Hank Johnson: “I thank the gentlewoman for her hospitality while we were in Texas for this funeral. Today, I rise to honor the…”

“I thank the gentlewoman for her hospitality while we were in Texas for this funeral. Today, I rise to honor the extraordinary legacy of Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, a trailblazer, a public servant, and a tireless advocate for her constituents. Congresswoman Johnson leaves behind a legacy that will inspire generations to come. However, for those of you who may not know, EBJ did not die of natural causes. She died of poisoning after neglect by workers at a Texas rehab facility, resulted in her lying in her own feces and urine, which resulted in infection setting up in the back-surgery incision she was recovering from. This was malpractice, but HB4, passed by the Texas legislature, limits damages in medical negligence cases to $250,000. HB4, pushed by the giant U.S. Chamber of Commerce lobby, was passed to protect corporations from so-called junk lawsuits. EBJ's life is worth more than $250,000. Her pain and suffering alone was worth more than that. Her grieving family has more than a junk lawsuit. That is why the so-called tort reform that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce lobbies for is bad for consumers and good for corporate wrongdoers who put their patients at risk by cutting costs and failing to properly staff their facilities. I thank EBJ for telling her lawyer to use her misfortune to help make things better for medical negligence victims by advocating for repeal on damage caps for wrongful death and pain and suffering. Rest in peace, EBJ.”