members of the general assembly, distinguished guests and fellow citizens of illinois, i m here today to report to you on the state of our state. but before i begin, i know i speak for all of illinois in wishing our senator mark kirk a speedy recovery. [applause] we re all pulling for you, mark. and i also know i speak for all of illinois and all of america in thanking our servicemembers in every branch of service who have volunteered to protect our democracy. we re here today because of you. we are especially proud of the servicemembers of our illinois national guard. in the early morning last december 18, a convoy of the illinois national guard s 1644th transportation company led by their commander captain michael barton, crossed the desert of southern iraq into kuwait. their unit had made 73 dangerous convoy trips between kuwait and iraq. they drove nearly 4 million miles. their convoy was one of the very last to leave iraq. the war was over. and today, captain barton s wi
thank you, all, very, very much. let me begin by thanking god for the goodness of maryland, for her natural beauty, the goodness of her people, for the hope we see in the eyes of our children. let me thank the men and women of maryland who serve in our country s armed forces. [applause] [applause] and i also at the outset here want to thank the parents and the loved ones of our fallen heros for the sacrifice that they have made and that continue to endure. thank you governor hughes for your continued service on behalf of the people of maryland. thank you president miller and speaker bush for ably and effectively leading your chambers through these very challenges and difficult years of recession. [applause] through these challenges years of recession and now jobs recovery, and thank you, attorney general, thank you treasurer cobb, comptroller fred for your work in preacing the dignity of every individual and advancing the common good, and thank you, my colleagues and county a
he also called for extending tax cuts for companies that hire veterans. for the state capitol in springfield, this is half an hour. [inaudible conversations] ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats. please be seated. mr. governor. thank you. president cullerton, speaker madigan, leaders radogno and cross, attorney general madigan, secretary white, comptroller topinka, treasurer rutherford, members of the general assembly, distinguished guests and fellow citizens of illinois, i m here today to report to you on the state of our state. but before i begin, i know i speak for all of illinois in wishing our senator mark kirk a speedy recovery. [applause] we re all pulling for you, mark. and i also know i speak for all of illinois and all of america in thanking our servicemembers in every branch of service who have volunteered to protect our democracy. we re here today because of you. we are especially proud of the servicemembe