Political Quotes

“Mr. President, when the 111th Congress draws to a close, we will bid farewell to 16 colleagues who have collectively given more than 200 years of service to our Nation through their service in the Senate. These include seven of the Senate's most experienced Members. People like Chris Dodd and Arlen Specter who have each served five terms in the Senate. Kit Bond who has served four terms and Bob Bennett, Byron Dorgan, Russ Feingold, and Judd Gregg, who have each served three terms in this Chamber. When the 112th Congress convenes in January, the ranks of women Senators will be reduced by one. In fact, the 112th Congress will be the first Congress in recent memory in which the total number of women Senators will actually decline. And with the departure of our colleague, Roland Burris, there will not be a single African-American Senator when the new Congress convenes. In January we will feel the loss of the great pitching ace, Jim Bunning, and Evan Bayh, both respected colleagues on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. They are among six of my Energy Committee colleagues who are leaving the Senate this year. Judd Gregg, one of our Nation's foremost experts on the Federal budget leaves us at the end of the year. As this Senate comes to grips with the challenges of a rising deficit and economic stagnation we will miss his firm hand and thoughtful guidance.…”