Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Ellie’s Law


Photo of the Week

Listening to testimony about some of the barriers women in the workforce still face in a recent hearing held by the Women in the 21st Century Workforce Working Group.

 

Weekly Update
Continuing the trend we’ve seen over the past few months in other states, this week brought bad news from Tennessee regarding the Obamacare exchanges. The Tennessean reported, “BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee will not sell insurance plans on the Obamacare exchange in the state’s three largest metro areas next year, as the health care giant grapples with hefty losses and ongoing uncertainty on the marketplace…By the end of 2016, BCBST anticipates losses from three years selling on the exchange established by the Affordable Care Act will approach $500 million.”

More Obamacare news came this week regarding payments to insurers when a legal opinion by the GAO concluded that “HHS may not use amounts collected for the Treasury to make reinsurance payments.” Click here for more information about how this is yet another blow to the president’s failed law. 

This week, I was honored to join Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke in introducing “Ellie’s Law.” This bill would authorize $25 million in federal funding for brain aneurysm research. Scroll down to read about Ellie Helton and her family’s work to raise awareness of the need for more research on brain aneurysms.

Also be sure to check out the rest of this newsletter for important military academy deadline information, news on the status of 21st Century Cures legislation and some photos from the district this week.

As always, please contact my office if we can assist you in any way!

 

Ellie’s Law

After 14-year-old Ellie Helton, of Apex, passed away suddenly in July 2014 from a brain aneurysm, her family decided to honor her life by making a difference in the lives of others. Her father, Todd Helton said, “We don’t want this to be about us and how we live. We want it to be more about how we can do what we can with this to try to live in a world where this doesn’t happen, where parents don’t have to go through losing a child, where sisters don’t have to go through losing a sibling.”

It was my honor to join Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke this week in introducing “Ellie’s Law” (H.R. 6185) to authorize $25 million in federal funding for brain aneurysm research. This research is the key to finding effective treatments, interventions, and ways to prevent aneurysms from developing and other families from suffering.

 

Academy Nomination Deadline

If you are a Second District student considering attending a military service academy, visit this page of my website for information regarding eligibility requirements and deadlines.

Please note: ALL required documents must be received in my Dunn office NO LATER THAN October 31st!

 

Snapshots from the District
Members of my staff stopped by the Dunn Business Fest last week. Below are a few photos from the event in which dozens of area businesses participated.

 

#CuresNow

There was good news from the Energy & Commerce Committee this week about the progress on delivering #CuresNow:

“IMPORTANT UPDATE: E&C Leaders Fred Upton, Congresswoman Diana DeGette, Frank Pallone Jr., Congressman Joe Pitts and Gene Green issued the following statement signaling progress on advancing #CuresNow: ‘The path to Cures has been a multi-year journey that has always been about putting patients first. Hand-in-hand with that goal is to advance Cures this year, legislation that will bring hope to families all across the country. We have been working hard for months, and we will continue to work toward an agreement that can pass both chambers and be signed by the president. And the good news is that we are on the cusp of something special. We are focused on delivering #CuresNow. At hand is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and we’re committed to getting 21st Century Cures signed into law this fall.'”