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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers welcomed Operation UNITE Director Karen Kelly to brief the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse on developments from the April National Rx Drug Abuse Summit in Orlando, Fla.

Rogers was joined by members of the caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse, relevant executive agencies and private industry stakeholders, congressional staff, and interested citizens for the informative briefing.

“While the abuse of prescription medications has recently been classified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as a national epidemic, this is a battle we’ve been fighting in southern and eastern Kentucky for more than a decade. Operation UNITE Director Karen Kelly is a hard-charging and dedicated Kentuckian, who has taken on drug abuse, personally and professionally, with steadfast resolve. I am honored to welcome her to the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse today to share with us some insights on the holistic strategy of UNITE and ‘wins’ from the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit in Orlando, which the UNITE team successfully led,” said Rogers. “There is no question that we still have a long way to go, but I am confident that solutions are within reach if we continue to bring like-minded and dedicated people to the same table – as we did in Orlando and as we’re doing today – and we will be able to make a difference in this battle against prescription drug abuse.”

In April 2012, UNITE hosted the first ever National Rx Drug Abuse Summit, which brought together federal leaders, Members of the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Abuse, representatives from noted national anti-drug organizations, law enforcement officials, and hundreds of dedicated individuals from around the country committed to ending the cycle of prescription drug abuse. Today, the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse gathered to recap the Rx Summit and discuss the path forward for federal policy-makers. The discussion focused on healthcare, advocacy and prevention, human resources, treatment and law enforcement strategies to reduce the abuse of prescription medications.

At the conclusion of the caucus briefing, Rogers presented a tribute to Karen Kelly, honoring her for elevating this issue to the national level and for sharing best practices.