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Mrs. LEE of Nevada. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 2023 graduating class of the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Touro University Nevada.
This week is National Osteopathic Medicine Week, and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate than by highlighting the incredible success of our future doctors of osteopathic medicine.
Not only did these graduates achieve a 100 percent residency match rate, but I am also proud to say that 50 of them will be staying in Nevada where they will help fill critical healthcare needs in our State by helping combat our dire shortage of physicians.
Nevada ranks 48th in the Nation in doctors per capita. These future healthcare providers will fill in the gaps across our healthcare system from family medicine and pediatrics to emergency medicine, neurology, and psychiatry.
Too many Nevadans in rural and underserved communities do not have access to specialists in their area, which significantly restricts their ability to access healthcare services.
I am so proud that these doctors will be filling those critical needs, and I congratulate Touro University. Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Nevada Air National Guard
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Mrs. LEE of Nevada. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the Nevada Air National Guard for their 75 years of service to Nevada and the entire country.
In that time, our servicemembers have supported national security, combat operations, and humanitarian efforts across the globe.
The Nevada Air National Guard began as a small fighter squadron comprised of World War II-era P-51 Mustangs. Its units have since evolved: flying in the Korean war, aerial reconnaissance throughout the Cold War, and numerous deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.
Here at home, the Nevada Air National Guard has also carried out significant humanitarian operations such as Operation Haylift, a daring supply drop to farmers and miners trapped by winter storms in 1948.
Today, the Nevada Air National Guard is perhaps best known for its continued use of our military's workhorse, the C-130, which, among other impressive capabilities, has been routinely deployed for firefighting operations with the U.S. Forest Service.
In 2021 alone, the Nevada Air National Guard made 331 flights, dropping more than 8 million pounds of fire retardant to help contain wildfires, preserve our public lands, and save lives.
Looking ahead, I look forward to working with the Nevada Air National Guard on their priorities, including a well-deserved upgrade to their fleet of C-130s, as they take on an even better 75 years ahead.
From Carson City to Reno and the 232nd Combat Training Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, I again thank everyone who has made Nevada Air National Guard strong for the past 75 years. Our State and country are safer because of it. Restricting Abortion
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Mrs. LEE of Nevada. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak about the frightening recent developments concerning the personal freedoms of millions of Americans.
A single judge in Texas has dramatically restricted decades-long access to safe and effective abortion medication in all 50 States.
Anti-choice extremists have made it clear that this is not the end. They did not stop at overturning Roe v. Wade. They will not stop at preventing women from accessing FDA-approved medications like mifepristone.
They have made it clear about their intention to restrict control and ban a woman's right to choose with Federal legislation. From the courts to Congress, a woman's right to choose is under attack. We will not be intimidated, and I am doing everything in my power to stop this.
My home State of Nevada, where voters decided by a 2-to-1 margin in 1990 to protect a woman's right to choose and just last fall voted to reject the extremist politicians leading this crusade to ban abortion nationwide, has made it clear where it stands.
I have made it clear that I am here to represent my district and my State.
Last week, I joined hundreds of my pro-choice colleagues in signing on to an amicus brief that has been filed with the Supreme Court, asking the Court to reverse the Texas judge's radical decision.
I am not giving up and neither should you. I support choice. The majority of Nevadans support choice. The majority of Americans support choice.
It is time for Congress and the courts to do the same.
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