[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 163 (Wednesday, October 4, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4922-S4923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Kevin McCarthy

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I would like to begin today with a few 
words about my outgoing House counterpart, Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
  Shepherding an institution like the House of Representatives--every 
bit as stubborn and diverse as the Nation it represents--is a tall 
order. Getting a slim majority pointed in the same direction at any one 
time can seem like nothing short of a miracle. I have said before, in 
reference to my own position, that being leader of your party in the 
Senate is much like being the groundskeeper in a cemetery. Everybody is 
under you, but nobody is listening.
  Of course, I doubt that Kevin McCarthy has ever seen himself as above 
anyone else--not the son of a firefighter, not the grandson of 
immigrants who stood up his own small business and worked his way 
through school.
  In the beginning of the Speaker's House career, it was clear to 
anyone paying any attention that he was a doer in the model of Teddy 
Roosevelt's ``Man in the Arena'' and an idealist in the model of his 
fellow Californian, Ronald Reagan. Congressman McCarthy didn't shy away 
from worthwhile fights. In fact, he usually dove in headfirst. He 
didn't hesitate to get his hands dirty.
  When the circumstances were tough, he drew on his faith, his family, 
and his belief in American exceptionalism. His Bakersfield roots kept 
him grounded. His beloved mother kept him appraised of kitchen table 
concerns with frequent calls about the price of gas. In other words, he 
had all the qualities of an effective representative and Speaker.
  I am not sure anyone could have predicted just how much these 
qualities would come in handy over the past 9 months. Speaker McCarthy 
took office with a commitment to America. He insisted on restoring 
regular order. He made sure that the people's House was once again open 
to the American people. He took on the gravest challenge, a looming 
debt crisis, with single-minded determination.
  The Speaker and I worked closely throughout his tenure, but I was 
particularly struck by his persistence. He literally willed the 
President of the United States to the negotiating table and kept coming 
back again and again until he had helped secure the Nation's full faith 
and credit.

[[Page S4923]]

  Speaker McCarthy was a partner I could trust to be honest and candid 
and, without fail, optimistic. I am grateful for the enthusiasm he 
brought to our shared work and for the patriotic conservative 
convictions he wears on his sleeve.
  Perhaps the most telling thing about this week's events in the House 
has been the way the Speaker handled them--with grace and with 
gratitude. Speaker McCarthy should be proud of what he and his team 
have accomplished on behalf of the American people over the past 9 
months. He can rest assured that his colleagues--myself included--will 
continue to draw on his talents and optimism in the days that lie 
ahead.