Farewell to the Senate

FAREWELL TO THE SENATE -- (Senate - December 07, 2006)

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I, on behalf of all the Members on this side of the aisle--and Senator Reid acknowledged the same as well--am grateful for your presence here today. Being here today to help honor our outgoing majority leader, I know, means a lot to him. It means a lot to all the rest of us.

Rare is the person who rises to the top of one profession, not to mention two. We are honoring today a man who has done that--he has risen to the very top of not one but two extraordinarily difficult professions. And I am absolutely certain, as all of his colleagues are, that he will excel in whatever challenge he takes on next.

BILL FRIST embodies what our Founding Fathers meant when they spoke of ``citizen legislators.'' By his early forties, he had already risen to prominence as a renowned heart and lung surgeon. But BILL felt a call to public service. After achieving enormous success in that field, he came to us in the Senate and rose to the top here as well. He had not sought the leader's office, but in some ways it could be argued that it sought him and, once again, he was top in his field.

After 4 years, BILL has been an effective and courageous leader. I have been here for a pretty long time now, Mr. President, and I can honestly say that the last 4 years have been some of the most productive years in the Senate that I have seen.

Under BILL FRIST's leadership, we have made the lives of people across America better and safer. More opportunity lies ahead for today's children than ever before. Most of all, BILL has never relented in leading this Senate to fight the war on terror. America is more secure thanks to his tenacity and thanks to his talents.

BILL is leaving us, as we all know, sticking to his promise to the voters of Tennessee to serve only two terms. Legend holds that Cincinnatus, the Roman farmer, became ruler of Rome at the behest of his fellow citizens. But after leading them to victory against invaders, he gave up the mantle of power and returned to his farm.

Whether BILL returns to medicine or continues to serve the public in some other way, we can be sure of this: He will continue to be one of America's great leaders. And if he does return to public office, it will be because he was asked by his fellow citizens to serve and to lead.

Words such as ``sacrifice,'' ``duty,'' and ``service'' mean something to BILL FRIST. This Senate and this country are the better for it.

It has been a joy to know BILL's lovely family--his wife, Karyn, and his three sons, Harrison, Jonathan, and Bryan. They are all proud of their father and husband.

I am going to miss you, BILL. It has been a great honor working with you every day over the last 4 years, and it will be an honor to take the baton from BILL to lead Senate Republicans during the 110th Congress.

Just as Kentucky and Tennessee share a border 320 miles long, BILL and I share a bond as Senators, party leaders, and, yes, as friends. I can see that all of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle feel the same way I do. It is sad to see you leave. You have done a magnificent job. People come and go in the Senate over the years and, candidly, I guess some of them didn't make a whole lot of difference. But you did, and you will be remembered with great pride by all of us. Thank you for your service.

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