Political Quotes

“Mr. President, before I begin, I would like to say a couple of words about Senator Alexander. I was very sad, as many of us here were, to hear that he will be leaving the Senate in 2 years--in other words, not running for reelection when he comes up in 2020. While I am sure he will enjoy having more time to relax at home in his beloved Tennessee, his gain is our loss. Over the course of his 16- year career in the Senate, he has been a leader and a model for many of us, including me. As a former Secretary of Education, he has, unsurprisingly, been a leader on education issues. He has also been a tremendous leader on healthcare. He combines an impressive knowledge of the issues with an ability to bring together Members of both parties to get things done. He and I share the unusual distinction of having both been congressional staffers before becoming Members of Congress. We also both served as chairmen of the Senate Republican conference. I have to say that Lamar was definitely a tough act to follow. I will miss his presence in the Senate, but I am glad we have 2 more years to work together to improve the lives of the American people. I expect that in his last couple of years, he will get a lot done around here because there isn't anybody in the Senate who is a more effective or a more results-oriented legislator. I look forward to the things we can get done together in the course of the next 2 years.…”