Mattsletters: Former U.S. Senator Roland Burris from Illinois

8/24/2016

Senator Roland Burris

c/o Burris Law LLC

Suite 1515

100 N Lasalle Street

Chicago, IL 60602

Dear Senator Burris,

My name is Matthew Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan with a strong interest in learning history. History is one of my favorite subjects because I like to learn the need to advance on Civil Rights to help protect people who are different from being discriminated, protect the environment, and many others. The main reason I’m writing you a letter is because I find you work as former U.S. Senator from Illinois to be very inspiring to me.

When you served as U.S. Senator from Illinois from 2009-2010, I liked on how you were a strong supporter of advancing on Civil rights to help protect women, minorities, and people with disabilities from being discriminated. Also on Civil Rights, I liked on how you voted in favor to expand people with disabilities’ rights to help protect them from being discriminated in education with public places based on a disability, voted in favor of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act of 2009 to strengthen laws to combat against people who commit hate-crime in order to protect people who are different including people with disabilities and people with different sexual orientation, and supported the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 to help improve filing for equal pay discrimination lawsuits when people are being discriminated based on gender. In order to improve the economy, I was very proud on how you joined with Democrats and some moderate Republicans to support The American Recovery Act, a stimulus package to create job-training programs to help train youth including workers to develop job-skills to help prepare them for the work force. On healthcare, I liked on how you voted in favor of expanding Children’s Health Insurance program to help children get the medical care that need and during the 2010 health care debate I was very grateful on how you had the courage to join all the Democratic Senators to vote for the Affordable Care Act to help people with pre-existing conditions get the medical care they need or people under the age of 26 stay on their parent’s health insurance. To protect the environment, I like on how you supported funding renewable energy projects to help reduce addiction to oil with gas and to help reduce co2 emissions.

Senator Burris, I have Autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of Civil Rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability. In 2009, The American Recovery Act, the stimulus package helped me get into a job-training program called the B. Side of Arts at EMU college of Business in Michigan where I took different classes to learn how businesses work, have training sessions to help develop job-skills, and work with different people. As a result of the American Recovery Act, I developed different job-skills, got paid from my job-training program, and it helped prepare me to find a job where I work full-time. Without the American Recovery Act, I would have trouble finding a job. The Affordable Care Act helped me stay on my parent’s health insurance until I turn 26 since I’m 25 years old. Without the ACA I would have trouble affording health care on my own. Your work as U.S. Senator from Illinois motivates me to continue my interest in learning history. My future goal is someday use what I learn and use my interest in history to help emphasize the need to make society better.

Senator Burris, I strongly believe that you made a great difference when you served in the U.S. Senate. Your work as a U.S. Senator helped benefit me to improve on my job’s kills, to stay on my parent’s health insurance until I turn 26, and make Civil Rights stronger to help protect me from being discriminated based on a disability. You have truly inspired me to work hard on my disability, continue my interest in history, and continue to work hard when there are different challenges. I was wondering fi you could please share with me what it was like serving in the U.S. Senate and explain your favorite achievements that you made. Here is a picture of me as a gift to you for inspiring me. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, making a great difference when times were hard, and inspiring me. I wish you well for the future and please continue to advocate for great ideas to make society better.

Sincerely,

Matthew B. Winick