[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 5, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4155-H4156]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        MY LIFE HAS BEEN BLESSED

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Upton) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, it seems like just yesterday when a number of 
community leaders encouraged me to run for Congress. Against all odds, 
we ended up winning a very hotly contested Republican primary, and the 
journey began.
  Throughout my career, I have leaned on lessons from my Reagan White 
House days where my boss and mentor was Ken Duberstein, who later was 
his chief of staff.
  Reagan worked both sides of the aisle to get things done, caring less 
about who got the credit, and I made a promise that such a principle 
would be my guiding light. Especially in these days of divided 
government, that is the only way one can actually get legislation 
enacted.
  There has been something special in my household with highlights and 
lowlights that we often discuss at the dinner table. As I reflect back, 
there have certainly been more highlights representing the wonderful 
and diverse corner of southwest Michigan. These folks are truly the 
salt of the earth, and I love them all. I really do, even the few that 
don't always love me.
  As chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, a huge highlight was 
21st Century Cures. Hailed as the most important piece of legislation 
passed in that Congress, it laid the foundation for Operation Warp 
Speed and faster drug approvals, including the first vaccine that 
Pfizer produced in Kalamazoo.
  Now, once again, with my partner Diana DeGette, we are pursuing Cures 
2.0 with all the disease and patient groups who joined us on Cures.
  My driving mission has been jobs and the economy. Whether it was 
working on a North American energy independent plan, pursuing renewable 
resources, and, yes, dealing with climate change. Changing the tax laws 
so that no longer do we have the highest corporate tax rates in the 
world, which drove so many of our job creators someplace other than 
America. Being the Republican lead with John Dingell on the auto rescue 
plan. The industry and all the jobs that came with it was simply too 
big to fail.
  Pipeline safety, protecting the Great Lakes, and our drinking water 
has also been my focus. Every family in America deserves clean water.
  I have been more than willing to stand up for the less fortunate and 
vulnerable, including my vote last week to cap the price of insulin.
  I have had the opportunity to visit our brave troops in harm's way 
overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan, and witnessed the tragedy of war like 
we see today with Putin's invasion in Ukraine. It was critical to pass 
the recent humanitarian and military aid. Yes, it was.
  And, of course, I witnessed 9/11 here and pushed hard on the 
recommendation by the 9/11 Commission to protect against such an attack 
again.

[[Page H4156]]

  As a former Boy Scout, I believe in leaving the campground better 
than when you found it. I have worked with seven administrations, seven 
House Speakers. None of them would call me a rubber stamp. If it is 
good policy for Michigan, it is good enough for all of us.
  As a vice chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, we have 
pushed the envelope to get things done, taking on some complex and 
often controversial issues that others may want to just sweep under the 
rug. Immigration reform, including border security, for our Dreamers 
and farmers, a real honest-to-goodness infrastructure bill that passed 
69-30 in the Senate but then hit the rocks here in the House, barely 
surviving Trump's opposition, despite his call for a proposal twice as 
expensive with no pay-fors.
  I have worked alongside real giants who put principle over politics: 
Greg Walden, Paul Henry, Mike Rogers, Pat Tiberi, Susan Brooks, Charlie 
Dent, John Lewis, Mike Castle, Henry Hyde, Amo Houghton, Dave Camp, 
Nancy Johnson, and Don Young were among the best.

  I work daily on all things Michigan, particularly with Debbie 
Dingell, and we have been hitting the road to push for civility. 
Hopefully, civility and bipartisanship versus discord can rule, not 
rue, the day.
  Current colleagues like CMR, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Steve Womack, 
Mario Diaz-Balart, Josh Gottheimer, Brian Fitzpatrick, Tom Cole, Dave 
McKinley, Dan Kildee, John Katko, Kurt Schrader, Dean Phillips, Peter 
Meijer, and my friend Steny cut the mustard, too.
  I have been blessed having wonderful, hardworking staff all these 
years. Yes, two of them--including my chief of staff, Joan 
Hillebrands--have been on my team 36 years, with another handful 
between 15 and 20 years. Our district team has worked on so many 
different casework issues, in the tens of thousands. Throughout the 
COVID nightmare, we worked with our local bankers to save dozens of 
small businesses with PPP, and we worked to get vital supplies to our 
wonderful health facilities and frontline workers, who are still so 
stressed today.
  Even the best of stories has a last chapter. This is it for me. I 
have done the zillions of airline miles back and forth. I have signed 
``Fred'' to over a million letters; cast more votes than anyone in this 
Chamber while here; and by most accounts, have succeeded in making a 
difference, accomplishing what I have set out to do, with more 
unfinished work still yet to come.
  Arthur Brooks recently wrote about three traits most important in 
life--honesty, compassion, and faith. I would like to think those same 
yardsticks were passed along to me by my parents, watching on C-SPAN 
now.
  Someone asked my wife, Amey, what would be the next chapter? She 
said, ``and they lived happily ever after.'' Indeed, we will. I thank 
Amey, our two kids, and three grandkids for giving me so much to look 
forward to.
  Thanks again to the people of my district who placed their faith and 
confidence in me all these years.
  God bless the USA.

                          ____________________