Political Quotes

“I am going to read a letter from a family back in Pennsylvania, the Stewarts, Sara, Michael, and their three daughters: Maddie, Gilly, and Daphne. It start off this way: Dear Congressman Kelly, my name is Sara Stewart, and I am from Saint Petersburg, Pennsylvania. It is my understanding that the House Ways and Means Committee is having a public hearing on H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019. Now, it appears this legislation does not have bipartisan support. It needs to take a more balanced approach. The balance is needed for patients like my 10-year-old daughter, Maddie. Maddie suffers from a rare mitochondrial deletion condition called Pearson syndrome, which is a disorder that occurs as a result of mutated genes in the body. These genes impact mitochondria of her cells that prevent them from producing enough energy for the body to function properly. Pearson syndrome is difficult to diagnose because it affects each individual differently. Maddie's symptoms through the years have included being blood transfusion- dependent for several years, the inability to heal after heat and Sun exposure, becoming type 1 diabetic, progressively losing her hearing and her vision, kidney failure, and several other daily complications, including developmental delays from having a body that runs on limited energy. It has been truly heartbreaking to see her endure this disease, but she continues to defy the odds. My message is simple to you, Mr.…”