[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 49 (Thursday, March 27, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E463]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO CHARLENE DILL CAMPBELL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ALAN GRAYSON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 27, 2014

  Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to announce the passing of one 
of my constituents--Charlene Dill Campbell. She was a remarkable person 
who, sadly, leaves behind three beautiful children. Her passing is a 
tragedy that could have been avoided, and is one I wish I did not have 
to announce today.
  Another one of my constituents, Kathleen Voss Woolrich, Charlene's 
best friend, wrote down some thoughts about Charlene. I'd like to 
submit them.

       Born in Pennsylvania to a warm family, Charlene moved to 
     Florida when she was 18 years old. She worked at fast food 
     joints and Disney, cleaned houses and babysat, but through 
     the years found herself as a single mother with 3 kids. She 
     had heart issues that needed to be managed. Her teeth needed 
     to be fixed and constantly had infections, but Charlene never 
     complained. She made $11,000 dollars last year--babysitting 
     other peoples' children and cleaning other peoples' houses. 
     She proudly paid her property taxes in February and took care 
     of her little trailer, which she owned and took all three 
     kids to school.
       But, Charlene had no health insurance. Charlene was unable 
     to get Obamacare, because she made too little to get the 
     subsidies to purchase health insurance. She had no dental 
     insurance. Her teeth hurt her at night and had so many 
     cavities, but could not find a way to get the decay in her 
     teeth fixed. She was denied Medicaid and when she went to get 
     Obamacare she was told she could not get subsidies.
       So she went to the emergency room 2012. She had heart 
     issues and was told to get on medicine and be monitored. But, 
     had no health insurance to do so. 2012 Obama won and we all 
     were so sure. . . NOW Charlene would have health insurance. 
     But the Republican Party of Florida and Rick Scott turned 
     down Medicaid expansion. In December Charlene went to the 
     emergency room with abscesses in her legs. Her teeth hurt her 
     constantly. Charlene never complained. She took her two older 
     kids to school each day and reported for work at her various 
     jobs. Recently she began selling vacuum cleaners in addition 
     to the babysitting and house cleaning. She took antibiotics. 
     She got her healthcare at Florida hospital emergency rooms.
       On March 21st, she was supposed to come see me--on my first 
     day off in a while. She was excited about seeing my daughter 
     who she had raised since she was 3. The kids were all going 
     to play together. She had only 2 short appointments in 
     Osceola County, to show the vacuum to customers. At about 4 
     pm, that afternoon, I got a message from her niece that she 
     had died at the customer's house. They rushed her to 
     Poinciana Medical Center and worked on her. They could not 
     bring my best friend back. She died. She was 32.
       You see, the main argument Republicans use is that it's 
     some lazy person who needs Medicaid expansion. That, those of 
     us living without healthcare or dental care are lazy. But my 
     friend, a single beautiful mother, worked 3 jobs. She paid 
     taxes. She paid her house taxes. And now she's dead.
       Please think of Charlene when you decide who you are going 
     to vote for in August and December. Please vote for people 
     who want people like Charlene and me to have healthcare--to 
     have a fighting chance.
       I am burying my best friend soon, because of Rick Scott and 
     Will Weatherford. I am burying my best friend, because of the 
     policies of the Republican Party. I am burying my best 
     friend, because had Medicaid expansion passed her needs would 
     have been met. She is one of the 7 people who will die each 
     day, because the Florida House of Representatives, 
     Republicans, and Tea Party decided that we are not worth 
     living. We are not worth healthcare. We were not worth 
     Medicaid expansion.
       Please vote for Charlene.
       I'll never have her back. I'll never see my friend again. 
     I'll never have another day with her.

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