Earl Pomeroy: “I cannot get out of my mind a picture that appeared in a newspaper a few months ago of a young boy with a toothache. The…”

“I cannot get out of my mind a picture that appeared in a newspaper a few months ago of a young boy with a toothache. The horrible story running alongside this picture was that this young fellow later contracted a brain infection from the tooth infection, and he later died. Because his family couldn't afford the tooth extraction, this young fellow lost his life. We don't have any more urgent national priority than making sure our children have access to the health care they need. There is another feature of this bill as well. It's rural health care. If we don't pass this bill, there are very steep cuts slated for doctors of hospitals practicing in our rural areas. It's hard keeping essential health services available for kids, for seniors, for everyone else in these rural areas. We have got to stop these cuts, help our kids, keep rural medicine thriving. Pass this bill.”