Patrick Leahy: “it is with sadness and appreciation I come to the floor today to speak about the announcement my colleague from Vermont…”

“it is with sadness and appreciation I come to the floor today to speak about the announcement my colleague from Vermont, Senator Jeffords, just made this afternoon in Burlington. He announced he will retire from the Senate at the end of his current term. Not surprisingly, Senator Jeffords went back to his native State, our native State, of Vermont to make the announcement. When I called him this morning to talk with him, I said, ``Jim, how are you doing?'' He said, ``The air is so clear and so nice here in Vermont.'' He was speaking about the fact, of course, that he felt so much at peace. I know that is the case because Jim and I have known each other and we have worked with each other since the days, long ago, when he was the attorney general of Vermont and I was prosecuting criminals as State's Attorney of Chittenden County. Our wives, Liz Jeffords and Marcelle Leahy, knew each other even before that from their high school days in Burlington. When Jim and I speak of our wives, we have to admit, we both married way above ourselves. We both chose extremely well. Our thoughts and thanks today are also with Liz and their children, Leonard and Laura. Jim Jeffords is beloved by the people of Vermont, as well as by millions of Americans nationwide who have come to know him through the courage and independence he showed in making the difficult decision to become an Independent. Since then, Jim has had a national following.…”