Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize February as National Children's Dental Health Month and to raise awareness around the critically important issue of access to quality dental care for our Nation's children. The most prevalent chronic infectious disease among children in the United States is tooth decay. This disease is responsible for countless health problems in children and more than 51 million hours lost at school every year. However, this disease is preventable with basic dental care. Sadly, even with improvements in recent years, too many children are not able to access the quality dental care they need to simply stay healthy. I have a long history of advocating for increased access to dental care for all, particularly our Nation's young people. I have often said that our children are the living messengers we send to a future we will never see. That means that we must do everything in our power to ensure that they are healthy and given every opportunity to succeed. Today, I also rise to share the story of a young Maryland boy named Deamonte Driver. He died because of a lack of access to basic dental care. In February of 2007, 12-year-old Deamonte Driver came home from school with a simple headache, which had started as a toothache. His mother worked hard to make ends meet with all kinds of low-paying jobs. She searched for a dentist who would accept Medicaid for her children, but she found no dentist who would care for children's teeth.…”