Illinois State Senator John Curran (R-Downers Grove) delivered the below remarks following his election as Illinois Senate Minority Leader:
Governor Pritzker, President Harmon, my fellow Senate Colleagues, I rise to accept the task and trust bestowed upon me by my fellow Senate Republicans to continue to serve as Minority Leader of this Honored Institution.
I am honored that such a talented group of people have selected me to lead our caucus and am grateful for their trust and guidance.
I would also like to thank my leadership team, especially my Deputy Leader Sue Rezin, for their collaboration, input and leadership.
I’m also lucky to manage one of the most dedicated and experienced staffs in the capitol whose work is shown in all we do.
I’ve spent most of my life playing on or working in a team, and I can honestly say, this is the best team yet.
And I am thrilled to welcome two new teammates today, Senator Chris Balkema and Senator Li Arrellano.
As we gather today at the start of the 104th General Assembly in the Great State of Illinois, I see a lot of loved ones here to support my colleagues and I.
I know the tremendous amount of support we all have back home to be able to come here and focus on the job at hand.
The incredible work you do on behalf of us and the State of Illinois cannot be understated.
I know we will never get back the missed games, recitals, concerts and family events, but I think I can speak for all of us when I say we are trying to make your sacrifices worth it by utilizing this opportunity to help our neighbors, our communities and our state…
And, hopefully, making you a little bit proud along the way.
Most importantly, I want to thank my wonderful wife Sue and our four daughters, Sarah, Lauren, Jennifer and Rachel; who are all here with me today.
Thank you for your grace and strength.
Your love is what keeps me going and patience and understanding keep me grounded.
Like many others in this room, my siblings and I are the sons and daughters of immigrants.
Though my parents’ thick Irish brogues ensured that no one would ever confuse them for being from Illinois, they took great pride in their earned citizenship.
They, like many, came here for a better life.
And through their hard work, community and faith they made one.
They taught me that here in Illinois, anything is possible.
And, as my colleagues on this side of the aisle have watched over the last few years – boy, is anything possible!
There is no greater testament to my parents’ American Dream than their awkwardly tall, shy lad from the Southside speaking to all of you in this hallowed chamber.
I want to continue in their footsteps in helping the next generation realize their own American Dreams.
That’s why I first ran for office and why I’m here today.
Before joining the Senate, I had the good fortune of serving as the Vice Chairman of the DuPage County Board.
What I’ve learned on both sides of the power-balance is that, regardless of party, we were all elected to serve our communities and our State.
We can and will disagree on policy, procedure and just about everything else in this Chamber.
But there is NO disagreement, that we are all here because we share in the commitment to making our State a better place for future generations
This commitment to our people and the places we’re from is what transcends party, power and politics.
It’s what unites us.
Every member has something – an expertise, a passion, an idea, that they can bring to the table.
I commend President Harmon for his sincere attempts to make that table more open to the Minority Party and I ask that our inclusion continue to grow this session.
We represent the geographic majority of this State and we have a lot to offer.
As President Reagan said, “The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted.”
It belongs to the brave.
It’s easy to insulate ourselves with people who look, live and think like us.
But if American democracy has taught us anything, it is that real progress comes from stepping outside your comfort zones and building a coalition of different viewpoints to craft policy for the greater good and broader inclusion.
It was this bravery that our predecessors dug into to reject the evils of slavery and became the first state to ratify its abolition.
It is this bravery that allowed legislators to make Illinois one of the first states in this nation to establish a state-supported system of treatment for disabilities and mental illness.
Bravery was the glue that allowed Illinois legislators from all walks of life to come together to be the first state to pass its own civil rights law and ratify the 19th Amendment recognizing women’s right to vote.
It is this collaboration that fostered an environment of ingenuity and innovation that created the cell phone, ultrasound and led an industrial agricultural boom that continues to feed the world.
These are the brave shoulders upon which we stand. We must seize this opportunity to work together to continue Illinois’s rich history of rising to meet the moment.
Let me assure you, no one would ever confuse me for a poetry enthusiast, but every now and again something sticks and this, ‘Forever is composed of Nows’ has stayed with me.
Emily Dickinson wrote that, ‘Forever is composed of Nows.’
Not all of our NOWS are going to be this monumental.
No one may remember the thoughtful question in committee, the floor speech, or the compromise to gain broader support for a policy proposal.
But many of these small NOW moments have a profound effect on our districts, our State and our democracy.
We aren’t going to be here forever.
But we – the Upper Chamber of the 104th General Assembly of the Great State of Illinois – are all here today. Right here. Right NOW.
This time…
This time, is OUR time.
God Bless you, God Bless America, and God Bless the Great State of Illinois.
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Video of Leader Curran’s speech can be found HERE.