We now return to our regularly scheduled program. The efforts to keep me from doing what I'm doing here have failed, and now I'm going to continue. So, for those of you who are joining, let me explain what is happening here. The American…
We now return to our regularly scheduled program. The efforts to keep me from doing what I'm doing here have failed, and now I'm going to continue. So, for those of you who are joining, let me explain what is happening here.
The American Journal of Public Health published a study a month ago, identifying the fact that 44,789 Americans die each year from not having health insurance. If you have two identical Americans, one of whom has health insurance, one of whom doesn't--we're talking about people who are the same age, the same gender, the same race, with the same smoking habits, the same weight--the one who does not have health insurance is 40 percent more likely to die.
We also have statistics from the Urban Institute, identifying how many uninsured people there are in each district, and we all know that the Republicans have promised to vote against the Democrats' health care bill. So what we're doing here tonight is the remarkably simple exercise of A times B equals C--A times B equals C--and identifying for each Republican district what that actually means.
When I was interrupted before, I had just said the following: Ohio District 12, Congressman Patrick Tiberi, 66 dead.
Now I'm going to continue until the end.
Ohio District 14, Congressman Steve LaTourette, 58 dead.
Ohio District 1, Congressman John Sullivan, 125 dead.
Oklahoma District 3, Congressman Frank Lucas, 128 dead.
Oklahoma District 4, Congressman Tom Cole, 121 dead.
Oklahoma District 5, Congressman Mary Fallin, 155 dead.
Oregon District 2, Congressman Greg Walden, 150 dead.
Pennsylvania District 5, Congressman Glenn Thompson, 64 dead.
Pennsylvania District 6, Congressman Jim Gerlach, 49 dead.
Pennsylvania District 9, Congressman Bill Shuster, 83 dead.
Pennsylvania District 15, Congressman Charles Dent, 54 dead.
Pennsylvania District 16, Congressman Joseph Pitts, 77 dead.
Pennsylvania District 18, Congressman Tim Murphy, 40 dead.
Pennsylvania District 19, Congressman Todd Platts, 51 dead.
South Carolina District 1, Congressman Henry Brown, 157 dead.
South Carolina District 2, Congressman Joe Wilson, 118 dead.
South Carolina District 3, Congressman Gresham Barrett, 112 dead.
South Carolina District 4, Congressman Bob Inglis, 133 dead.
Tennessee District 1, Congressman David Roe, 110 dead.
Tennessee District 2, Congressman John Duncan, 85 dead.
Tennessee District 3, Congressman Zach Wamp, 94 dead.
Tennessee District 7, Congressman Marsha Blackburn, 71 dead.
Texas District 1, Congressman Louie Gohmert, 155 dead.
Texas District 2, Congressman Ted Poe, 126 dead.
Texas District 3, Congressman Sam Johnson, 144 dead.
Texas District 4, Congressman Ralph Hall, 134 dead.
Texas District 5, Congressman Jeb Hensarling, 151 dead.
Texas District 6, Congressman Joe Barton, 136 dead.
Texas District 7, Congressman John Culberson, 103 dead.
Texas District 8, Congressman Kevin Brady, 132 dead.
Texas District 10, Congressman Mike McCaul, 127 dead.
Texas District 11, Congressman Michael Conaway, 164 dead.
Texas District 12, Congressman Kay Granger, 156 dead.
Texas District 13, Congressman Mac Thornberry, 144 dead.
Texas District 14, Congressman Ron Paul, 146 dead.
Texas District 19, Congressman Randy Neugebauer, 132 dead.
Texas District 21, Congressman Lamar Smith, 119 dead.
Texas District 22, Congressman Pete Olson, 150 dead.
Texas District 24, Congressman Kenny Marchant, 138 dead.
Texas District 26, Congressman Michael Burgess, 162 dead.
Texas District 31, Congressman John Carter, 124 dead.
Texas District 32, Congressman Pete Sessions, 209 dead.
Utah District 1, Congressman Rob Bishop, 128 dead.
Utah District 3, Congressman Jason Chaffetz, 154 dead.
Virginia District 1, Congressman Robert Wittman, 68 dead.
Virginia District 4, Congressman Randy Forbes, 93 dead.
Virginia District 6, Congressman Bob Goodlatte, 99 dead.
Virginia District 7, Congressman Eric Cantor, 76 dead.
Virginia District 10, Congressman Frank Wolf, 81 dead.
Washington District 4, Congressman Doc Hastings, 152 dead.
Washington District 5, Congressman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, 88 dead.
Washington District 8, Congressman David Reichert, 69 dead.
West Virginia District 2, Congressman Shelley Moore Capito, 102 dead.
Wisconsin District 1, Congressman Paul Ryan, 64 dead.
Wisconsin District 5, Congressman James Sensenbrenner, 38 dead.
Wisconsin District 6, Congressman Thomas Petri, 52 dead.
And Wyoming, Congressman Cynthia Lummis, 73 dead.
Our constituents sent us here to do good things for them. Our constituents sent us here--some with high expectations, some not so high--but is it really asking too much of us that we keep people alive?
We know, according to this Harvard study, that if we do nothing these people will die. Is it really asking so much of us to cast our vote to save these people?
For those of us who favor health care, we realize literally the life we save may be our own. Every one of us can lose his job. Every one of us can lose his health. Every one of us can have a preexisting condition. Every one of us can be denied care. Every one of us can die. Is it really asking so much that we solve this problem for America once and for all?
Honestly, for those of us who care about these things, this is what we have in mind: if we fail, if we fail to save these lives in America, then may God have mercy on our souls.
It is important to recognize that this is not a statistic. This is much more than that. These are friends. These are neighbors. These are mothers and fathers. These are sisters and brothers. These are daughters and sons. This is us. These are the people who are losing their lives today because we haven't acted yet.
At our Web site, this Web site here, NamesoftheDead.com, we've invited these people to be more than statistics. We've invited these people to tell their stories to us, to America, to have America tell America what's going on. Just as I did last week, I'm going to do it again this week, take the remainder of my time tonight and yield my time to you, yield my time to America and understand the simple eloquence of people suffering.
So for the rest of my time tonight, you will not be hearing from me. You will be hearing from you and listening to what you have to say about real people--people who are loved, who lost their lives because they had no health care. Let's begin.
Erika Herd wrote to us about Susan Olivas in Denver, Colorado, who was 45 years old when she died:
My sister worked for a small business that did not offer health care benefits and barely paid minimum wage. She started having some health issues, including what she thought were hemorrhoids. She simply couldn't afford to see a doctor for what she thought was an over-the- counter condition. She waited for a full year before they became really bad. Susan was diagnosed with anal cancer. I can't help but believe, had she had insurance, she never would have delayed treatment. She died on November 7, 2004.
This is from the Web site NamesoftheDead.com--true stories about true people who lost their lives because they had no health care in our country in America.
Now let's listen to Carroll Chaney about Mark Wayne Chaney of England, Arkansas, who was 46 years old when he died:
My brother began to have stomach pain, but he had no insurance. He even confided to me that he was afraid he had cancer. We had a grandfather, and three of his brothers had all passed away from cancer. It all began as pancreatic cancer for each one of them, and of course, it ended up all over their body. By the time my brother was finally diagnosed, it was in his liver, and he was told by oncologists here in Little Rock and at the MD Anderson Cancer Clinic in Houston there was nothing they could do. They told him to make peace with God, and go home and die, which he did 6 months later at the age of 46--10 years ago, 2 days after Thanksgiving--leaving a young daughter and son and grieving family members, including a dad who still mows his grave site twice a week. I'm his brother, Carroll Chaney.
Angelique Louis wrote to us at the Web site, NamesoftheDead.com, and wrote to us about Bernadine Oakley, aged 60, of Des Moines, Iowa:
She died of an aneurysm. She once had breast cancer and ovarian cancer. She was so concerned with the cost of it that she was fearful for the return of the cancer. She couldn't afford medicine for her high blood pressure, and it finally caught up with her. My mother's funeral was a standing-room only event. She had for over 20 years instructed a preschool class and assisted many within our community. Her life left this Earth too soon.
Now let's hear from Barbara Brown writing to us about Pat Dapolito of Medford, Massachusetts.
My brother was diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 57. He was self-employed and he didn't have health insurance. Surgery was recommended, and at one point he was asked directly by the surgeon, how do you plan on paying for this surgery? Of course, he couldn't pay for it himself. As a result, he died 6 months later.
Now let's hear from Leslie Walsh writing about William Walsh, age 62, of San Diego, California.
My ex-husband died of bladder cancer because he lived in fear of running up preventible medical expenses due to lack of insurance coverage. His cancer was far advanced by the time he was forced to seek help from the City of Hope. With simple well-person exams, his cancer could have been discovered much earlier on and could have been treated and he would be alive and living with me and my husband today.
Now let's hear from Winifred Haun concerning Declan Haun, 56 years old, right here in Washington, D.C.
My father died of throat cancer on March 7th, 1994. He had been suffering from a sore throat for nearly a year, but being a freelance photo journalist and a small business owner, he could not afford to go to the doctor. By the time he went to the doctor, the pain had become so bad that he couldn't eat. He couldn't eat. He had stage four terminal throat cancer. He was treated at the NIH in Washington, but there was very little they could do to even try to save him. If he had gone to the doctor sooner, there is a good chance he might still with be with us today.
Let's hear from Tracy Sykes about Terri-Lynn Sykes of Wilmington, North Carolina, who wrote to us at this
website, namesofthedead.com. She wrote as follows:
My sister could only afford to keep her diabetic son insured, not herself. She had to choose between her son and herself. Her cancer was not diagnosed until it was stage four. She died after fighting it for 2\1/2\ years. Her son is alive today. He is 10 years old. He lost his mother.
Let's hear now from Sam Downey about Megan Ratzow of Portland, Oregon.
Megan didn't have health insurance so she didn't go to a doctor until it was too late. She finally went to the emergency room and she died in the hospital a week later. None of us really knew she was even sick. If she had had health care, she would have been able to get the treatment she needed before her cancer was so far along that it couldn't be treated. Megan was a very good person. The world could have used her spirit for a few more years.
Now let's hear from Ellesia Blaque concerning Michelle Dennis of West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Michelle Davis, nicknamed Mickey, was not my relative, but she was the sister of my best friend and the love of my life, Tony Dennis. She died because she did not have health care. By the time she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she was terminal. She was diagnosed in May 2001 and died that August. Not only did I lose Mickey, but I also lost Tony, who in his grief committed suicide the day after Mickey passed away. I lost two friends because there was no health care for Mickey to receive timely diagnosis and treatment.
Now let's hear from Elaine Gill, who wrote to us at the website namesofthedead.com, this website, concerning Donald Ray Yost.
My brother endured months of pain, putting off going to the doctor because of concerns with how much it would cost. When the pain became so severe that it was intolerable, he made a doctor's appointment. After X-rays were taken and tests were run, the doctor delivered a grim diagnosis: Cancer, spread through his whole body and bones. My brother refused treatment because he knew the costs would drain his family of any savings and they would lose their home. To prevent his wife and two daughters from having their financial security and their home taken away, my brother chose not to undergo the medical treatment he would need to give him a fighting chance to live. He said he would not bankrupt his family in order to undergo the expense of long-term treatment. He died less than 6 months later, on May 6th, 2007.
Now let's hear from Jessica Falker of Vermont, who wrote to us about her Aunt Anita.
My aunt had no health insurance and couldn't afford the test to find out what was wrong with her. By the time she finally could afford to get tested, she had stage 4 cancer. She died only 3 months later.
I am sure Jessica misses her aunt.
Let's hear now from Robert Burns about Jay Holman of Gouldsboro, Maine.
Jay never saw a doctor because he had no health insurance. For 3 years he lived with health issues until he became seriously ill. It turned out to be cancer and it spread through his body. He had stage four cancer when he was hospitalized, and 6 weeks later he passed away. A sad ending, yes, a very sad ending, for a business owner, an Eagle Scout, a Merchant Marine and a fine human being.
Now let's hear from Jennifer Lawrence, who wrote to us about Guy Lawrence in Dubuque, Iowa, at this website, namesofthedead.com.
My father worked four jobs a day to keep my family fed and housed and clothed. None of them provided him with insurance. One day he caught a cold. Two days later it turned into pneumonia. He didn't go to the hospital because he didn't have the money to pay for a visit to the emergency room. He was sure it would go away. Instead, it killed my father.
Let's hear now from Erin Norton concerning Neil Norton of Joseph City, Arizona.
My father had his first heart attack on his 46th birthday and he survived. He was afraid to go to the hospital because of the cost and the humiliation of being uninsured. After the emergency had passed, he couldn't go to the doctor because he didn't have enough money to pay up front. Two days after his birthday, he had another heart attack, and this time he died in the back of an ambulance, still not sure whether he should even be trying to seek medical care because of what it would cost.
My mother became uninsured recently after her job fired her because she needed surgery. She is 56 years old. She is $17,000 in debt from her surgery and hoping like hell not to get sick again. She is now an uninsured nurse, no less. I am scared of history repeating itself. I hope I don't have to come back to this web page. I hope Congress doesn't let me become a health insurance orphan.
This is Lilieth Taylor writing to us at the website namesofthedead.com concerning Robert Taylor of East Orange, New Jersey, who died at the age of 63.
My brother was one of the working poor. He could not afford health insurance. He had several chronic illnesses. He could not afford his medication or the necessary doctor's visit. His health care provider was the emergency room. He died on April 28th, 2009. I know my brother would be alive today if we had a public option.
Now let's hear from Lenny Fairchild, who wrote to us at namesofthedead.com concerning Judi Martin of Boothbay Harbor in Maine.
My sister's husband died of a staph infection 2 years prior to her death. In her grief, she sold her home and moved to Maine to be near us. She lost her health insurance and could not afford to purchase any. She lived on only her widow's Social Security benefit. She was not old enough for Medicare. Progressive pain finally took hold and she went to the emergency room in September of 2005. A CAT scan revealed that she had pancreatic cancer, massive pancreatic cancer. In less than 2 weeks, she was dead. I don't know how she withstood the pain.
Now we hear about Scott Shantz of DeBary, Florida, who died at the age of 47.
Scott was feeling terrible, but he wouldn't go to the hospital because he didn't have insurance. His wife even drove him to the emergency room, but he wouldn't go in because he couldn't afford it. And a week later he was dead. It turned out that he had a lung clot, something which is treatable. If he had only had insurance.
Let's hear now from Randy Krzesinski concerning Mary Hill of Tarboro, North Carolina. Randy wrote to us at the website namesofthedead.com, this website here.
Mary Hill was my beloved sister. At age 56 she died of a sudden cardiac arrest on October 1st, 2009. Because Mary worked part-time, she couldn't find full-time work, she did not receive health care benefits. Mary had previously been diagnosed with high blood pressure. When she died, her doctor called me to inform me that Mary didn't always take her blood pressure medication because she couldn't afford it. And Mary was too proud to tell any of us in her family about this sad secret, that she couldn't afford her medication, and it cost her her life. I shall grieve for her and I shall grieve about this for a long time. Thank you for letting me tell Mary's story.
Now let's hear from Donna Startz concerning ``EZ'' Govella of Corpus Christi, Texas, who died at the age of 40. Forty.
EZ knew there was a problem, but his new insurance wouldn't kick in for a couple of months, so he waited to go to the doctor. When he finally went, it was discovered that he had a virulent form of testicular cancer, one where days make a difference between life and death. He fought the cancer for 2 years, but he lost his battle just days after his 40th birthday, leaving behind a wife, a 7-year-old daughter, and a mountain of debt. A mountain of debt.
Let's hear now from Stephen Marban concerning Tomas Bimmerle of New Orleans, Louisiana, who passed away at the age of 58.
My brother-in-law, Tom, died over Christmas of 2008 of lung cysts because he did not have health insurance. He survived as long as he did because of the heroic efforts of Charity Hospital in New Orleans where he lived. Tom was a very talented carpenter who worked tirelessly for Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans for years, building many houses, at times single-handedly. But since Habitat for Humanity does not offer employment or
health benefits, except for one or two administrators in each city, and Tom's income outside of Habitat was minimal, he lived uninsured for years and died early as a result at age 58.
Steve Ekhome wrote to us concerning Gib Martin of Iowa City, Iowa, who passed away at the age of 37. He wrote to us at the website names of the death dot.com.
Gib was a healthy 37-year-old who was 3 months into a new job, but unfortunately his health insurance didn't kick in until he had been employed there for 6 months.
He never made it. He came down with a cold and then flu, and then he seemed very sick. His mother called us to plead with him to go to the emergency room. He refused because of what it cost. Because of what it cost. His mother found him dead of pneumonia the next morning.
Let's hear from Caitlin Howarth regarding Bob Stimpson of Providence, Rhode Island, who died at the age of 56: Caitlin writes:
Bob Stimpson was my uncle. Just over a month ago, he died of cancer. He'd been getting sicker, but he never went to a doctor because he didn't have health insurance. He was a small business owner. He ran his own restaurant in Providence. He had a teenage son and a wife. He did the best to take care of them and to take care of his own employees. But it wasn't enough to keep himself alive.
And now let's hear from Rebecca Nourse concerning Buz Nourse of Stuart, Florida, who died at the age of 48:
My father was on expensive medications for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He had no insurance and was not eligible for any programs that would have paid for his medication or reduced their cost. For a time, he borrowed money from relatives to buy his medicine that he needed to keep himself alive. But eventually he decided that if he could not afford the medications on his own, he would do without them. He died of his first heart attack at the age of 48.
Cynthia Lovell wrote to us to tell us about her Uncle Abe of Altoona, Pennsylvania, who died at the age of 64. She wrote:
My uncle Abe worked as a self-employed plumber. Some years he could afford insurance, some years he couldn't. He came down with congestive heart failure, and he couldn't afford the insurance. He kept waiting to see a doctor until he turned 65 so that he would have Medicare. He waited and he hoped. Finally, he got so sick that my other two uncles went and got him. They intended to take him to the emergency room and to pay his bill for him. Both are retired and they're on fixed incomes, but their baby brother was so sick and they were so scared that they figured they would come up with some way to pay his hospital bills. However, my Uncle Abe died in the emergency room, waiting, trying to get to 65.
Yvonne Hebert wrote to us about Frances Dawson of Long Beach, California. This is what she wrote:
Fran was an RN. She was overweight. She was unable to get health insurance. She was well aware of the need for insurance and had been insured until she and her husband were divorced. She had two teenage children she was trying to raise. Fran became short of breath and went to the emergency room in Long Beach. They explained they couldn't care for her without insurance there, and she went to the Martin Luther King Hospital where people without insurance were being sent for care. Martin Luther King was, and always is, overwhelmed with uninsured people. Fran died there in the emergency room after many hours waiting for care.
I could go on and on and on. We have received hundreds upon hundreds of stories just like these. And I will tell you, you would have to have a hard, hard heart to ignore them.
Now is our chance to do something about it. Now is our chance to see to it that everyone in America can see a doctor if he or she needs to; that everyone in America has affordable, comprehensive, and, most important of all, universal health care.
I'm calling not only upon the Republicans but also the Democrats to ask them to think about why they are here. We are at the decision point. We'll be voting on this bill this week, and the choice is up to us. We can save these people or we can let them die.
I vote for life.