Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the incredible impact the bipartisan Affordable Insulin Now Act will have on Americans across the Nation. It is no secret diabetes poses a major health burden to Americans across our country. Texas, in particular, suffers greatly from the effects of type 2 diabetes. Every day, new Texans are diagnosed. On top of that, the rate of new cases increases every single year. This topic, Mr. Speaker, hits very close to home. I have seen firsthand the hurdles diabetes creates for families simply looking to live a quiet life and be alone and have a good, productive life. In my family, my mother faced uphill health battles because of diabetes most of her adult life. She died eventually of diabetes complications. Diabetes runs in my family. In fact, my doctor tells me that no matter what I do, I may end up getting diabetes. I am one of 10 children. Five of us have already gotten diabetes and are dependent on insulin. Sadly, this epidemic disproportionately impacts older adults, especially Latinos, minorities, and populations with lower levels of education. It remains one of the leading causes of death in Texas and the United States. In my own home county of Harris County, diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death. Even when purchased through Medicare, insulin is more than three times as expensive in the United States than in the U.K. The bipartisan Affordable Insulin Now Act is truly needed to save lives.…”