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House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) announced on Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a “very treatable blood cancer”; he plans to continue working while receiving treatment.
Despite having a slim majority, Scalise is crucial to scheduling the House floor and keeping the conference on the same page. Scalise overcame serious injuries after being shot during a congressional baseball game.
“After a few days of not feeling like myself this past week, I had some blood work done. The results uncovered some irregularities and after undergoing additional tests, I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a very treatable blood cancer. I have now begun treatment, which will continue for the next several months. I expect to work through this period and intend to return to Washington, continuing my work as Majority Leader and serving the people of Louisiana’s First Congressional District,” Scalise wrote on Twitter, now rebranded as “X.”
“I am incredibly grateful we were able to detect this early and that this cancer is treatable. I am thankful for my excellent medical team, and with the help of God, support of my family, friends, colleagues, and constituents, I will tackle this with the same strength and energy as I have tackled past challenges,” he added.
Support poured in from members of Congress, supporters, and others.
New York GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik tweeted: “There is no stronger fighter than @SteveScalise. Steve is as tough and kind as they come, and he has beaten so many unbeatable odds. The Legend from Louisiana is beloved by his colleagues and America and we know he will fight this next battle with that same resolve. We are proud to stand by to support Steve and his family as they embrace strength and faith in this next challenge.”
North Carolina GOP Rep. Dan Bishop said: “Praying for a full and speedy recovery for @SteveScalise as he begins treatment.”
Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs wrote on Twitter: “Please join me in praying for Leader Scalise’s swift recovery. God bless @SteveScalise!”
BREAKING NEWS: Shooting survivor and GOP Congressman Steve Scalise diagnosed with cancerhttps://t.co/9nHUzfxUZh
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 29, 2023
Scalise made headlines last week when he tore into President Joe Biden over the border crisis.
Below is a transcript of his interview on Fox News with host Martha MacCallum:
MacCallum: “It’s not like it’s a surprise. Mark, thank you very much. With that we bring in House majority leader Steve Scalise, Republican from Louisiana. Leader, very good to have you with us today. Thank you for joining us. You know, it’s kind of extraordinary to listen to the Homeland Security Secretary basically say, you know, this is happening a lot of places, it’s sort of unprecedented what we’re seeing, when they’ve had several years now to figure out the ideas that he is trying to put into motion now ahead of Title 42 lifting.”
SCALISE: “Martha, we have seen complete incompetence from Secretary Mayorkas, from President Biden on down. It started with Joe Biden on day one, when he became president, undoing the things that were working under President Trump to secure our border, and he sent a message, President Biden did, that very first day that America’s border is open. They know it’s open. Mayorkas, Biden, even Kamala Harris, his border czar, keep saying the border is not open. Everybody in America sees this. They’re disgusted by it. These deaths that you just reported on, they’re heartbreaking, but they are completely unnecessary. It should have never happened if President Biden and Mayorkas were doing their job securing the border.”
MacCallum: “He said — sorry, he talked about how the President came in and essentially on day one put forth an immigration reform plan, and he’s blaming you, he’s blaming the GOP for shooting that plan down. What was in it? Why didn’t you like it?”
SCALISE: “Well, first of all, President Biden opened the border on day one, but Republicans were not in charge his first two years. Nancy Pelosi ran the House. Chuck Schumer is still running the Senate. They never brought a single bill to Congress, Martha. And I think anybody should ask the president or Mayorkas, what was your bill that Nancy Pelosi shot down for two years when they were running the Congress? Because they never had a bill.
Their approach was, open up the border and send everybody into this country illegally. Millions heeded that call. We have a bill and we’re actually bringing legislation next week to the House floor. I hope the President supports this package. Unfortunately, he’s demagoguing it and opposing it because President Biden wants an open border and all the negatives that come with it. These deaths that we’re seeing, just think about the fentanyl, ya’ll have reported on this, very few other networks have. Every single day in America since President Biden has opened our border, we’re seeing 300 young people die every day because of drugs like fentanyl coming across our open southern border. So, we’ve got a bill that will fix this.”
WATCH:
