[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 201 (Thursday, December 20, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H10340]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                FAREWELL

  (Mr. SMITH of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is not easy to summarize 32 years 
in Congress, but I will try.
  Politics comes from the Greek word ``polites,'' meaning citizens, and 
they are the source of our country's strength.
  What I remember most, what was especially meaningful, what made me 
feel fortunate were the colleagues I served with, the people I worked 
with, and the constituents we helped.
  To my colleagues, thank you for your public service. You didn't have 
to leave families behind or spend extra hours every week in a car or on 
a plane, but you did it with a genuine desire to advance America's 
worthy interests.
  To my staff members, past and present, in the D.C. and Texas offices 
and on the committees I chaired, thank you for your dedication and for 
advising me on legislation and votes and for assisting thousands of 
constituents.
  To my constituents, thank you for trusting me to represent you all 
these good years. It has been a wonderful honor.

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