president cullerton and speaker and secretary white and comptroller and members of our general assembly, our distinguished guests and fellow citizens of illinois, i'm here today to report to you on the state of our state. 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 know i speak for all of illinois and all of america in thanking our service members in every branch of service who have volunteered to protect our democracy. we're here today because of everything that our service members have done for us. we are especially proud of our service members in the illinois national guard. in the early morning last december 18th, a convoy of the illinois national guard's 116th transportation company led by their commander, captain michael barton crossed the desert into iraq. the unit made 73 dangerous trips between kuwait and iraq. they drove nearly 4 million miles. the convoy was one of the very last to leave iraq. the war was over. and today, captain barton's wife, kelly and their daught

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 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

president cullerton, speaker o madigan, leaders radogno and cross, attorney general madigan, secretary white, comptrollerdke 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 inrise to wishing our senator mark kirk a [cheers an would you please stand. [cheers and applause] give to my family, thank you for all the support that you have given me in standing by my side every day for the last three years. the military herald this evening, thank you for your alsl courageous service to our great state and our great country.ajor i would also like to recognize . and thank major mark stevens. major stevens, please stand. [applause] to wait next month, major stevens will be leaving on translating his soldiersm to kuwait abortive operation enduring freedom for the third time. in the middle east supporting our great country. not only is major mark stevens the commander of the net, but he is also the marketing manager o

president cullerton, speaker madigan, leaders radogno and cross, attorney general madigan, secretarywhite, 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 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

. {>>} president cullerton, speaker madigan, leaders radogno and cross, attorney general madigan, secretary white, comptroller topinka, treasurer rutherford, members of the general assembly, our 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 know i speak for all other one away and all of america in thanking our service members 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 in the 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

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 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