Tom Malinowski: “Today I rise to honor the memory of John Lee, a resident of New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District who passed away…”

“Today I rise to honor the memory of John Lee, a resident of New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District who passed away on January 25 after waging a courageous battle with cancer. Mr. Lee immigrated to America in 1987 and worked day and night to build a better life for himself and his family. In 2000, he became a citizen, and like many immigrants, he understood the meaning of civic duty and the importance of a single person's vote better than many of us whose families have been here for generations. So when he was faced with a cancer diagnosis, his first thought was not to sink into despair. He simply asked: ``What's next?'' As his diagnosis progressed, Mr. Lee began to understand the pressing need for legislation to protect people with preexisting conditions, and the question of, ``What's next?'' was answered. He spent his remaining time fighting to help make our healthcare system more just and to make America, as he put it, a Nation of us, not of me. Today, I am truly honored to be joined at the State of the Union by his siblings. Mr. Speaker, John Lee has already helped to shape our understanding of what must be done to make healthcare a human right for all Americans. May his legacy be that we have finally done it. ____________________”