Jeanne Shaheen: “I am pleased to come to the floor with my colleague Senator Collins to talk about the fact that this week the Senate…”

“I am pleased to come to the floor with my colleague Senator Collins to talk about the fact that this week the Senate passed a resolution designating November as American Diabetes Month. Every November, we work together--my friend and colleague, my fellow cochair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, Senator Collins--to pass this resolution so that we can raise awareness about what is a pervasive, chronic disease that 38 million Americans live with today. The resolution also draws attention to the many barriers that patients face when it comes to receiving adequate care to manage their diabetes. By passing this resolution out of the Senate, we are reaffirming Congress's commitment to increase diabetes treatment options, to fund more research, and to prevent new cases. While I am grateful that the Senate has passed this resolution again this year, I wish I could say that we are truly honoring the commitment that is outlined in the resolution. But, sadly, I am angry and I am frustrated over the lack of progress that spans not just years but decades to make commonsense changes and find real solutions to the problems that face diabetes patients. For 38 million Americans, this isn't a matter of politics, of what political party you join or if you don't belong to one; for those 38 million, it is actually a matter of life or death, literally. This is an issue, as I have said to this body many times, that is personal for me and my family.…”