Bidding Farewell To Congress
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the House one final time. When I came to Washington, a former colleague of mine told our freshman class how fortunate we all were to be part of this body. I will never forget him saying he always felt…
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the House one final time. When I came to Washington, a former colleague of mine told our freshman class how fortunate we all were to be part of this body. I will never forget him saying he always felt humbled each and every time he saw the Capitol and when he walked on this floor. He warned us all: The day that you don't feel humbled walking on this floor or when you see the Capitol, it is time to retire and go home.
This comment stuck with me, and I still get chills every time I walk on this floor or I see this glorious Capitol at night.
In this very Chamber, so much of the history of our country and the history of the modern world has been made: The decision to start and end wars, the decision to end slavery, the decision to give women the right to vote, and much more debated and agreed upon in this very room.
I never thought that I would end up here. I spent most of my life building small businesses, growing my family, and doing what I could do to give back to my community. Then I got frustrated with the direction of our government and the decisions our leaders were making at that time, so I got involved and tried to make a difference.
If I could go back in time to when I was 25 years old and tell myself that I would be standing here on this floor today, I never would have believed myself. It is impossible to believe. In fact, all the odds are against me. In fact, I have better odds of starting on an NBA basketball team than I do to be a Member of Congress. Those are some pretty large odds.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the accomplishments that my team and I have made over the past 4 years. We have written and passed legislation that has unleashed American energy, protected Alabama's resources, reduced the size and scope of the Federal Government, and returned millions of tax dollars back home for important projects.
We have also helped countless veterans get the benefits they earned, recovered millions of dollars from the IRS, expedited hundreds of passport requests, secured FEMA disaster relief after natural disasters, protected small businesses from unnecessary red tape, and on and on.
As any Member of this body knows, none of this would be possible without the countless hours of our hardworking, talented, and dedicated staff. To each of my current staff and to each of my former staff, I thank them. I thank them for their dedication to Alabama's First Congressional District and for being part of my team.
My hopes and prayers for this country are so positive knowing that we have a generation of young people like them and with their passion coming up behind us.
I lovingly give most all of them nicknames, like Junior, Little Bubba, Chilia, Coooper, Bogie Bogie, Chief, Busy, Jesus, and, yes, my favorite vegan, T-Bone. They are all forever part of Team Carl. I am proud to have played a role in each of their careers.
I also could not have done anything without the love and support of my wife, Tina, and our family. My family has always believed in me and supported me, and I look forward to spending more time with them very soon.
Tina, start your grinning because Big Daddy is headed home.
To the folks in the First District, I thank them for giving me the chance to represent them, to bring our shared values to Washington. I do not take lightly the job that each of them has entrusted me with, and I am grateful for the opportunity.
The future of south Alabama, our entire State, and our Nation is so bright. I truly believe our best days are ahead of us.
God bless Alabama. God bless the United States of America.