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Katy Jerzick: Dear
President Obama.
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Next week, the Affordable
Care Act will be six years old.
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And in a way, so will I.
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I'll be six years removed
from college, six years into
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the beginning of adult life
and career, and six years
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indebted to you for
making it all possible.
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How vividly I remember that
warm spring day in 2010,
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only a few weeks before my
graduation from
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American University.
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The sun was shining and my
face hurt from smiling.
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It was like a dream.
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Suddenly, incredibly,
I could look ahead to
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commencement in May with a
giant weight lifted from
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my shoulders.
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I could begin my job search
with the security of knowing
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I could continue health care
coverage on my parents plan
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for a few more years.
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I graduated.
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Absent the pressure to
immediately find a job with
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benefits I secured an
internship that didn't offer
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healthcare but allowed me
to pay my bills and
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gain experience.
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I worked hard and that
internship soon led to a
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full-time position with
benefits in a field
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that I adore.
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ACA made it all possible.
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Meanwhile, my now fiancée,
was attending community college.
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In 2011, he decided to
enroll in a new program in
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energy utility technology.
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A program that,
incidentally, was created
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and funded by a recovery act
grant from the
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Department of Energy.
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After graduation, he was
hired as a technician by our
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local utility company.
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A job he absolutely loves,
but never would have had the
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opportunity to pursue if
not for the Recovery Act.
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When I look back on it
all, I'm truly amazed.
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Two of the defining policy
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achievements of your presidency have
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directly impacted our lives
and our careers in a way
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that I never could have
imagined, when, as a student
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at American, I watched
Senator Ted Kennedy endorse
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you in 2008.
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Then, I was inspired.
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And now, I'm overwhelmed
with gratitude.
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Our jobs, our little house, our
upcoming wedding in June.
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Everything we have in life,
everything we've been able
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to work towards and to
afford, we have because you
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set us up to succeed in a
way no one else could have done.
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I strongly feel that my
personal milestones bear the
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stamp of the country's
progress over these past
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eight years and I will never
take for granted what you've
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done for us.
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With sincere thanks and
great hope for the future,
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Katherine Jerzick.
