The Great Privilege Of Serving The People Of Rhode Island'S Second Congressional District
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with mixed emotions, as this will likely be the final time that I speak in front of this Chamber as a Member of Congress. For the last 22 years, I have had the great privilege of serving the people of Rhode…
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with mixed emotions, as this will likely be the final time that I speak in front of this Chamber as a Member of Congress.
For the last 22 years, I have had the great privilege of serving the people of Rhode Island's Second Congressional District. It has been the honor of my lifetime to represent the voice and vote of my constituents, and I am so humbled by the faith and the trust that they have placed in me all these years.
After my accident, it was my community that was there for me when I needed them the most, and it was their constant love and support, along with my family, which ultimately inspired me to run for office as a way of giving back.
My journey to recovery was not always an easy one, but thanks to my family, my faith, and my community, I was able to move forward and become the first quadriplegic ever elected to the United States Congress.
For the last 36 years, I have woken up every day with one goal in mind: giving good public service to the people of Rhode Island. That focus has held true since my early days in public service, beginning when I was elected as a delegate to Rhode Island's Constitutional Convention, continued through my time in the General Assembly and as the Nation's youngest secretary of state, and it has remained strong throughout my final days as a United States Congressman.
I will forever be grateful for the enduring friendships and lifetime memories that I have forged here in this body. But most of all, I am so proud of all that we have been able to accomplish for the people of Rhode Island and the United States.
I have fought to protect and advance the rights of Americans with disabilities, moving our society closer to becoming fully inclusive and accessible for all.
On the Committee on Armed Services, I have led the efforts to strengthen our national security, and cybersecurity, in particular, and I have been proud to support the hardworking men and women of my district who build the world's finest nuclear submarines at Electric Boat.
As the chairman of the Subcommittee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems, I
have sought to procure the finest, cutting-edge technologies for our soldiers, sailors, airmen, guardians, and marines, so that our women and men in uniform never enter a fair fight.
Moreover, I have spoken up for our Nation's foster youth, who are too often forgotten and left behind, and I have worked across the aisle to invest in job training, apprenticeships, and career and technical education.
Looking back, I will always be proud of my vote for President Obama's Affordable Care Act, which lowered healthcare costs and secured coverage for millions of uninsured Americans.
I will never forget the moment that I became the first Congressman in a wheelchair to preside over the U.S. House of Representatives as Speaker pro tempore as we marked the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. I thank Nancy Pelosi, perhaps the greatest House Speaker of the modern era, for making that day possible.
Likewise, I thank Majority Leader Steny Hoyer for his decades of friendship and leadership in passing the Americans with Disabilities Act and for his unrelenting efforts to make sure that the Capitol complex is accessible to Americans of all abilities.
I also express my gratitude to my colleagues in the congressional delegation, Jack, Sheldon, and David, for their friendship and support. I could not have asked for better colleagues to work with on behalf of our great State.
Finally, I thank the dozens of dedicated staff members who have served in my office over the years, as well as my friends and my entire family, especially my mom, my late dad, my brothers, and my sister for standing by my side every step of this journey.
Choosing not to seek reelection to Congress was one of most difficult decisions of my life. But after two decades of living in two places at the same time and weekly air travel, I am ready to chart a new course.
Although I will no longer be in Congress come beginning of next year, I am not going away. I am just coming home.
I love my State, and I love the people who live there. So most of all, I want to say thank you, Rhode Island, for the opportunity to serve the community which has given me so much. I will always cherish the time that I was blessed to represent you.