Hello Pat:  

Congratulations on your win. Although the outcome is not what I wanted or worked so hard for, the voters have spoken and I respect their decision. I have worked many elections in both McLennan and Bell County and we do have free and fair elections here in Texas. However, I, like so many of my friends, are very fearful for the fate of our state and our country.  

My disabled daughter, Rachel, was my inspiration for running twice to represent our community in the Texas House. As you begin your term as our new State Representative, I urge you to think about the many Rachels that you now represent. Remember, you now represent not only those that voted for you, but also those who voted against you, those who did not vote and those who cannot vote.  

I urge you to listen to our three hospitals in McLennan County - Hillcrest Scott and White, Ascension Providence, and Waco Family Health - and consider supporting their requests to expand Medicaid like 40 other states have done. I listened to you say that you wanted to "keep Washington out of Texas" but that sentiment results in Texas refusing $8 billion dollars a year that our three hospitals are begging you to accept. It also forces us to pay for health care both in our federal tax dollars (which we can not get back because of the refusal to expand Medicaid) and through our high property taxes. More personally, it deprives our disabled community of services. Rachel lost her Medicaid coverage during my second race for the Texas House, which was literally a death sentence for her, and I had to fight for weeks to get it restored. I am sure that God gave me that experience to now be a passionate voice on how cruel and life threatening the refusal to expand Medicaid has become in our State. Before you vote on this refusal in the future, I want you to shut your eyes and see Rachel Shank's face, and the many other "Rachels" that your vote will harm, before you cast that vote. I know you claim to be a Christian, as do I, and I ask you to listen to my pleas as you make this life threatening decision that negatively affects our hospitals and so many in our disabled community. Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, "what you do to the least of these, you do unto me".

You will vote for the Voucher Bill. Our public schools and teachers are dramatically underpaid and our special education is hurting. A few weeks ago, the Texas Tribune reported that Texas has decided to tell the federal government that it no longer wants to receive over $625 million in federal funding which was going to special education. This literally broke my heart. Please help us restore this funding to Texas' special education. I struggled with special education for Rachel in both McLennan and Bell County public schools, a private special education school and home schooling. I was dissatisfied with all of them. I am concerned that your desire to privatize our public schools, that educate 95% of our children and virtually all of our special needs kids, puts your desire to make a profit before the Texas Constitution's mandate that Texas fully fund a system of free public schools. Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, "What you do to the least of these, you do unto me".

When asked about the crisis Texas women are facing with our total ban on women's reproductive health care, you stated that you had not studied that issue. I sure have. Pat, we literally have women dying, becoming extremely ill or becoming infertile because Texas has no exceptions for the life or health of women, for rape or incest. We also have no exception for disabled girls, like my sweet Rachel. I was advised when I was pregnant with Rachel that I should consider a test that would tell me whether or not she had Down Syndrome so that I could consider terminating my pregnancy. I said no. However, these extreme laws threaten her life if she was raped and I was forced to go to Court in order to prevent a life threatening pregnancy from ever happening to her. Texas doctors face life in prison, a $100,000 fine and termination of their medical license if they assist a woman with a failing pregnancy. You say you are "Pro Life". So am I. We must consider the life and health of the many Texas women who this extreme law threatens. Google these Texas women's names - Amanda Zurawski, Kate Cox, and now deceased Josseli Barnica and Nevaeh Crain. Their pain and deaths can not be in vain.

Finally, we must find a humanitarian way to solve our crisis at the border. In President Elect Trump's last presidency, I participated in my first political protest in Austin after I learned that a baby with Down Syndrome had been taken from his immigrant mother's arms. As we approach the Christmas holidays, remember that Jesus is the world's most famous immigrant. According to Matthew 2, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem, fearing that King Herod would seek to find and murder their newborn child if they returned to their homeland in Judea, Mary and Joseph fled with their child to Egypt. Their fears were well founded because after they fled King Herod ordered the murder of all of the boys in Bethlehem that were under two years old. The Jesus we both follow was a child who survived a massacre because his parents fled to a safer land. Again, remember, Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, "What you do to the least of these, you do unto me".  

I wish you God's speed as you begin representing this community I know we both love and cherish. I say these words to you in hope that you will see that those of us who identify with a different political party are not terrible people as your social media posts seemed to suggest. We are Americans, Texans, parents, students, teachers… we are humans, just like you. We are honored to live in a nation with you that is built on a two party system. Unlike many authoritarian countries in the world, our political system has become a two party system which strives to allow both sides to be heard and where finding solutions for all should be our representatives' mandate. Please stop saying that we are somehow bad, "less American" or not Christians because we think differently than you do. Treasure us and represent all of us to the best of your ability.

 Thanks for listening.

Erin B. Shank, P.C.

Attorney and Political Advocate