Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, this bill is personally important to me. My grandfather, who I never knew, my father's father, was an academic obstetrician at McGill Hospital in Montreal from the end of the World War I until his death in 1939. During that time, maternal mortality was substantially reduced. The caregivers of that time, prior to the introduction of antibiotics, made great strides in reducing maternal mortality. Some of that was through the imposition of preventive medicine. Some of that was because of improved anesthesia and blood bank techniques. Of course, with the introduction of antibiotics in 1940, the rates came down even substantially more. We know it can be done. At that time the major drivers of maternal mortality were hypertension, hemorrhage, and infection. Now, the major drivers are well after delivery, and they fall into the realm of cardiovascular disease, suicide, and drug overdose. This expansion of postpartum coverage to the first year after delivery was really work that was established in our committee. We did the research on that, and we provided the guidance that now has been taken up by a great many States. I look forward to a day when we see these numbers are significantly reduced even over where they are now because of the changes that we have made as a result of this legislation. It is important work. Mr.…”