VIDEO: Young Secures Commitment from State Department Nominee to Make Fighting the Opioid Epidemic a Top Priority

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, in the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) secured a commitment from Ms. Kristen Madison, the nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, that she will make battling the opioid epidemic one of her top priorities – including fighting the illegal transport of opioids, like Fentanyl, across borders and into our country. 

“Many people in my state of Indiana, like so many other Americans, have been afflicted by this opioid crisis. In fact, in the year 2016…there were 785 drug overdose deaths involving opioids…If you lose a father, a mother, a sibling, a son, it can really impact a home and that ripples throughout a community,” said Senator Young. “If confirmed, I just want to make sure in light of the increasing severity of this crisis, do you commit to me and to this committee as well that you would make battling the opioid epidemic one of your top priorities?”  In response, Ms. Madison said, “Senator, the answer to your question is absolutely, yes.”

Click here or the image below to view Senator Young’s exchange with Ms. Madison during the hearing yesterday.