Condemning Anti-Semitism

Floor Speech

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Ms. DEXTER. Mr. Speaker, this year, I received a letter from Rachel, a mother in my district with stage IV lung cancer who is living on borrowed time. She is depending on future innovation driven by NIH research to see her son grow up.

Her words are more powerful than mine, so I will read them directly. ``I could write endless words about how many will be devastated by these funding cuts, but this is not that kind of letter. Despite my generous nature, cancer has taught me to be selfish.

``Every single day, I think about my mortality. How long do I have left? Is that shoulder pain or something else? Will I be alive to see my son graduate from high school? He turned 11 [in February], and I made him a lemon cake.

``NIH funding cuts will no doubt shorten my life. There is no truth about which I have ever been more certain.''

Mr. Speaker, our constituents are literally begging for their lives. As a physician and mother, I cannot speak enough about the harm that this bill, this cut to NIH funding, will do. I understand the importance of NIH funding because that is the driver of innovation and scientific discovery.

To my Republican colleagues, now is the time to show courage. Stop these cuts to the NIH. Do not undermine scientific innovation.

To Rachel, I will fight for you with everything I have. You deserve to see your son graduate.

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