Susan Brooks

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. I thank all of my colleagues. I thank particularly the leadership of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. There have also been other committees--the Judiciary Committee, the Committee on Education and the Workforce--that have been working on bills. This is not something that any one Member of this body has truly been a leader on. So many different Members have been leading on this because it has affected our communities, our families, our neighborhoods. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important bill because, as the gentleman from North Dakota said, the Federal Government has not done enough yet. This will be an opportunity for us to bring together all of the Federal agencies that are involved in this problem, which have been part of the problem, and try to change the way our prescribers throughout the country work on the pain management issues the country faces, which, hopefully, will yield a much lower overdose rate--a rate which now exceeds the motor traffic fatalities in this country and which is the leading cause of calls to our poison centers. More importantly, it has devastated so many parents and friends who have found their friends who have overdosed from either heroin or opioids. I am so pleased that we are finally beginning to recognize that we cannot arrest our way out of this problem. It is a disease. It is something that so many people cannot stop on their own. They need help. With all of these experts coming together on this task force to provide the best practices for the country, I hope we can turn the tide and save many lives. I urge the bill's passage by my colleagues. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I support the amendment.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. At this time, I thank the gentlewoman from California for the amendment. I think it strengthens the bill. I think it is very important that the Office of Women's Health is added to the task force. So many of us have had the opportunity to visit NICUs in hospitals and have seen drug-addicted babies. So I do believe that having the perspective of the Office of Women's Health would be critically important. So often women's health has not been given the proper attention that it deserves, and I would ask for support of the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, as the designee of the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), I offer amendment No. 2.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, this amendment simply would require that any of the individuals who are appointed to the task force under H.R. 4641, whether they be a physician, a dentist, a nonphysician prescriber, or pharmacist who is eventually appointed by the lead of Health and Human Services, that that individual shall be a licensed prescriber and practicing in their appropriate State or that they, at a minimum, should have an active license and that they should be a practicing prescriber in that State. I urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, for the record, I support the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I do support the amendment.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I very much want to thank the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark). I believe that this does strengthen the task force. I appreciate and welcome the attention and focus on adolescents. We had the opportunity to travel to the NIH and to learn so much about the research that is being done there. I believe in having an expert in adolescent and young adult addiction because we do know that that is where it so very often begins. So I appreciate and thank the gentlewoman for strengthening the bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, while the task force was designed with the Veterans Administration as a key member of the task force, I do believe that this bill would strengthen the task force in that representatives from veterans service organizations often speak on behalf of and are the first line of defense and advocates for veterans. Obviously, as we know, veterans seek their medical treatment often from VA hospitals and VA facilities. We know that there has been a significant problem with overprescribing at some of our VA facilities. I believe that this amendment will strengthen the task force and the bill. I urge passage or adoption of the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I support the amendment as well.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from Minnesota, again, for strengthening the representation on the task force. While I do feel that the VSOs are a strong voice for veterans and will continue to be, I believe the addition specifically of Active- Duty military is something that would be a very strong voice. While DOD is represented on the task force, I think actually having specific Active-Duty military personnel and those who are currently serving and are currently dealing with their pain as a result of their service would be an important addition. I thank the gentleman, and I urge passage of the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I support the amendment.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from New Jersey for this important addition to the task force. I think that she has brought forth some interesting points and some statistics with respect to the opioid abuse and addiction problems facing the minority community. A minority health expert that is very focused on this would add tremendous expertise to the depth of this task force. I support the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I am in support of the amendment.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the gentleman from California for offering this amendment. We know from talking to a lot of physicians and medical educators as well that the use of these PDMPs is a critically important tool in their tool chest to combat against those patients who might be doctor shopping. We know, though, that not all States use it. Not all prescribers actually check that PDMP system like they should. So I appreciate the Congressman's concept of a feasibility study as to whether or not there should be a national PDMP system, and I urge its passage. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I support the amendment.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I support the amendment.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I would like to, once again, thank the gentlewoman from Massachusetts for this important amendment. As she spoke, she reminded me of a visit that I made to a recovery high school; and there are more recovery high schools being created across the country. But I think when I visited the recovery high school in Indianapolis, called Hope Academy, it reminded me, as I listened to these young people, of the very different needs, but the very, very serious desire that they have to find themselves again, as the gentlewoman just stated. A young woman who was turning 17 the next day shared that it was going to be her first birthday in 3 years where she would be sober, and she thanked her classmates and her colleagues there as they sat in that circle, and asked that they help her make sure that she didn't go home that night and relapse because she couldn't remember a birthday, really, where she had been sober. So I do believe that having more studies specifically with respect to the programs and the research about adolescents and young adults is critically important because that is where it all starts. I support this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut for this important amendment. Certainly, the job of the interagency task force, besides producing best practices and reviewing and modifying and talking about them, is not just to generate a report that Congress will have, as I have said, sitting on a shelf someplace, and that our staff or the Congressional Research Service can look at and study; it is really meant to educate the public, to educate the public, whether or not they are people in schools, whether or not they are in our hospitals. But I think, most importantly, we need to make sure that our prescribers are being educated. We have had roundtable discussions with our medical educators, and there is a push around the country, and I applaud that push around the country of our medical educators, whether it is in our med schools for physicians or for nursing programs, dental programs, but to try to start at a much earlier level in their medical education about the research and the studies and the best practices around opioids. Certainly, as being a lawyer, we are required to do continuing medical or continuing legal education, and it is something that I know that physicians and prescribers are certainly required to get continuing medical education. I just want to continue to encourage and applaud them for seeking out that medical education around opioids. I think it is critically important. With this amendment, I think it will strengthen and educate our prescribers about the need to continue to educate themselves on pain management practices and the use of opioids. I urge the amendment's passage. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Indiana Wesleyan University Men's Basketball team for winning the 2016 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship. Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU), a Christian university located in Marion, Indiana, has a long history of excellence in academics, spiritual guidance, and athletics. The IWU men's basketball team defeated the Saint Francis Cougars to claim their second national title in three years. The Wildcats played in the spotlight of the NAIA throughout this astounding season, with an impressive final record of 33-5. In his eleventh season with the Wildcats, Head Coach Greg Tonagel was instrumental in leading the team to victory. Coach Tonagel joined the Wildcats as head coach in 2005 and has demonstrated exceptional leadership, mentorship, and commitment throughout his years as head basketball coach. His notable guidance both on and off the court was publicly recognized when he was honored as the 2009 Best NAIA Head Coach, as well as the NABC/NAIA Division II Coach of the Year in both 2014 and 2016, both years he led the team to national titles. As the daughter of a high school football coach, I understand the tireless dedication, time commitment, and personal sacrifices required to lead young athletes to victory, and I applaud Coach Tonagel's dedication to excellence. In addition to the Wildcats' national title, individuals from the team were recognized for excellence. Senior Jonny Marlin was named 2016 Championship Most Outstanding Player, recipient of the Pete Maravich Award, NCCAA Player of the Year, and was the first player in the history of Indiana Wesleyan men's basketball program to be selected twice for the NAIA All-American First Team. Two additional Wildcats, Sophomores Lane Mahurin and Bob Peters, were selected for the 2016 NAIA Division II Men's Basketball All-Championship Team. An impressive three players on the team were recognized as 2016 NAIA Scholar-Athletes. Jonny Marlin added this to his long list of individual accomplishments along with Junior Josh Mawhorr and Freshman Aaron Murray. Being a student athlete is no easy feat, and I am proud of these young men for their commitment to their sport and their academics. These significant distinctions exemplify the incredible quality and character of IWU's athletes as well as their momentous athletic talent. The coaches and players of the IWU men's basketball team display a strong commitment to their faith and demonstrate the highest virtues of the community: teamwork, integrity, sportsmanship, and dedication. On behalf of Indiana's 5th Congressional District, I'd like to extend huge congratulations to the Indiana Wesleyan Men's Basketball Team. I am proud to represent such a distinguished group and I look forward to cheering the team on through another spectacular season next year.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would just like to point out that as recently as yesterday, Federal officials have indicated that the mosquito that carries the Zika virus is actually anticipated to be in over 30 States at this point. Originally, it was in 12 States, and now it is believed to be found in 30 States in the United States. This is an extremely serious problem, one in which I am pleased that this House and this Chamber is paying attention to. I appreciate the gentleman from Georgia and his remarks. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2512) to expand the tropical disease product priority review voucher program to encourage treatments for Zika virus.