[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 197 (Thursday, December 13, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H10191-H10192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          FAREWELL TO CONGRESS

  (Mr. DENHAM asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my humblest gratitude for 
the opportunity to serve my community, my country, and the U.S. House 
of Representatives for the last 8 years.
  Anybody who has lived the life of public service knows that you have 
to surround yourself with good people,

[[Page H10192]]

meaning you have got to have a great team, both in the district, as 
well as here in the U.S. Capitol; from the legislative side of things, 
as well as making sure that your constituency has the best customer 
service there is.
  We have had an amazing team. To be able to help people in our 
community with all of the different challenges they have faced with 
Social Security, or VA benefits, or visas, we have had an amazing team 
there to help out. To help our veterans receive the benefits that they 
deserve and have earned, we have had a great team to help out.
  We have passed a number of pieces of legislation because we have had 
a team here in Washington, D.C. that is focused on delivering for our 
community, for our State, and for our country.
  And for that, I need to thank our entire team, from my chief of 
staff: Jim Kjol in the State Senate; to Jason Larrabee here, starting 
from my first days; to now, Bret Manley, my current chief of staff. We 
have had teams that have been managed by great individuals.
  On the personal front, you can't do this job without having a spouse 
that is there with you through all of the challenges of campaigns, 
schedules, and traveling. I have had the best partner, friend, and 
companion. Sonia has put up with a lot, and she has also enjoyed the 
ride that we have had together.
  It has been an amazing journey that my kids have taken part in, to 
have my son and daughter not only face the challenges of kids growing 
up in a political family, but also having the great accomplishments 
side by side with their father.
  Mr. Speaker, I will address the rest of my remarks in the coming 
minutes.

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