On January 5, 2014 Rep. Bill Foster asked for and was granted permission to address the United States House of Representative for one minute regarding the scourge of heroin.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the grave epidemic of heroin abuse. The media has shone a bright light on this issue this week, but for too many in my district, heroin abuse is all too common. The number of heroin deaths that we have seen in the counties I represent has been staggering.”
“In Kane County, Illinois, there were 20 heroin-related deaths in 2013. In Will County, there were 35. DuPage County reported 46 heroin-related deaths, including one period last summer when 15 overdose deaths were reported in just 17 days”, he said.
“Heroin abuse affects people of every race, income and education level. These are mothers and fathers, friends and neighbors. Community leaders are working to fight back, and, yet, at the Federal level we have not only failed to increase our efforts to combat drug abuse, we have reduced resources. Funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration was cut by over $210 million in 2013. The DEA’s budget was cut by nearly $120 million. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because we cannot ignore this epidemic which is ravaging our country”, said rep. Foster (source: Congressional Record http://thomas.loc.gov/).
Congressman Foster serves on the House Committee on Financial Services.