[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 32 (Wednesday, February 29, 2012)]
[House]
[Pages H1019-H1020]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE END OF AN ERA IN CONGRESS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Dreier) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, what I'm about to announce will not come as 
much of a surprise. But we all know that this institution has an 
abysmally low approval rating, and the American people are asking for 
change in Congress. And so I'm announcing today that I will leave the 
Congress at the end of this year.
  Now, I take the unusual step of announcing it from here in the well 
of the House because I am a proud institutionalist. I believe that this 
institution is as great as it has ever been. Mr. Speaker, I announce it 
from here because, between the Rules Committee upstairs where you serve 
with me, Mr. Speaker pro tem, and the House floor, this is where the 
people of California sent me to represent them.
  Now, as we look at the challenges that lie ahead, they are very, very 
great. I deliberated over this decision, and I have to say that 3 years 
ago I contemplated leaving at the end of that Congress, but ultimately 
made a decision that I wanted to continue to serve through this term. I 
wanted to do so in hopes that we would win the majority, with a goal of 
pursuing the four-point platform that I had always run on, that being 
the pursuit of a free economy, limited government, a strong national 
defense, and personal freedom. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to work with not 
just my Republican colleagues, but my Democratic colleagues as well, 
working in a bipartisan way to accomplish a number of things.
  First, it was absolutely essential that we do everything to end the 
course that we had been on that ultimately brought us an 82 percent 
increase in nondefense discretionary spending. I'm happy to say that 
we've turned the corner on that.
  Second, after years of languishing, we were finally able to pass 
three trade agreements that will create good jobs for union and 
nonunion workers in this country by virtue of having passed the Panama, 
Colombia, and South Korea free trade agreements.
  I also believe that it's very important for us to recognize, as we 
look at our national security, the notion of people all over the world 
who are seeking to determine their own futures has created a wonderful 
opportunity for us. The House Democracy Partnership, another strong 
bipartisan organization, has just now partnered with its 17th country 
in central Asia to help the legislative body strengthen and have the 
kind of independence and oversight of their executive branch that we 
have a tendency to take for granted here.
  Fourth, Mr. Speaker, I feel very strongly--again, working in a 
bipartisan way--that it was essential to ensure that both Democrats and 
Republicans have the opportunity to have their ideas heard through 
their amendments on the floor of the House of Representatives.
  Now, I do believe, again, Mr. Speaker, that this is the greatest 
deliberative body known to man. We've got a great deal of work that 
lies ahead throughout this year. But I'm looking forward to following 
the Madisonian directive--that Members of Congress, after serving here, 
should go out and live with the laws that have passed. I will say that, 
as passionate as we've been pursuing a pro-growth jobs-creating agenda, 
I look forward to doing that myself as I move into the private sector 
next year.
  Mr. Speaker, I will say that I want to express my appreciation. I 
want to express my appreciation, Mr. Speaker, to lots of people. Of 
course the volunteers, family and friends, supporters, and the people 
who have offered prayers for our country on a regular basis. I also 
want to, most important, express my appreciation, Mr. Speaker, to the 
people of California who, back in 1978, when I was 25 years old living 
in a dormitory at my alma mater, Claremont McKenna College, they gave 
me the nomination for my party, and it's been a very, very exciting 
time.
  I also want to say, Mr. Speaker, that I express my appreciation to 
the very, very dedicated public servants in my office in California and 
my offices here in Washington for their commitment to do the best job 
possible to help me represent the people of California.

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