Debbie Wasserman Schultz: Even More Amazing Than You Thought
ETA: The EARLY Act is H.R. 1740. It has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz is a powerhouse. She was elected to Congress at 38 and is already a cardinal – so called because she chairs one of the powerful House Appropriations subcommittees. She raised a staggering $17 million for her party during the 2006 elections – third only to Nancy Pelosi and Rahm Emanuel. She's also a mother of three. When does she sleep?
But this morning I was even more amazed at her ability to juggle her intensely demanding roles. I opened my email to learn that Rep. Wasserman Schultz was sponsoring the Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act -- the EARLY Act (so new it doesn't yet have a bill number). OK, no big surprise there – the congresswoman has always been a big advocate for women's health.
No, the surprise was that over the past year, while managing to mother, legislate, and travel to support Democratic candidates, she endured seven major surgeries, including a double mastectomy, oophrectomy, and reconstructive surgery, after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
You can watch her interview with Robin Roberts – also a breast cancer survivor – on Good Morning America right here.
The EARLY Act would create a national education campaign to increase awareness of breast cancer in younger women, 15-40. The bill would take into account the heightened risk some ethnic groups face – groups like Ashkenazi Jews, who are at an increased risk of carrying the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. Wasserman Schultz carries the BRCA2 gene and so underwent a prohylactic mastectomy and oophrectomy to greatly reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence or a diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
The legislation also provides assistance to organizations to support young women diagnosed with breast cancer and help them get the assistance they need, including social and psychological support, fertility counseling and recurrence prevention training.
I'll post again as soon as the bill (oh, and the Senate-side version will be sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).) has a number so we can start the campaign to get this important legislation passed and signed into law.
In the interim, all the MOMocrats send Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz their best as she fights on for the needs of women and their families.
ONLY at Momocrats was there a comprehensive, detailed blurb about this if you were unable to catch this on televsion ~ SO kudos!!
(You and the Miami Herald)...KEEP us posted so we can hit the ground running! THANKS!!!
Posted by: Houseonahill | March 23, 2009 at 01:17 PM
Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz is formidably smart, quick on her feet, an able and responsive legislator, and a stalwart team player for the Democratic Party. She must have an amazing support network to help her through such an intense personal and professional year.
It'll be great watching her rise to greater influence in Congress...and to even higher office? :)
Posted by: cynematic | March 23, 2009 at 02:05 PM