Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to raise awareness for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, or CJD. CJD is a rare brain disease that causes a rapid decline in a person's cognitive health and often leads to death within only a few months to 1 year following the onset of symptoms. There are about 500 new cases in the United States each year. Though rare, every CJD patient and thousands of people in their communities have a story of how their lives have been impacted by this disease. I personally have dealt with the loss of a dear friend and mentor, the former mayor of Bakersfield, Harvey L. Hall. Harvey Hall was a passionate man with a great love for life, his family, his community, and his country. He was a beloved member of our community and the longest serving mayor in Bakersfield history. Mayor Hall lost his life from CJD just 2 weeks after diagnosis. His sudden death was a shock to our community and devastating for all who knew him, including his wife of 28 years, who is here with us today, Lavonne Hall. Today, I am introducing a resolution that would designate November 12, 2023, as CJD Awareness Day to honor Mayor Hall's memory and help raise awareness for CJD patients and their families across the country. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan resolution. ____________________”