released a report that estimated the opioid epidemic cost our nation $504 billion dollars in 2015.\u00a0 That is an important number to remember as we begin today\u2019s hearing because it points to the lost potential for economic activity and productivity in communities battling opioid addiction \u2013 that is our focus here today.\nTo that end, I remind our witnesses and my fellow Members that this subcommittee\u2019s jurisdiction is economic development programs and the Appalachian Regional Commission.\u00a0 We have no oversight of the Department of Justice, or the DEA.\u00a0\nOur goal is to have a hearing that this subcommittee can use to inform our committee\u2019s decisions regarding agencies within our jurisdiction. \u00a0Therefore, I would ask that all testimony and questions be confined to the issues within our jurisdiction.\u00a0\nFurther, I would like to reiterate that today\u2019s hearing is meant to be bipartisan.\u00a0 The opioid crisis does not recognize political parties.\u00a0 I think we can all agree \u2013 Republicans and Democrats alike \u2013 that the priority here is finding solutions for the communities and families who are being devastated by this epidemic, not playing politics with peoples\u2019 lives.\nJust a few days ago, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee showed what it can accomplish when we work in a bipartisan fashion.\u00a0 We unanimously approved the Disaster Recovery Reform Act because of the good work that was started here in this subcommittee.\u00a0 Let\u2019s continue to work in the same fashion here today to look for solutions within the programs and agencies under our jurisdiction.\nIt is my hope that today we can come together to examine the impact of opioids in Appalachia and the ways in which existing federal economic development programs can help states and communities address and combat this growing epidemic.\nI am sure our witnesses today will help us answer these questions.\"\nClick here for additional information from today\u2019s hearing, including testimony, video, and background information.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://barletta.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/chairman-barletta-statement-hearing-on-the-opioid-epidemic-in-appalachia"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9904301259666681, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}