the subcommittee on oversight investigation will now come to order. today, the subcommittee on oversight and investigations is holding a hearing in titled, public health emergency, state efforts to curb the opioid crisis. the purpose of today s hearing is to examine states efforts and successes and addressing the opioid epidemic, as well as opportunities for future federal support, and just to let everyone know, doctor alexander scott the, reason why we are getting started a little bit late, the plane was delayed, but now the doctor is on her way. so, we will swear in the witnesses when we get to that point, and if we have to do that one later, we will. the chairman recognizes herself an open i using statement. as i, said the committee continues its bipartisan efforts to combat the opioid crisis. the country is in the midst of an opioid epidemic unlike any in history. according to the cdc, from 1999 to 2017, nearly 400,000 people died from opioid overdoses. in 2017, more tha