a particular thorn for the drug industry and the bill's sponsors was joe rannazzisi. ess before congress more than 30 times, and was called on again to testify about this bill. >> rannazzisi: 16,651 people in 2010 died of opiate overdose. okay. opiate-associated overdose. this is not a game. we are not playing a game. >> marsha blackburn: nobody is saying it is a game, sir. we're just trying to craft some legislation. let me ask you... >> whitaker: rannazzisi, who admits to having a temper, felt so strongly about the damage the bill could do, he lashed out at marino's committee staffers. >> tom marino: it is my understanding that joe rannazzisi, a senior d.e.a. official, has publicly accused we sponsors of the bill of "supporting criminals." this offends me immensely. >> whitaker: congressman marino from pennsylvania said that you accused him of helping criminals. >> rannazzisi: i've never accused congressman marino of helping criminals. i said that this bill is going to protect defendants that we have under investigation. and if congressman marino thinks i accused him

. >> joe rannazzisi ran the office of diversion control at the d.e.a. tonight, in a joint "60 minutes"/"washington post" investigation, this high-ranking whistleblower says the opioid epidemic spread because congress was influenced by the drug industry and washington lobbyists. you know the implication of what you're saying: that these big companies knew that they were pumping drugs into american communities that were killing people.