[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 11, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H316]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
JACKI DIXON MARSH
(Mr. POLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to talk about a
constituent in my district, Jacki Dixon Marsh. Jacki is an
entrepreneur. She owns a historic storefront in downtown Loveland. In
fact, she is the only woman who owns commercial space in the
neighborhood. She runs a gallery featuring the work of over 100 local
artisans, actively supporting jobs and contributing to our community.
Jacki was also a competitive long-distance runner. In 1972, she won
the first women's only road race in New York, and she continues to run.
Finally, she has a pacemaker. She suffers from cardiomyopathy, a rare
heart disease she developed after contracting the flu. While the doctor
gave her only 2 years to live, she exceeded that prognosis by three
decades, but her health depends on replacing her pacemaker every 7 to 8
years.
Jacki is one of countless Americans for whom insurance through the
Affordable Care Act is literally a matter of life or death. She says
she pays a lot for her coverage, about 900 a month, but she told me she
is excited to pay it. Before the Affordable Care Act, her precondition
meant no coverage at all.
When I asked Jacki what message she wanted me to share with my
colleagues in Congress, she made clear that I should share the message
that her situation is not unique. We need to act to make sure that
people like Jacki continue to have healthcare coverage rather than
ending the provisions of the Affordable Care Act that they rely on.
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