[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 148-149]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           SENATOR MARK KIRK

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, we have been gone for 6 weeks or so. It is 
great to see our colleagues back here. A lot of things have been 
exchanged about what we did back home during the break, but the focal 
point of most conversations on the floor this evening has been, 
rightfully, about my colleague, Senator Mark Kirk. Most everybody knows 
now he suffered a stroke over the weekend, and he underwent surgery in 
Chicago at Northeastern Hospital last night.
  All that I know about this comes from a press conference his surgeon 
gave in Chicago today. We want to make it clear to Mark that he is in 
our thoughts and prayers, as is his family. We all feel, to a person, 
that he will make a strong recovery. He is young and in good condition. 
He prides himself on his service in the Naval Reserve and stays fit to 
serve our country in that capacity, as well as in the Senate. He has a 
tough, steep hill ahead of him, but he is up to the task.
  If encouragement from a Democrat, as well as many Republicans, is 
what is needed, he has that. I want to let him know, if the word is 
passed along to him in his recovery, that his colleagues in the Senate 
are focusing on his quick recovery and are anxious for him to return.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon is recognized.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, Senator Durbin speaks for every Member of 
the

[[Page 149]]

Senate. Senator Kirk is such a decent, caring, and thoughtful man, and 
all of us enjoy working with him in the Senate on various kinds of 
bills. Godspeed, Senator Kirk, for a healthy recovery. We are thinking 
of you tonight and you are in our prayers. I am very glad the senior 
Senator from Illinois has reflected the concerns of everybody from his 
home State tonight.

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