Diana DeGette
Representative for Colorado · Democratic · United States
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, shockingly, the U.S. has the highest rate of maternal mortality among developed nations in this entire world. What is worse is that the mortality rates for women of color are exponentially higher than those of the general population.”
“We have the opportunity today to ensure ALS patients can continue to access promising new therapies, and our preeminent biomedical research institutions can continue to work towards a cure.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, about 5,000 Americans are diagnosed with ALS every year. It is a disease that causes the nervous system to stop working and die, leading to muscle weakness and eventually paralysis. Essentially, when someone gets the diagnosis, it is a death sentence.”
“Now that we have identified the problem, we need to work together to solve it. Mr. Speaker, 80 to 84 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4541, the EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2025. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women, with 321,000 new cases and 42,000 projected deaths just this year alone.”
“I know it is a labor of love and deeply personal for her family and every family that has been touched by Down syndrome. It has been an honor to also work with my constituent, Michelle Sie Whitten, the president of the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award, a driving force for this bill, and a fierce advocate for her daughter and everyo…”
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“I want to tell Congressman Mike Quigley that his unwavering leadership on the original Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act and this reauthorization is saving and improving lives. I thank them for putting us on the path of finding a cure for ALS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley), who is the sponsor of this bill.”
“We have the opportunity today to ensure ALS patients can continue to access promising new therapies, and our preeminent biomedical research institutions can continue to work towards a cure. This reauthorization will provide the continuing statutory basis for the great work that the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act began, and it couldn't come at a better moment. We have seen immense research progress in the 5 years since passage. Health Subcommittee members here today heard from Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya in our hearing on this bill a few months ago when they told us with no uncertainty how important it is for people facing down this cruel disease that we keep this momentum going. Brian and Sandra are an inspiration to all of us and to people everywhere who are seeking cures for these terrible diseases.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, about 5,000 Americans are diagnosed with ALS every year. It is a disease that causes the nervous system to stop working and die, leading to muscle weakness and eventually paralysis. Essentially, when someone gets the diagnosis, it is a death sentence. I am all too familiar with this disease and its rapid progression because in 1996, I lost my father-in-law to ALS. The original Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act passed in 2021 and unleashed incredible Federal resources to improve our understanding of this relentless disease in search of a cure. It revolutionized the way FDA uses real-world evidence to foster the development of ALS therapeutics and gave patients a chance to try investigational drugs for rare neurodegenerative diseases.”
“Now that we have identified the problem, we need to work together to solve it. Mr. Speaker, 80 to 84 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. The IMPROVE Initiative at NIH investigates the leading cause of these deaths, supports the development of interventions to prevent them, and importantly identifies factors that contribute to disparities in maternal health. We must not let this critical program lapse. I thank Representatives Underwood and Fitzpatrick for their undying and wonderful leadership on this bill, as well as my friend and colleague Robin Kelly, who has been a leader on this issue for more than a decade. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join us in passing the bill today because no pregnancy-related death is acceptable in the richest nation in the world. I reserve the balance of my time.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, shockingly, the U.S. has the highest rate of maternal mortality among developed nations in this entire world. What is worse is that the mortality rates for women of color are exponentially higher than those of the general population. Black women die from pregnancy- related causes at rates at least three times those of White women, and that is irrespective of socioeconomic status or income. It is appalling that this statistic has emerged from data collection by State maternal mortality review committees. Congress affirmed its support for these committees in February by reauthorizing my bill, the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act. Thanks to this enduring bipartisan commitment, we have identified the problem, that 649 women died of maternal causes in the U.S. in 2024.”
“I know it is a labor of love and deeply personal for her family and every family that has been touched by Down syndrome. It has been an honor to also work with my constituent, Michelle Sie Whitten, the president of the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award, a driving force for this bill, and a fierce advocate for her daughter and everyone with Down syndrome. It has also been an honor to work with my friend and colleague Representative Hudson, whose dedication to the Down syndrome community has been essential to push this bill closer to the finish line. I simply could not have had a better partner on this issue. The INCLUDE Project Act will ensure that critical Down syndrome research continues to advance. This year, it must finally be enacted into law.”
“The Crnic Institute for Down syndrome on the Anschutz Medical Campus leads more than 200 scientists at the largest Down syndrome research facility in the world. They see incredible breakthroughs every day. This type of innovation puts science first and benefits not only individuals living with Down syndrome and their families but every single one of us because we are learning more and more about disease biology and just why some conditions work differently in people with Down syndrome. It is why the bill passed the House last Congress with unanimous support. I am so happy that I was able to work for many years with my friend, the former chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, on this bill in the last Congress.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, my bill with Representative Hudson, the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act, codifies the renaissance in Down syndrome research at NIH that was kicked off when the INCLUDE Project began in 2018. This bill sustains and encourages this critical research. After being left behind by NIH for nearly 20 years, the Down syndrome community is finally seeing research advancements that will extend and improve their lives. What we learn from this research will not only help us better understand Down syndrome but also heart disease, Alzheimer's, cancer, and many co-occurring conditions. I am so proud that much of this work is happening right in my home district of Denver, Colorado.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), a fierce advocate and long-term fighter for early breast cancer detection.”
“Despite these realities, younger women between the ages of 25 and 40 continue to face disproportionately high rates of aggressive breast cancers. The EARLY Act has helped drive national progress in breast cancer awareness, education, and prevention. H.R. 4541 reauthorizes these critical efforts. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. {time} 1550”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4541, the EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2025. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women, with 321,000 new cases and 42,000 projected deaths just this year alone. While breast cancer is often thought of as affecting older women, younger women are often diagnosed too late, where treatment options are more limited and, frankly, outcomes are worse. Approximately 16 percent of all new breast cancer cases occur in women under the age of 50. The importance of early detection simply cannot be overstated. [[Page H4649]] Women diagnosed at an early stage have survival rates exceeding 99 percent. However, that number can fall to 30 percent when breast cancer is detected at later stages.”
“He gave us advice, set an example through his work, and showed us what it meant to fight for people who needed a strong advocate. His dedication to fairness and justice had a lasting impact on generations of trial lawyers. I am proud to have known Jerry and to call him my friend. Colorado's legal community mourns the loss of a giant. ____________________”
“He consistently supported politicians who he believed met his standards and worked actively to help them get elected and succeed in office. I saw this for myself. When I was a young member of the General Assembly, struggling to balance my law practice, service as a legislator, and raising two young daughters, Jerry took me in. He gave me an office in his firm and was always there to help me with a case or give advice about a tricky legal issue. Jerry received many awards and accolades, but he would say that his biggest success was his family. He and Rosemarie were married for over 60 years, and they raised two sons, Sean and Brian. Over the years, Jerry spoke to me with such pride about the success of his boys. Truly, his family was the center of his life. To scores of Colorado lawyers, Jerry was a guiding light and voice of reason.”
“He stayed in Colorado for his education, attending Colorado State University and the University of Denver School of Law, where he was a member of the law review. After graduating from law school, Jerry established a legal career fighting for people who needed a strong advocate. He was associated with many preeminent trial firms in Colorado and founded his own firm, establishing the highest standards of trial excellence and ethics. Jerry's lifelong love of politics was cemented when he was a reading clerk for the Colorado State Legislature during the 1965-66 session. Later, he was the point person for the rights of the injured in the 1985 tort reform legislative session and gained respect from legislators on both sides of the aisle.”
“Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 71 (Tuesday, April 29, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 71 (Tuesday, April 29, 2025)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E361] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] IN REMEMBRANCE OF GERALD P. McDERMOTT ______ HON. DIANA DeGETTE of colorado in the house of representatives Tuesday, April 29, 2025 Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker. I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my dear friend and mentor, Gerald P. McDermott--a highly regarded trial attorney, advocate for justice, pillar of Denver's legal community, and revered family man. Jerry's career was defined by an unwavering commitment to defending the rights of all Coloradoans, no matter their circumstance or situation. Jerry was a proud son of Pueblo, Colorado.”