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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today urging Senate Democrats to side with human trafficking victims and end their filibuster of the bipartisan human trafficking bill:

“Throughout Democrats’ filibuster of anti-slavery legislation, this is basically what they’ve been telling us: We don’t read legislation we vote on.

“Even so, It was always a stretch to believe that not a single one of the 13 original Democrat cosponsors of this bill — nor the many Democrats who voted for this bill in committee, nor their well-educated staffs — could not have been bothered to make it to page four before deciding to support it.

“Well, support it, at least until far-left lobbyists told them they couldn’t anymore.

“So yesterday’s revelation — that the Democratic side was indeed aware of the language in question — could hardly have surprised anyone.

“It also makes clear that Democrats decided to yank their support for an anti-slavery bill for one simple reason: because far-left lobbyists said so.

“Not because the American people said so.

“Nearly 70% of Americans support the kind of bipartisan provisions Democrats now claim they object to. And many Democrats have voted for similar bipartisan Hyde language many times before, in both appropriations and authorizing legislation.

“So our Democratic colleagues obviously lack a rationale for this continued filibustering of anti-slavery legislation.

“And if Democrats truly are sincere about wanting to move to an attorney general vote as soon as possible, then they should consider some recent advice from the Chicago Tribune.

“Here what it said.

“‘Democrats on the Judiciary Committee have endorsed’ the same bill they are now filibustering, it noted. So, quote, ‘all they have to do is allow a vote’ on the same bill to move to another vote they claim to want to have.

“And yet, as the Tribune also noted, Democrats do not, quote, ‘want to go on the record against a bill aimed at combating the evils of human trafficking. So they are blocking a vote — yes, blocking a law to combat human trafficking — in hopes that they can get their way.’

“Here’s how the editorial concluded. This is the part our Democratic friends should listen to closely.

“‘Democrats,’ it implored. ‘Vote to move forward with the human trafficking bill. Then the Senate can get on with approving a new attorney general. And Democrats can resolve never again to vote for a bill they haven’t read.’

“It seems so simple: ignore the lobbyists, vote to give hope to the victims of slavery instead.

“That’s the right thing to do. And today, we’ll give our friends another chance to show where they stand in this debate over modern slavery.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today introduced legislation to address the rise of prenatal opioid abuse and infants suffering from opioid withdrawal.

The bipartisan Protecting Our Infants Act would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop recommendations for preventing and treating prenatal opioid abuse and for treating infants born dependent on opioids. The measure would also direct the HHS Secretary to lead a review of departmental planning and coordination and develop a strategy to address research and program gaps, which is a recommendation that was made in a Government Accountability Office report last month. Finally, the bill would encourage the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to work with states to help them improved surveillance and data collection activities regarding this problem.

Nationwide, there has been a staggering 300-percent increase in the number of infants diagnosed with newborn withdrawal since 2000. In Kentucky, that number grew by an almost 3,000 percent -- from 29 infants identified as suffering from drug withdrawal annually to more than 950, and experts believe there are even more cases that go unreported. In Pennsylvania, the number of addicted births covered by Medicaid rose from 883 in 2010 to 1,122 in 2012, according to the Department of Public Welfare.

“Researchers estimate that more than one baby every hour is now born dependent on drugs and suffering from withdrawal. This statistic is just heart-breaking. These children are the most innocent members of our society, and we have to protect them,” Senator McConnell said. “No piece of legislation could ever solve this challenge overnight. But the bipartisan Protecting Our Infants Act can help move our country in the right direction. I want to thank Senator Casey for his leadership on this issue and I look forward to working with him to advance this important measure through Congress.”

“Children suffering from opioid withdrawal and their families go through an unimaginable struggle but there’s far too little known about how to prevent and treat this condition,” Senator Casey said. “This bipartisan legislation is an important step in our efforts to help these vulnerable children and their families. I appreciate the opportunity to work with Senator McConnell in a bipartisan fashion on this important priority.”

Identical bipartisan legislation was introduced today in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Katherine Clark (MA-5) and Congressman Steve Stivers (OH-15).

The Protecting Our Infants Act is supported by the March of Dimes, American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader McConnell delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the Protecting Our Infants Act:

McConnell Unveils Bipartisan Bill to Combat Maternal Addiction and Infant Opioid Withdrawal
‘Nationwide, we’ve seen a staggering 300-percent increase in the number of infants diagnosed with newborn withdrawal since 2000. But in Kentucky, we saw similar numbers grow by an almost unbelievable 3,000 percent.’

Next month, I look forward to hosting our nation’s newest Drug Czar at a forum in Covington, Kentucky. It’s a forum that will allow Director Botticelli to hear firsthand accounts of the devastating impact of one of America’s most significant public health challenges, one that continues to hit my state particularly hard: The growing epidemic of prescription drug and heroin abuse.

It’s hard to overstate the challenge.

Drug overdoses, largely driven by painkillers, now claim more Kentucky lives than car accidents.

And rising heroin overdose rates now account for nearly a third of all drug overdose deaths in Kentucky.

While statistics like these are devastating enough, they hardly paint the full picture either.

Because they don’t account for the thousands of innocent children born dependent on opioids.

The numbers are hard to hear.

Nationwide, we’ve seen a staggering 300-percent increase in the number of infants diagnosed with newborn withdrawal since 2000. But in Kentucky, we saw similar numbers grow by an almost unbelievable 3,000 percent.

It’s a tragic challenge. I say that especially as the father of three daughters.

But it’s a challenge we can do something about.

And if Washington enacts the bipartisan Protecting Our Infants Act I’m reintroducing today, along with Senator Casey, it’s a challenge we will do something about.

This bipartisan bill would do a number of important things.

It would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop recommendations: both for preventing prenatal opioid abuse, and for treating infants born dependent on opioids.

It would direct the Secretary to help develop a strategy to address research and program gaps: a step recommended by a Government Accountability Office report released just last month.

And it would encourage the Director of the CDC to work with states and help improve surveillance and data collection activities in this area.

No piece of legislation could ever solve this challenge overnight. But the bipartisan Protecting Our Infants Act can help move our country in the right direction.

That’s why it’s supported by the March of Dimes, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

And that’s why an identical bill will also be introduced in the House of Representatives today, by Congresswoman Katherine Clark, of Massachusetts, and Congressman Steve Stivers, of Ohio.

I commend these Representatives, and Senator Casey, for their leadership on this issue.

I look forward to working with them to advance this important measure through Congress.

And I look forward to discussing it with Director Botticelli during his visit to Kentucky as well.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding bipartisan trade promotion legislation:

“For all the issues that may divide Democrats and Republicans these days, there’s one thing many of us can agree on: trade is good for America.

“There’s bipartisan agreement that trade is good for American wages, with export-related manufacturing jobs paying nearly 20 percent more than other jobs.

“And there’s bipartisan agreement that trade is good for American jobs overall. According to one study, trade supports nearly 40 million jobs nationally — about 1 out of every 5 jobs — and more than half a million jobs in my home state of Kentucky.

“In fact, Kentucky’s exports in goods and services have already increased dramatically since the enactment of trade agreements with countries like Australia — from about $10 billion a year to almost $30 billion a year.

“So trade is good for Kentucky. Trade is good for our country.

“And that's why this is an issue where the White House and Congress are working together to support American jobs and wages.

“Now, while the United States has historically been a world leader in opening more markets to the things our country makes and grows, we’ve fallen woefully behind in recent years.

“Thankfully, emerging agreements with countries in Europe and the Pacific present us with a real chance to catch up. These agreements present us with the unique opportunity to export more of what we make over there, so we can create more American jobs right here—at home.

“But we can’t make this important progress for America’s Middle Class without passing the right kind of trade legislation here in Congress first.

“There’s bipartisan agreement – in principle at least – to do that.

“But the details will obviously be important. We want to ensure we get those details of that legislation right, so that we can get the best agreements possible for the American people.

“We certainly don’t want to be considering legislation that would make these goals harder to achieve — undermining future economic and job growth.

“The good news is, our country has decades of experience with the kind of bipartisan trade promotion legislation that allows for the best deals for American workers to be negotiated by America’s trade representatives, and then approved by Congress.

“Several members of my conference will speak about that issue on the floor today.

“Like many of our Democratic friends, these Senators are interested in getting the best deals possible for the American people—the kind of deals that would only be possible with truly effective and bipartisan trade legislation.

“So they’ll explain this important issue — and just what’s needed — in further detail.

“And before I leave the floor, please allow me to recognize the Chairman of the Finance Committee for being an incredible advocate on this issue. And please allow me to recognize the Ranking Member of the Finance Committee for working hard to get this right.

“I look forward to working with these members, and all members, on this important issue.”

Recent Press Releases

McConnell: Choose Support for Human Trafficking Victims Over Far-Left Lobbyists

March 19, 2015

Senators McConnell and Casey Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Address Maternal Addiction and Infant Opioid Withdrawal

March 19, 2015

McConnell Urges Senate to Come Together Over Emerging Trade Legislation

March 18, 2015