[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 181 (Thursday, November 15, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7030]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING EMILY FAY REESE
Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I rise to honor a dear friend. Her
name was Emily Fay Reese, who passed away on November 3 at the young
age of 44 after 8 years of battling colon cancer.
Emily was a source of strength and a beacon of light in the Reno
community. She radiated love and kindness to every person she met, and
her loss will be felt by every single person whose life she touched.
She loved and adored her three children, Madeline, KJ, and Thomas,
who are living legacies and testaments to the amazing person that Emily
was.
``Live life, love life, and impact others,'' these are the words
Emily lived by and wanted to share with the rest of the world. During
her life, she embodied this simple message--giving life and love, doing
all she could to make a difference in the lives of others. She did this
first as a public school teacher, and after her cancer diagnosis she
became a person on a mission to educate us all about the importance of
accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare for everyone.
Before her passing, Emily wished for her friends and family to honor
her by voting. She recognized how consequential elections were to
building a better future for her children and her country. Emily was
proud that she was able to vote early and cast her ballot to make sure
her voice was heard in Nevada. Even in the final days of her life, she
continued to fight for all of us.
Her advocacy was one way for her to impact others, and she fought to
protect the healthcare of Nevadans by using her diagnosis to openly
talk about what it was like to live with a terminal diagnosis and the
difference that the Affordable Care Act had made in extending and
improving the quality of her life. She reminded us that the ACA meant
that she could spend her time with her children instead of worrying
about bills and bankruptcy.
The last time I saw Emily was here, on Capitol Hill, just a few
months ago. She was advocating on behalf of our fellow Nevadans who
rely on Medicaid to get the care they need. She was here to oppose
massive funding cuts to the program that she said was saving her life.
She was here to speak out against a lawsuit that would take away
protections from Americans with preexisting conditions and to fight for
people like her who didn't have a voice. She was a ``Battle Born''
woman, and with grace, dignity, and courage, she bore her fight against
cancer and for healthcare for every American.
Emily was a fighter; she was a mother; and she was a friend. I will
be forever grateful for the time she spent in giving voice to the
voiceless and for her commitment to bettering the lives of those who,
like her, need their healthcare protected.
Today and every day, I honor Emily's memory and continue to fight to
protect healthcare for every Nevadan so that those who are struggling
with illness can focus on their fights to get better, can spend time
with their families, and live out their lives with dignity.
Emily's legacy lives on through every life she has touched, including
mine. Emily's legacy will continue to live on through each of us and
through her beautiful family. I know she will continue to bless us with
her profound light, which will guide us and give us strength through
the good times and the bad. Knowing Emily was a blessing, and I thank
her for her friendship.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in
morning business.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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