America: Land of Liberty

Floor Speech

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Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to join with many of my
colleagues in celebrating John Dingell and recognizing the many, many
things that he has achieved for our country. It is not just that John
Dingell has been the longest serving Member in history; it is what he
did in his 30 terms in the House. Many today will honor him for his
support of civil rights and voting rights, his lifelong support for
working men and women and their unions, for the environment and much,
much more. But for me, it is his passionate advocacy for national
health care.

I came to Congress with the number one priority of winning
affordable, quality, and comprehensive health care for all Americans. I
worked to join the Energy and Commerce Committee so that I could learn
from John Dingell, who has been called a legend in the fight for
universal coverage. Following in the footsteps of his father, a key
player in the passage of Social Security in 1935 and himself a strong
fighter for national health care, Chairman Dingell introduced the U.S.
National Health Insurance Act in his very first term, and he has been
fighting to make health care a right ever since.

John Dingell sat in that chair when we passed Medicare and Medicaid
and gaveled it into law. He pushed for the Patients' Bill of Rights. He
led the way as we created the Children's Health Insurance Program, and
he was a key reason we were able to pass the Affordable Care Act in
2010.

Because of John Dingell, today more than 120 million Americans have
access to health insurance in large part because of his leadership and
vision. I am so grateful to have had the privilege of serving with and
learning from John Dingell. I hope that we will follow his strong
legacy and continue to make improvements in health care so that we can
improve the lives and well-being of all Americans.

Thank you, John Dingell, for your unparalleled service to this
country.

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