Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, Chaz Karidis of Madison County, Illinois, had dreams of being a husband and a father. His family said he wanted to be a good role model for his younger brother. Sadly, those dreams came to an end in November of 2013 when Chaz's mom, Kari, received a phone call that no parent wants to receive. Kari learned that Chaz had lost his battle with heroin addiction just after his 23rd birthday. As a parent and a grandparent, I can't imagine the agony in receiving that call. This painful loss of a child led Kari to launch a nonprofit that provides support and assistance to the companions of people suffering from addiction. Sadly, organizations like Kari's are needed now more than ever. In 2016, there were almost 2,000 opioid overdose fatalities in Illinois alone. That is nearly twice the number of fatalities that occur in motor vehicle accidents. Opioid overdose deaths have increased 82 percent between 2013 and 2016 in Illinois; not counting how much it has increased around this Nation. These aren't just numbers, and they aren't just statistics. These are moms and dads and sons and daughters and neighbors and friends. Addiction doesn't care about your race, your income, your gender, or your politics. That is why I am proud to join my Republican and Democrat friends this week in the passing of legislation that focuses on treatment and recovery, prevention, protecting our communities, and fighting against synthetic drugs.…”