Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I am very pleased the Senate has just passed the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act, 96 to 1, a bill that will bring relief to many Americans suffering from a terrible disease. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. People with ALS tragically lose the ability to control their muscles, leading to paralysis and, ultimately, death. There is no cure. Many are familiar with ALS because of the baseball legend who succumbed to it at the height of his career, Lou Gehrig. Others know Lou Gehrig's disease because it has touched them or a neighbor or a loved one. I have been fortunate to know several people with ALS. One of my earliest supporters in my first campaign was the great Tommy May of Pine Bluff. Tommy, amazingly, has lived with ALS for nearly 15 years, beating the odds with courage and good humor. Given the gift of time, he devoted his energy to finding a cure for ALS, serving as a trustee on the national ALS Association board. ALS advocates are lucky to have a fighter like Tommy on their side. I have also been fortunate to know Kip Jackson of Little Rock and Thomas Galyon of Rogers and others. Sadly, these ALS advocates have passed away, but I know how pleased they would be to see this bill cross the finish line today. ALS is not like other diseases. It typically appears, without warning, later in life. Its life expectancy within 16 months is only 50 percent--no better than a coin toss. In other words, ALS strikes fast, and it strikes hard.…”