The amendment had been sitting in committee for two sessions. Analysts had written about it. Nobody affected by it had ever spoken in the room.
MEDVETS put nine members on the road at four in the morning: two cancer patients, four veterans managing chronic pain, a caregiver and two clinicians.
They had read about us for two years. It took thirty-one minutes of actually hearing us. Rita S., patient advocate
They testified for a combined thirty-one minutes. Members of the committee asked follow-up questions for another forty.
The amendment cleared committee that afternoon. It is not a finished fight — but it moved, and it moved because people who live it were in the room.
