JRE's Good-Bye for Now Speech at the Senate Floor
Senator Edwards' Farewell Speech to the Senate (Senate - November 19, 2004)
Mr. EDWARDS. Life has a great way of handing us moments that are bittersweet. I am sad to rise today for the final time as a senator representing the great people of North Carolina . But I am filled with so much joy knowing that I will be heading home to the place, the people, and the friends and family I love so very much. And I want to thank all of you for your prayers, and support for Elizabeth . We draw so much strength from you. We are comforted by your kind words. And we are so very grateful to the more than 50,000 people who have sent us emails and letters. And like Elizabeth 's brother said—I would not want to be cancer in Elizabeth 's body. She will win this fight and she will go on to help other women win theirs.You know sometimes when hardship hits, you feel alone. But thanks to you—our family in the Senate—we know that we’re not. We’re blessed to have the love of our friends and family, our great staff here and back in North Carolina and the floor staff here in the Senate. Marty and Lula, the people in the cloakroom, the men and women who take us up and down those elevators, the Capitol police who keep us safe, and all of the men and women who work so hard for each and every senator here. Thank you. You keep us going. You keep us strong.
And you remind us that in good times and in bad, when we work together anything is possible. It’s the North Carolina way, really. And I have never loved my home state and my country more than I do now. We have had some triumphs and tragedies over the last six years. But one thing is clear, I will never stop representing the people and the North Carolina values you and I believe in. I won’t ever stop because it’s who I am. It’s what I learned in Robbins watching my father and the men and women who worked along side him in the mill all those years. And it’s what I learned from you in our churches, our schools, and in our conversations in our 100 counties. This is what I learned when I shook your hand when you stopped by my office on a Tar Heel Thursday. And I will never forget you.
I will never forget that first struggle in the wake of Hurricane Floyd. Hard working people like Bobby Carraway. He owned a restaurant in Kinston near the Neuse River . It sat under 3 feet of water for days. He lost everything. What he and so many like him wanted wasn’t a gov ernment hand-out—they wanted help up and out of despair so they could have another chance to work hard again and take care of their families.That’s what we did then for so many and this year too in the Western part of the state. But together, we picked ourselves up, dusted away the disappointment and we got back to work to make North Carolina stronger. I will never forget the men and women who worked at Pillowtex. They did everything right: worked hard and took care their families. And yet they couldn’t stop their jobs from moving overseas. I met one woman whose question I hear over and over again. She looked right at me and asked, “What am I going to do now?” And together we fought to help her pay for health care and get training for a new job. But most important we fought to keep North Carolina jobs in North Carolina .
You and I stood up against tax breaks that shipped our jobs overseas. We fought for fair trade that gave our workers and businesses the chance to compete, and represented our values. I will never forget Dr. Clay Ballantine. He works at Mission St. Joseph's Hospital in Asheville . Every day he sees kids, adults, and seniors who come in because of problems with asthma. He told his story when we fought to keep our air clean and stop big polluters from clouding our skies. I will never forget our farmers and the men and women who live in our small towns and rural areas. You are the heart and soul of North Carolina .
And when our farmers were struggling, especially our tobacco farmers, I’m proud that in the end we did something. It matters to good hard working people like Blythe and Gwendolyn Casey. They’ve had a family farm for decades. They did their part and never dreamed that they would be close to retiring mired in debt. And together, we helped them and maintained family farms across our state. I will never forget the mothers and fathers, the husbands and wives, the brothers and sisters who wanted nothing but their loved to get the care they needed in their darkest hour.
Together, with my friends Senator Kennedy and Senator McCain we focused on what mattered—giving you and your doctors the power to make your own medical decisions. It wasn’t easy—lobbyists from every big drug company, HMO, and big insurance company prowled these halls. But we did it. And I have full-faith, you will do it again and the president will make it the law of the land. And I will never forget the brave soldiers I met on a dark night in Afghanistan . They’re so proud of serving their country, going after the terrorists and Osama bin Laden. And I will never forget the thousands of men and women from Fort Bragg , Camp Lejeune , Cherry Point, and Seymour Johnson and Pope Air Force Bases and who are serving this country at home and in Iraq .
It’s real simple for me. If you take care of us—if you serve your country to protect the freedoms and ideals we all cherish—then your country should take care of you. That means health care and housing, relief on your student loans, and help covering childcare costs when your spouse has to work. The men and women who wear our uniform—they’re who we think of and pray for when we look at our great flag. The stars and stripes wave for them. The word hero was made for them. They are the best and the bravest. And we will always stand with you when you are standing in harm’s way. This is what we have fought for together and it is something we should be very proud of. We built on North Carolina ’s model to improve our schools, strengthen standards, expand after-school, and pay teachers more. We fought to strengthen security at our ports and borders, chemical and nuclear power plants and give our police and firefighters the equipment they need to keep this country safe. We fought to make Washington live within its budget—just like your family does—and restore fiscal discipline. And we fought to reward work, not just wealth and ensure that the American Dream is available to all who are willing to work for it.
All my life, I’ve fought for those who didn’t have a voice. I did so before coming to the Senate, I did so in the Senate. This is a fight that I will continue. I want to thank Senator Byrd for his guidance and for showing me the ropes that first year. I want to thank Senator Daschle for his friendship and leadership. And I wish Senator Reid Godspeed in the days ahead. My friends Senator McCain and Senator Kennedy for working with me to pass the Patients’ Bill of Rights. And Senator Bayh. And to my fellow Senate retirees, Senator Breaux and Senator Hollings—rest assured they’re going to miss our accents. And to my dear friend Senator Kerry. We crossed this country together. We shared our hopes for America together. And we worked hard to make this country stronger. John is a great American. And every time he graces this Chamber, you know that another American patriot has reported for duty.
Again, I want to thank my staff and I ask unanimous consent to submit their names into the record. We cannot do the work unless we’ve got dedicated men and women like you by our side. You showed up every day with a simple question—how can I make a difference? And know that each and every day, you did. And you will continue to because public service is a noble calling and this country needs you. And our fight goes on. I will soon be home in the place I love—the place that made me love America . I will have God’s gift—more time.
More time to hear the screen door slam as my young kids run through the house after school. More time to see and visit with Cate and learn about her new job. More time to spend with my parents and family. And more time to be with the love of my life, Elizabeth .It is bittersweet—knowing what we’ve accomplished and what’s been left unfinished.
And in the end I think of North Carolina ’s own, Thomas Wolfe. He wrote “I believe that we are lost here in America , but I believe we shall be found. And this belief, which mounts now to the catharsis of knowledge and conviction, is for me—and I think for all of us—not only our own hope, but America’s everlasting, living dream.” Our job is to make sure that no one is lost in America . That dream is everlasting. And together we will continue to make it stronger and more alive for all who grace our lives.
Thank you.
Mr. EDWARDS. Life has a great way of handing us moments that are bittersweet. I am sad to rise today for the final time as a senator representing the great people of North Carolina . But I am filled with so much joy knowing that I will be heading home to the place, the people, and the friends and family I love so very much. And I want to thank all of you for your prayers, and support for Elizabeth . We draw so much strength from you. We are comforted by your kind words. And we are so very grateful to the more than 50,000 people who have sent us emails and letters. And like Elizabeth 's brother said—I would not want to be cancer in Elizabeth 's body. She will win this fight and she will go on to help other women win theirs.You know sometimes when hardship hits, you feel alone. But thanks to you—our family in the Senate—we know that we’re not. We’re blessed to have the love of our friends and family, our great staff here and back in North Carolina and the floor staff here in the Senate. Marty and Lula, the people in the cloakroom, the men and women who take us up and down those elevators, the Capitol police who keep us safe, and all of the men and women who work so hard for each and every senator here. Thank you. You keep us going. You keep us strong.
And you remind us that in good times and in bad, when we work together anything is possible. It’s the North Carolina way, really. And I have never loved my home state and my country more than I do now. We have had some triumphs and tragedies over the last six years. But one thing is clear, I will never stop representing the people and the North Carolina values you and I believe in. I won’t ever stop because it’s who I am. It’s what I learned in Robbins watching my father and the men and women who worked along side him in the mill all those years. And it’s what I learned from you in our churches, our schools, and in our conversations in our 100 counties. This is what I learned when I shook your hand when you stopped by my office on a Tar Heel Thursday. And I will never forget you.
I will never forget that first struggle in the wake of Hurricane Floyd. Hard working people like Bobby Carraway. He owned a restaurant in Kinston near the Neuse River . It sat under 3 feet of water for days. He lost everything. What he and so many like him wanted wasn’t a gov ernment hand-out—they wanted help up and out of despair so they could have another chance to work hard again and take care of their families.That’s what we did then for so many and this year too in the Western part of the state. But together, we picked ourselves up, dusted away the disappointment and we got back to work to make North Carolina stronger. I will never forget the men and women who worked at Pillowtex. They did everything right: worked hard and took care their families. And yet they couldn’t stop their jobs from moving overseas. I met one woman whose question I hear over and over again. She looked right at me and asked, “What am I going to do now?” And together we fought to help her pay for health care and get training for a new job. But most important we fought to keep North Carolina jobs in North Carolina .
You and I stood up against tax breaks that shipped our jobs overseas. We fought for fair trade that gave our workers and businesses the chance to compete, and represented our values. I will never forget Dr. Clay Ballantine. He works at Mission St. Joseph's Hospital in Asheville . Every day he sees kids, adults, and seniors who come in because of problems with asthma. He told his story when we fought to keep our air clean and stop big polluters from clouding our skies. I will never forget our farmers and the men and women who live in our small towns and rural areas. You are the heart and soul of North Carolina .
And when our farmers were struggling, especially our tobacco farmers, I’m proud that in the end we did something. It matters to good hard working people like Blythe and Gwendolyn Casey. They’ve had a family farm for decades. They did their part and never dreamed that they would be close to retiring mired in debt. And together, we helped them and maintained family farms across our state. I will never forget the mothers and fathers, the husbands and wives, the brothers and sisters who wanted nothing but their loved to get the care they needed in their darkest hour.
Together, with my friends Senator Kennedy and Senator McCain we focused on what mattered—giving you and your doctors the power to make your own medical decisions. It wasn’t easy—lobbyists from every big drug company, HMO, and big insurance company prowled these halls. But we did it. And I have full-faith, you will do it again and the president will make it the law of the land. And I will never forget the brave soldiers I met on a dark night in Afghanistan . They’re so proud of serving their country, going after the terrorists and Osama bin Laden. And I will never forget the thousands of men and women from Fort Bragg , Camp Lejeune , Cherry Point, and Seymour Johnson and Pope Air Force Bases and who are serving this country at home and in Iraq .
It’s real simple for me. If you take care of us—if you serve your country to protect the freedoms and ideals we all cherish—then your country should take care of you. That means health care and housing, relief on your student loans, and help covering childcare costs when your spouse has to work. The men and women who wear our uniform—they’re who we think of and pray for when we look at our great flag. The stars and stripes wave for them. The word hero was made for them. They are the best and the bravest. And we will always stand with you when you are standing in harm’s way. This is what we have fought for together and it is something we should be very proud of. We built on North Carolina ’s model to improve our schools, strengthen standards, expand after-school, and pay teachers more. We fought to strengthen security at our ports and borders, chemical and nuclear power plants and give our police and firefighters the equipment they need to keep this country safe. We fought to make Washington live within its budget—just like your family does—and restore fiscal discipline. And we fought to reward work, not just wealth and ensure that the American Dream is available to all who are willing to work for it.
All my life, I’ve fought for those who didn’t have a voice. I did so before coming to the Senate, I did so in the Senate. This is a fight that I will continue. I want to thank Senator Byrd for his guidance and for showing me the ropes that first year. I want to thank Senator Daschle for his friendship and leadership. And I wish Senator Reid Godspeed in the days ahead. My friends Senator McCain and Senator Kennedy for working with me to pass the Patients’ Bill of Rights. And Senator Bayh. And to my fellow Senate retirees, Senator Breaux and Senator Hollings—rest assured they’re going to miss our accents. And to my dear friend Senator Kerry. We crossed this country together. We shared our hopes for America together. And we worked hard to make this country stronger. John is a great American. And every time he graces this Chamber, you know that another American patriot has reported for duty.
Again, I want to thank my staff and I ask unanimous consent to submit their names into the record. We cannot do the work unless we’ve got dedicated men and women like you by our side. You showed up every day with a simple question—how can I make a difference? And know that each and every day, you did. And you will continue to because public service is a noble calling and this country needs you. And our fight goes on. I will soon be home in the place I love—the place that made me love America . I will have God’s gift—more time.
More time to hear the screen door slam as my young kids run through the house after school. More time to see and visit with Cate and learn about her new job. More time to spend with my parents and family. And more time to be with the love of my life, Elizabeth .It is bittersweet—knowing what we’ve accomplished and what’s been left unfinished.
And in the end I think of North Carolina ’s own, Thomas Wolfe. He wrote “I believe that we are lost here in America , but I believe we shall be found. And this belief, which mounts now to the catharsis of knowledge and conviction, is for me—and I think for all of us—not only our own hope, but America’s everlasting, living dream.” Our job is to make sure that no one is lost in America . That dream is everlasting. And together we will continue to make it stronger and more alive for all who grace our lives.
Thank you.
posted by benny06 at
Friday, November 19, 2004
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home