Sheila Jackson Lee: “I want to speak about a young man by the name of Will, who is 34 years old and tells us a story that, if he was a…”

“I want to speak about a young man by the name of Will, who is 34 years old and tells us a story that, if he was a Canadian, there would be a good chance that he could live 17 more years. He has cystic fibrosis, and I imagine there are many families with children who have that, but he is concerned about TrumpCare and the impact. At age 2, he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a hereditary disease impacting 30,000 Americans. He says: Imagine being under water and coming up for air, but instead of breathing, you uncontrollably cough that air out. The harder you try to breathe, the more you cough. At its worst, this disease feels like a long, drawn-out panic attack set to the soundtrack of an endless hacking cough. At 34, statistically, I have 7 more years left before my lungs cease to function. He mentions that if he were in Canada, statistically, he would have 17 more years because of the healthcare, but he also says this is not an exaggeration: The cold data from a recent study by the U.S. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the conclusion is that Canada's nationalized single-payer healthcare system that guarantees health insurance for everyone is the primary reason why Canadians with my disease will live longer. But look what happened to him: For the past 4 years, however, my disease has gone into reverse. I have been gradually getting better. It is an extraordinary sensation.…”