On the recordJanuary 10, 2018
It has truly been the most remarkable honor to serve the people of Ohio's 12th Congressional District in central Ohio. It all started in 1999, on my parents' front porch, the house that I grew up in, in a middle class neighborhood in Columbus called Forest Park. There, as the son of Italian immigrants, I learned how blessed I truly was to be an American; first in my family to graduate from high school, to go to high school, work my way through college at The Ohio State University. See, my mom and dad believed that America was an incredible opportunity. With hard work and a good education, you could do anything. With their sacrifices and their hard work, I am here before you today, and for their sacrifices, I am forever grateful. Leaving this Congress was not an easy decision. The speech that I made in 1999, on their front porch, still holds true today, the reason why I ran, to help those constituents, not only help them here in Washington, but help them cut through the red tape, to help that veteran, to help that widow on Social Security. But leaving was important for my family. It was important to support them, to be with them more. My colleagues understand that. The sacrifices that we make, they make more. We put our names on the ballot, our spouses don't, our children don't. To my colleagues, thank you for your friendship, your mentorship, and, certainly, your wisdom over the years. I will miss you.…
