Chamber i have the optimism of the young student and battle scars of the man ind the arena. From the perspective of nazi circumstancese we were raised differently and in comin intendo serve in the greatest vituperative body weeks. Body. Different notions of america. There is however one reality that transcends our individual experiences. In this chamber the senate has been a form that has been shaped by legislators from every state in. The union. All the strength of an institution as i rise in that spirit i would like to shed some light that there is great significance to the current political clout. As a part of the chambers it began at a public Gathering Place and has been over the decades by politicians and protesters alike. Soldiers even used fireplaces for cooking them for over 60 years it was steeped in the likes of the american citizens and the free press became a very tangible example of the nations experiment in Representative Government. As an escape from the senators and theke smokefilled rooms whe they often were not the floor became a place where they would comeh to catch their breath between the pragmatism and the principle and in some ways the story of republican government in america. What was once an ancient theater for collegiality and bipartisanship has become a remainder obecoming amentor of t weve allowed in the business of the American People. For me it is what it means for the pragmatism. I imagine the predecessors who spend p p time together wrestled with similar questions in after that different. Theyve done it before and right across the hall. I spent my early years in alabama about 40 miles outside of birmingham. They recognize here the nations s. Surrounded by the lincoln memorial, the halls of the court and it was used by the renowned to create Abraham Lincoln on display downstairs here in the capital. It ensures they will stand the test of time to ensure that decisions of the future for his feet and tradition killed in service to the country in world war ii and was ironically born on the fourth of july soon as you c can imagine. The sacrifice to preserve the freedom i had to look into my mothers eyes on her brothers birthday to remember that sacrifice. My family understood testing its freedoms onto the next generation and we grew up strong in alabama and introduced from volunteer troupe leaders to Selfless Service i learned to appreciate the institutions of American Society and my role as a citizen and it. I was traveling to washington, d. C. Oo t to see the great expert of close as i tell every young person who comes to see me that made a big difference in my life and i hope it will embarrass. If well post here maybear [inaudible] the remarkable foresight runs deeper now as undergraduates in tulane t university and i know many of my colleagues theres a reasothere is areason why im tt senator in history to come to understande it. In between practice and parttime jobs i found time to watch the Senate Select committee on president ial Campaign Activities begin its investigation of the scandal. In that moment the nation was in uncharted territory and it was tested like never before. It was during the Spring Semester i begin to understand the tremendous power in the rules of law by those that swear to protect, preserve and defend the constitution of these United States. Learning the ins and outs students would want to practice law and serve the nation at all levels. I was fortunate to help with some that were deprecated in the public service. One of them was in the department of justice and in those days you could g go department of Justice Without having to show an id and i quickly discovered after i got my breakfast that i had forgotten my wallet and so Jeff Sessions had to pay forea my mel and continued to pay it forward today as a dear friend and mentor. Jeff sessions is a great man of principle and its not farfetched in my opinion to say some temperament found off from the state delete the senior senator Richard Shelby and i appreciate hisar presence in the chamber today. Over 30 years ago i was introduced to then congressman shelby by jeff stewart who revered the institution. I learned about becoming a legendary legislator he would become one of the clos closen sharing days hunting in the fields of alabama and elsewhere and many more stories shared in the halls of the capitol. Together they represent the finest alabama hasas to offer ad its an honor i will forever treasure. The most influential senator with a reverence for the google rule of law. I drew heavily on their examples of conservative principled leadership. In this body we are often standing for deeply held principles is incompatible with pragmatism. I learned this couldnt be further from the truth. It requires balance. I have an obligation to the people elected me to fight for those that they were counting on it also to follow the law. To defend the people of alabama against federal government overreaching in other words defending the rule i of law in e constitution and the oath we take. Together with other state attorneys general i worked to protect farmers and ranchers from the rule to the further you deviate considerably regulated systems. We took the fight over illegal executive amnesty to the United StatesSupreme Court on these and others we stood for the rule of law and we one so i dont have to prove my commitment in terms of principles and at the same time i have a record of upholding the rule of law even when my own party goes astray i have the scars to show for it or relieved me over my six years in the State Capitol in montgomery i assembled a Renowned Team of prosecutors and a common goal. This led to the conviction of several corrupted Public Officials in the state of alabama including a county sheriffg, complicit in human trafficking, First Successful prosecution in decades. We took on the speaker of the house waiting for the removal from office and a prison sentence. As you might imagine we didnt make many friends in the political establishment by doing so but short of publi we sure gt in the representative governme government. My team has been recognized on the nationabythe national assoce gold standard. I personally have the opportunity to address my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who are focusing on the same goal in their states. More than any achievement its this which i am the most proud. When faced withos a crisis after deepwater horizon still, the communities and ecosystems along the gulf coast as coordinating council for the gulf coast states in that historic litigation. Our team working together with others won the trial and negotiating a multimillion Dollar Settlement forr highsped and other coastal states. The work i indicates build a consensus in its own Common Ground and brought together thee interest of fiscal conservatives, environmental ethic. While the victims as the presiding officer is familiar with how to wait many years for the supplement resolution we were able tool deliver justice r responding quickly and effectively. The institutions the founders laid out are only as strong as the peoples belief in their strength. When america no longer trusted its representatives the entire system loses value. As a reason to send her recentr the feeling is clicking on a verse that contained about the peace in times of challenge. I remember raising my right hand many of whom likely found it difficult to find for that purpose was in that moment. Each of them came to this body in the face of significant challenges, some faced violent conflict and others in economic crisis. The forebears wouldnt be surprised by the issues of the body today but i do believe that they would be surprised and discouraged by the emptiness. The policy challenges we face are not new. They faced a budget resolution every single year i and many yes have also faced the question of war, conflict overseas and once a decade it seems we face some shift in the economy of a crisis of some kind. But as a lifelong student of history, i am reassured by the stories of grave crisis that have been addressed on this very floor. In this chamber of the postcivil war sentence in short they stay the course of the feeling and reunification. In this very chamber they put politics aside to defeat the rise of fascism in europe and dieguide the 20th century world order. On the long overdue support for civil rights was done both by boat. St this struggle has helped visit the anonymity of my home state. By 1971 i was taking to court with three young black men, my teammates, my classmates and my friends to play for the state Basketball Championship armed with the will of the American People and as i watch with the rest of the country is on this for the restored faith by delivering justice and its a pleasure for me as a lawyer later in life to meet Fred Thompson in this great body who was a council for the minority on the committee in the seat he said as a senator as well. Chaos and upheaval we see today is unique in the face of this monumental history. Pundits and politicians are too quick but chaos and change are nothing new. It puts the issues in perspective and also shares white with a true challenge of our generation. A new and more serious threat. It wasnt designed for the peoples representatives to hunker dow down and pray that ry emerging only long enough to come to the chamber and cast votes. Could cast votes. Theres 100 seats in the chamber. Each one was contested and hardearned but they are rarely occupied. The last time we spend in the room easier because the colleagues on the a other side f the isle o aisle have obstaclesd of opportunities. What i o mean b do i mean by op, mr. President . I believe leaders will be judged by history. Pursue that every member is an opportunity to grandstand yet it seems to me this has become a dirty word in american politics and its a serious threats to our coat hopes. I see the chairman of the Agriculture Committee here maybe he put this better thanhi i cou. He said when my wife sends me to the store to buy a dozen eggs i come home with a half dozen. We have the power to bring home half a dozen in the senate and maybe a dozen for the American People. We have the power to be a profound force of good. Compromise is baked into the design of the institution at the heart of the system of checks and balances is the understanding no one branch or partisan faction can get all at once all the time. They allowe allow the nation toe both the republicanism of Thomas Jefferson and federalism of alexander hamilton. The structure is the result of a compromise of 1787 that compromised the quality and proportional representation. Ot whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood but there is no effort to actually strived to do the deeds and with much enthusiasm to put himself in a worthy cause. At least it fails so that his place is never with those cold and to those that do the no victory or defeat. Lake at the time of roosevelt 107 years ago. And a leg to be remembered as men and women to be part of worthy causes. That is a return to the collegiality and the compromise of the marble room so i am indebted to so many who have helped me become t the man i am today and the colleagues who have welcomed me as a worse so kind to take time to be here in the chamber. In the h great state of alabama it is an honor to serve thank god every day for my children and grandchildren assured by their love and support of has made my work here possible and with surveying the task of our great state their tireless dedication reminds me i think the staff of the senate and in the cloakrooms. And then to join them in service and in the right hands this experiment of Representative Government to be long endured. In 40 years before me. With his guidance during my time here. And then lastly the people of my stay alabama is a beautiful place with those hardworking good people who call home. I am most proudor of the last seven b years both in mcgarry and here in washington. Mr. President in preparing my remarks today i spent a lot of time in the marble room fire reflect on those that built it in my home town and the law makers and the challenges that they face with those pragmatic negotiations. Well support the the Common Ground they found there. This has an opportunity between principle and pragmatism that balance would reflect which is defined by balance in the face of the moon and those founding principles and individual liberties and rule of law in pursuit of happiness. Today it drives the innovators with the solemn remembrance of that struggle and sacrifice to pave the way. The senate is abr sacred place to embrace the spirit of america to leave the ballots and compromise is essentially american. With that sheer purpose we may never find it on the floor of the senate. They are so . 2. 0 how they could have done them better. From that sustained a body they will face many more challenges ahead but take these words to heart i urge them to return and now mr. President i yield the floor [inaudible conversations]