Political Quotes

“Madam President, it is humbling to stand here to speak one final time with my colleagues as a United States Senator. As a lifelong mountain climber, I have learned far more from the mountains I did not summit, than those I did. Every climb, I have found, offers a chance to look back and reflect, and standing here today gives me a unique opportunity to appreciate just how far we have come. For the past 18 years, my most rewarding challenge has been exercising the power lent to me by the people of Colorado to fight on their behalf, first in the State House and then in the U.S. Congress. Throughout my career in public service--my 6 years in the U.S. Senate being but one chapter--I have always been guided by the rugged independence, strength and cooperative spirit that defines who we are as Coloradans and as Westerners. That spirit helped me craft solutions to long-standing problems in my home State of Colorado. From my very first week in the U.S. Senate, I worked at resolving the decades-long impasse between southern Colorado ranchers and the U.S. Army, which uses the land surrounding Pinon Canyon to train soldiers for deployment into war zones. After 5 years of listening and lots of hard work, we reached a deal that protects the property rights of landowners while ensuring our troops are prepared to defend our Nation. It was a teamwork-oriented approach that reflected Colorado's best problem-solving traditions.…”