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>> GOOD EVENING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FORETHIS GREAT HONOR.
I APOLOGIZE I'M NOT THERE IN PERSON, BUT BE ASSURED I'M THERE IN SPIRIT.
TO MY FELLOWS WHO ARE ALSO RECEIVING AWARDS, CONGRATULATIONS.
PARTICULARLY TO MY GOOD FRIEND AND CEO OF "ONE MIND," GENERAL PETER CHIARELLI.
THANK YOU GENERAL CHIARELLI FOR YOUR WORK SERVING OUR NATION IN UNIFORM AND COMING HOME
TO SERVE OUR SOLDIERS AND OUR AMERICAN HEROES BY NEVER FORGETTING THEIR SACRIFICE AND
MAKING SURE THAT THE SIGNATURE WOUNDS OF THE WAR, THE INVISIBLE WOUNDS OF POST TRAUMATIC
STRESS AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, ARE NOT TREATED INVISIBLY BY OUR SYSTEM OF CARE.
THANK YOU, GENERAL CHIARELLI, FOR ACCELERATING THE RESEARCH ON THE CAUSE OF BRAIN SCIENCE
AND ACCELERATING THE RACE TO INNER SPACE.
THE INNER SPACE OF OUR BRAINS.
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN KEEP TRUE TO THE CAUSE OF BEING THERE FOR OUR HEROES THE WAY
THEY WERE THERE FOR US.
AND BY LIBERATING THEM FROM BEING PRISONERS, PRISONERS IN THEIR MINDS, OF THEIR TRAUMATIC
BRAIN INJURY AND THEIR POST TRAUMATIC STRESS.
I SALUTE YOU, GENERAL CHIARELLI, FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
AND TO DAVID O.
RUSSELL, THANK YOU, DAVID, FOR TAKING THE SPOTLIGHT THAT YOU CAN BRING IN CULTURAL
DIMENSIONS OF THIS CAUSE WHICH ARE SO PROFOUND THAT REALLY NEED TO BE TACKLED THROUGH THE
ENLIGHTENMENT THAT YOU BRING THROUGH YOUR MOVIES.
I LOVED "SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK" AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU KEEP TRUE TO TRYING TO
MAKE SURE WE BREAK DOWN THOSE CULTURAL AND ATTITUDINAL BARRIERS TOWARDS THOSE WHO ARE
SUFFERING FROM A MENTAL ILLNESS AND ADDICTION.
TO MY FELLOWS IN RECOVERY, WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE.
WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER THAN WE ARE INDIVIDUALLY.
AND I'M HONORED TO BE WALKING THE ROAD OF RECOVERY WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS CAUSE OF PROVIDING A FACE AND A VOICE TO RECOVERY
SO THAT IN THIS HISTORIC TIME OF HEALTH CARE REFORM WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE WHOLE BODY
IS COVERED IN HEALTH CARE.
AND THAT WE ENSURE THAT A CHECKUP FROM THE NECK UP IS INTEGRATED INTO OVERALL HEALTH
CARE.
NOT ONLY FOR THOSE OF US WITH A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION, BUT ALSO FOR ALL OF OUR FAMILY
MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND THE EARLY SCREENING FOR
SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS.
THANK YOU, SAMHSA, AND THANK YOU VOICE AWARDS.
I WISH YOU A WONDERFUL EVENING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH YOU IN THE
FUTURE AS WE BEGIN TO BREAK DOWN THESE BARRIERS ONCE AND FOR ALL THAT DISCRIMINATE
AGAINST THOSE OF US WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM A MENTAL ILLNESS AND AN ADDICTION.
LET ME PAY TRIBUTE TO MY GOOD FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, JIM RAMSTAD FROM MINNESOTA, WHO WAS
MY CO-SPONSOR OF THE MENTAL HEALTH PARITY AND ADDICTION EQUITY ACT, AND TO PAY TRBT TO MY
LATE FATHER, SENATOR EDWARD KENNEDY, WHO WAS OUR CHAMPION TAKING OVER THE REIGNS FOR PAUL
WELLSTONE IN THE SENATE, AND OF COURSE PETE DOMENICI FOR HIS TIRELESS EFFORTS TO MAKE
SURE THAT HEALTH CARE IN THIS COUNTRY MEANS HEALTH CARE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING.