[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 137 (Saturday, October 5, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H6291]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    MR. SPEAKER, THIS IS NOT A GAME

  (Mr. BERA of California asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. BERA of California. Mr. Speaker, day No. 5 of the government 
shutdown--day No. 5.
  Yesterday you said something that I couldn't agree with more, Mr. 
Speaker. Yesterday you said, ``This is not a game.''
  Last night, my staff gave me a letter from one of my constituents, 
Sarah from Folsom. Her close friend is battling a rare bone cancer. She 
has been in chemotherapy and she is fighting for her life. She has a 1-
year-old daughter.
  She was recently accepted into a clinical trial, a last chance to try 
to save herself and save her life. Now Congress has shut down that 
trial and put the trials on hold. Here's what Sarah says:

       Please don't let her daughter grow up without a mother.

  Mr. Speaker, I couldn't agree with you more. This is not a game. This 
is real life.

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