Bill Clinton: “I rise today to honor the great service of retiring Senators Paul Sarbanes, Mark Dayton, and James Jeffords. Senator…”

“I rise today to honor the great service of retiring Senators Paul Sarbanes, Mark Dayton, and James Jeffords. Senator Sarbanes' service in the Senate stretches back three decades. First elected in 1977, he had previously served as a Congressman and before that as a delegate in the Maryland State House. I have been so grateful to the Senator for his advice and his work in this Chamber. Senator Sarbanes is the son of immigrants from Laconia, Greece, and he has often spoken about the pride that he has for his Greek heritage, as well as the inspiration that he draws from it through his work in the Senate. His parents instilled in him a reverence for the principles of democracy and a respect for the values of opportunity and fairness. He has championed these values throughout his life in public service, passing important legislation to reform the accounting industry, the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act, among many other legislative accomplishments. I want to thank Senator Sarbanes and his dedicated staff for their extensive and laudable work on the surface transportation reauthorization bill and in particular for their tireless efforts to ensure our Nation's transit systems are adequately funded.”