On the recordNovember 17, 2016
I won't use it all. I thank the chairman, and I thank my colleague from Virginia. Let me take a moment to reflect, perhaps, on something that my colleague and friend said. During my tenure with Mr. Connolly, our committee sent 23 pieces of legislation to the President that he signed; we sent 74 to the other body. So if there is an enemy, perhaps it is the great bipartisan legislation that left the House and never got to the President. The President signed all 23 pieces of legislation, though, that got through the Senate, including legislation that Mr. Connolly and I worked on together. Since my leaving that committee, additional legislation has come through that committee on a bipartisan basis, including a huge expansion of the Freedom of Information Act. I would hope that in these last days, we would reflect on the successes of this Congress and the successes of our outgoing President because, in fact, for all that we all do in the performance of our oversight role, we also have had fine and notable successes and good legislation under this President; and I would like to take this moment to take note that, in fact, the President has signed the vast majority of legislation that left here on a bipartisan basis, including a piece of legislation that Mr. Connolly was critical on. I yield to the gentleman if he has any further comment.
