[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 102 (Friday, June 11, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E631]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         RECOGNIZING CAT DAVIS

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                      HON. CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 11, 2021

  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, my heart is heavy as I 
rise today to honor the life of my dear friend, Cat Davis, who passed 
away on May 26, 2021. Cat was a remarkable soul, and she was one of 
God's greatest gifts to everyone who knew her. My prayers are with 
Cat's family as we mourn her passing.
  I first met Cat and her mom, Sally, at a unity dinner that I hosted 
several years ago in Spokane, Washington. Cat had bright purple hair 
that caught everyone's attention. When she first approached me, she 
gave me a big hug, and I knew right away that her stand out hair color 
was the perfect match for the clear vibrancy she had for life.
  In that moment, not I, nor anyone else could have imagined the depth 
of suffering she had been enduring. Under the surface, Cat was fighting 
for her life as she battled Scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease 
without a cure. During our first meeting, Cat told me she needed a stem 
cell transplant, but Medicare refused to cover the surgery. This would 
have devastated most people, but not Cat. Instead, her will to live and 
her desire to fight this illness only grew stronger.
  In June 2017, Cat and Sally travelled to D.C. to meet with the 
Director for the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services in my office 
in the Capitol. Cat passionately shared her story and pleaded for them 
to grant the transplant surgery, and they responded positively. It had 
been worth the difficult trip from Spokane to D.C.
  Cat would eventually be granted approval for surgery, and with it, a 
second lease on life. I watched as Cat continued to approach each day 
with hope, enthusiasm, and deep understanding of the impact a life 
lived for others has. As our friendship continued to deepen over the 
years, she and her mom became a special example to me of love enduring 
all things.
  As the Bible says in I Corinthians, ``Three things will last 
forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.'' 
Cat's love and friendship will forever be imprinted on my heart, and 
for that, I will always be grateful.
  Madam Speaker, Cat Davis lived an amazing life that deserves to be 
celebrated. In honor of Cat's love, legacy, and passion that has 
inspired all those who knew her, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
recognizing Cat Davis. May God grant her eternal peace in His kingdom.

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