[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 20]
[House]
[Page 26971]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING MONICA RODRIGUEZ

  (Ms. CHU asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Monica Rodriguez from 
El Monte, California. Monica was a wife, mother of three children, and 
5 months pregnant. Monica went twice to a hospital in El Monte with flu 
symptoms, including flu, fever, congestion, and cough. She was sent 
away with cough syrup. Days later, Monica was admitted into intensive 
care, but it was too late, and Monica passed away on October 25 due to 
complications from the H1N1 virus.
  Monica was a pregnant woman with flu-like symptoms that should have 
set off alarm bells. Despite multiple visits to the hospital, she was 
denied treatment that could have saved her life. The Centers for 
Disease Control issued guidelines for health care providers that said, 
``Pregnant women are at higher risk for severe complications and death 
from influenza, including both 2009 H1N1 influenza and seasonal 
influenza.'' If the El Monte hospital had followed these guidelines, 
her tragic death could have been avoided. Her husband, Jorge Gonzalez, 
wants others to know about his wife's death so that they can receive 
proper care.
  In memory of Monica Rodriguez, I will introduce a resolution alerting 
people so no other person will needlessly die in this manner.

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