Congressman Lou Barletta

Just last year, over 5,000 Pennsylvanians died from drug-related overdoses, a 15 percent increase from 2016, and the estimated economic burden of the opioid crisis each year is $78.5 billion. That's why I introduced my bipartisan bill, the Treating Barriers to Prosperity Act, which will help communities battling the opioid epidemic recover the lost potential for economic growth, while also giving a leg up to those struggling with addiction by breaking down barriers to employment. I'm proud to say President Trump signed my bill into law on October 24, 2018.

As Members of Congress, we have been entrusted with spending the taxpayers’ money, so we must always be looking to find new ways to achieve savings. In my subcommittee, we have already saved $3.7 billion through better management of federal real estate. The government should approach leasing and renovation decisions the way private businesses would – with the bottom line in mind. That's why, most recently, I introduced the REAL Reform Act, which has the potential to save taxpayers more than $500 million annually through a 20 percent reduction in federal lease costs.

Last year, 26.4 million Americans were affected by a disaster – that’s eight percent of the U.S. population – and countless lives were lost. My bipartisan bill, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, is the largest reform to the U.S. disaster preparedness and recovery system since Hurricane Katrina and institutes pre-disaster mitigation practices that will help prevent future loss of life and address the rising costs of disasters throughout America. With this important legislation now law, we can invest in making our communities safer and more resilient before disaster strikes.

As the father of four daughters, two of whom are teachers, and a grandfather of eight, school security is an issue that hits very close to home for me. That’s why I introduced the Protecting Our Kids Act (H.R. 5990), which would direct the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Education to work together to provide schools with security guidelines, so that they can protect their students. I will continue fighting to ensure no child goes to school in fear, and no parent sends their child to school with the possibility of never seeing them again.

Our national military cemeteries are hallowed ground, and they ought to be treated that way. Our brave men and women have sacrificed so that we may remain free, and they should be afforded every right, privilege, and honor they have earned. The cemeteries we reserve for them should not be tainted by those who have been convicted of the most heinous crimes imaginable.