Reporters. We will have live coverage as it gets underway under cspan. Earlier today, Jeff Sessions was sworn in as attorney general. We will have that for you shortly on cspan. Right now, heres a look at senator sessions Farewell Speech yesterday on the floor of the senate. Senator sessions i thank my colleagues in the senate serving in this body of 20 years has been one of the great honors of my life. Wasmember coming to when i running for the senate and going to the republican election and they said, well, you have got a few minutes. The greatest deliberative body in the history of the world. That is what i feel about this body. I want to say, i appreciate the full debate that we have had. I want to thank those who come after it all, found sufficient confidence in me to cast their vote to confirm me as the next attorney general of the United States of america. I got to tell you, i fully understand the august responsibilities of the office. I served as United States attorney 12 years, assisted United States attorney for a little over two years. Ideag that time, the very of the great leaders in washington leading those departments i served under makes it almost impossible for me to conceive i might i am that person, and will have the opportunity and that responsibility. I understand the seriousness of it. I have an interest in Law Enforcement, i have an interest in the rule of law. So i want to thank those of you who supported me and had confidence in me and moving us forward. I want to thank president donald trump. He believes in the rule of law. He believes in protecting the American People from crime and violence. He believes in a lawful system of immigration that serves the national interest. And within bounds, those are things that may from time to time, before us, the office of attorney general. And i look forward to lawfully and properly advancing those share. Hat we as a body the American People believe in. The attorney general this is a Law Enforcement office, first and foremost. People expect us to be those who defend us defend us from terrorists, defend us from criminals, defend the country from fraudsters who raid the United States treasury time and time again and too often are not being held to account for it. I believe that is a big responsibility of the United States attorney general. In the department of justice. Former federal prosecutor, i worked regularly, nights, weekends, became personal friends with fabulous federal investigative agents. They give their lives and place their lives on the line for us to promote public safety, to do the right thing for america. And sometimes people think they are beadyeyed plotters to take away our freedoms. That is not so they are out there every day putting their lives on the lines to advance our freedoms, to protect our liberties, to protect public safety, to stop terrorism that threatens our government. I feel strongly about that. Some ofe honor to lead the finest assistant United States attorneys in america. Well before i became an assistant, im told that mobile had the best Attorneys Office in america. When i came back as u. S. 6 years later, i told him that was our goal, to have the best United StatesAttorneys Office in america. And what a great time we had. Wonderful people. They work nights and weekends to prepare their cases. We went before great federal judges. And it was a glorious time. It was really a special time. I will never, ever get over that. Committee before the in 1986, and senator kennedy, later my friend, spoke harshly tv,t me it was in the they would show his statement, i should resign my office. I got my chance some few minutes later when i had a chance to say something. I said, senator kennedy, what you said breaks my heart. Ive beenve ever done more proud of than serving as United States attorney. I still believe that. Nothing ive ever done in my more proud of than the work we did in that Little Office in mobile, alabama, representing the United States of america. You go into court, you stand before the judge, and you say the United States is ready. I represent the United States of. Merica in a litigation i would say to you, friends and colleagues, that this is a special honor. I feel it in my bones, i hope and pray i can be worthy of the trust you have given me, i will do my best to do that. And let me comment a minute on the heated debate that we have had here in the senate on my nomination. It was an intense election, there is no doubt about that. There have been strong feelings expressed during the election and throughout this confirmation process. Hadsome of the times we philosophical disagreements, since your disagreements about policy. What is right, what is wrong, what the law says and what it doesnt. Our to beords given fair and plain meaning words are not tools that can be many related to make it say what you want it to sacred i believe words objective meaning. We have differences about that. But that is what elections are about and i have always liked the debate. Ive always enjoyed participating in this great body, where we are free to speak and be able to advocate for the values that we have. Just aont think we have classical disagreement that we cant get together. Ive always tried to keep my disagreements from being personal. Tried to be courteous to my colleagues. Still, it is still in the system. In the plain fact is that our foron does have room republicans and democrats. That is what freedom is all about. I am fairly firm, ive got to say, in my conviction, but that doesnt mean that all of us have to agree on the same thing could we need to latitude in our relationships. Lets agree on what we can agree on and not suggest to my colleagues, as i leave here and take action where we can agree on things, but denigrating people who disagree with us i think is not a healthy trend for our body. After ive been here for a number of years, ive gotten along pretty well with senator kennedy on the judiciary committee, and he asked me to be the lead sponsor with him on the significant, pretty bill. Versial prison rape and there were a number of people who opposed it, some friends of mine. And he said, i want to do this with you. People ask me, did you ever have a reconciliation, did he apologize, did you ever say he said, i want to do this deal with you. And i knew what that meant and i appreciated that and i said, i want to do it with you. We were able to pass that bill together. It was a moment of reconciliation that meant a lot to me. And i think he appreciated it, too. And we later got involved in a major piece of legislation, just the two of us, that would have a portable savings plan for Young Workers and all , about the time the financial crisis hit. It never came to fruition, but reconciliation is important. We ought to do that in this body. Fight for oury to values and not give an inch. You dont have to back down if you believe you are right, and you should not back down. But there are ways we can get along personally. I would say that would be my , that may this body be deacons be of the last few weeks would die down and maybe maybe the intensity of the last few weeks would die down and maybe we get along better. Colleagues, i cant express how appreciative i am for those of you who stood by me during this difficult time. I can start calling names, but it wouldnt be appropriate. I want to say again i appreciate the president and his confidence in me, and by your vote tonight, i have been given a real challenge. I will do my best to be worthy of it and look forward to working with each of you during that time, and maybe make sure we have a good open door at the department of justice. Up prettys picked quickly that we have a chef and we can invite people for lunch or breakfast. And maybe we can do that. Family, let me thank my because without their support, i could not be here. It is great that my children have been so engaged in this. They were young when this 1986 adventure occurred, and now they are grown and they have paid attention to it. Your support and affirmation has meant much to them. Mr. President , im here. I guess i should present to the that needsa letter to go to this body also, but governor bentley of alabama, in. Hich i state these words give notice that i will retire from the office of the United States senate for the state of alabama. Therefore, i tender my resignation at 11 55 p. M. Eastern standard time on february 8, 2017. Thank you all. Honor to be with you. [applause] senator sessions, now u. S. Attorney general sessions, from earlier today. Here he is arriving at the justice department, greeting and please just to let you know, we may cut this short for the white house briefing. Afternoon, everyone. Appreciate that. As you just saw, the president was honored to host the swearingin of attorney general sessions in the oval office just