Dear Editor:
Last month, I had the honor of representing Florida’s District 9 on Capitol Hill. Along with nearly 700 of my fellow American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network volunteers from across the country, I traveled to Washington, D.C., to urge lawmakers to make cancer a national priority.
Together, we called on Congress to support lifesaving policies that help people prevent and treat cancer. We asked legislators for their support in increasing federal funding for cancer research and prevention, and to support legislation that would waive out-of-pocket costs for individuals with the highest risk of prostate cancer/create a pathway for Medicare to cover new multi-cancer early detection tests once they are approved by the FDA and proven effective.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Rep. Darren Soto and Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott and tell them that cancer isn›t partisan —it touches every community. I also let them know that Floridians and many others across the country rely on them to support legislation.
With about 1,670 people dying from cancer daily, our lawmakers must take legislative action on these crucial issues. Congress should seize the opportunity to pass critical, bipartisan legislation to help save lives and end cancer as we know it, for everyone.
I encourage you to join us and give us a stronger and louder voice in the fight against cancer. Visit fightcancer.org to be connected to people like me in your community.
Butch Rivera
Kissimmee
ACS CAN State Lead Ambassador
Ageism in American politics
Dear Editor:
What a joke! Joe Biden is too old to be president. Sure he’s not articulate, but he wasn’t when he ran the first time.
It hasn’t hindered his doing the job. He often stumbles. Big deal, we had President (Franklin) Roosevelt, who ran the country from a wheelchair. President Jimmy Carter was still building homes for Habitat, well into his 90’s. Also keep in mind that the last leader in Great Britain — Queen Elizabeth was in her late 90’s and still at the wheel. If we want younger leaders the answer is term limits on all of them from Congress to the Supreme Court. Eight years is long enough for any of them to screw up the works. But at least we will be able to recover.
Nancy Diamond
Kissimmee
