On the recordDecember 12, 2012
Thank you, George, for doing this. Thank you for honoring those of us that have been here and now are leaving. I arrived feeling very green and feeling very good 20 years ago. I had no idea how little I knew about how to get something done in the Congress. I knew where I had burned in my belly, I knew what issues were important to me, and those issues have stayed important to me for the last 20 years. But I had the advantage of working with some very wonderful senior Members who generously helped me along, and I had the privilege of having very talented staff who built the stage that I could dance on. You can't do that unless it's teamwork, and I thank everybody that has been a part of these last 20 years. It's been quite a ride, and I'm glad I did it. Thank you very much, George.
