Pelosi Announces Medicaid Advocate Elena Hung as Guest for Joint Address

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi announced today that Elena Hung will be her guest for tonight's address to a joint session of Congress.  Ms. Hung is the co-founder and Executive Director of Little Lobbyists, a family-led organization that advocates for children with complex medical needs and disabilities.

“Elena Hung’s courageous daughter, Xiomara, was born with a number of serious medical conditions and is thriving today as a result of access to quality health care — including Medicaid," Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi said.  “As the co-founder and executive director of Little Lobbyists, Elena has shined a bright light on what having access to Medicaid means to Xiomara and millions of other families across the country.”

Speaker Emerita Pelosi continued: “Elena Hung has been a relentless advocate for ensuring disabled children have the health care, education and community inclusion they need to survive and thrive.  At a time when Medicaid is under assault by those who seek to give tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations, I am honored that Xiomara’s story will be told through Elena's attendance as my guest to this year’s address to a joint session of Congress."

"I am honored to be invited by Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi to be her guest at the Joint Session of Congress, and I appreciate the opportunity to help highlight the life-saving role that Medicaid plays for families like mine — families who experience the joys and challenges of caring for a child with complex medical needs and disabilities,” Elena Hung said.  "Thanks to Medicaid, my daughter Xiomara is thriving beyond expectations.  Medicaid is crucial health care; Americans do not want to steal from disabled children to give tax breaks to giant corporations and billionaires.”

Elena Hung, her daughter Xiomara, and families like them visit Capitol Hill and offices across the country to share their stories and speak with lawmakers and their staffers about what is possible with access to affordable, quality health care, including Medicaid, and what is at stake without it.