For state Department Officials resigned after reports for lack of security at the u. S. Benghazi, libya. Wittiest ambassador and three other americans were killed. At 8 a. M. Eastern the Senate Foreign relations committee, we will have that on cspan2. Later in the day, we will head over to the house side of the capitol. We have live coverage at 1 p. M. Eastern here on cspan3. Our First Experience was to come in a different way than every of them appear, probably will never happen again in history. Its interesting because after dad was sworn in we went in and took a picture, photo of the family behind the oval office desk, and that night we didnt get to move into the white house because nixon had left so quickly, so unexpectedly, they left their daughter and soninlaw, david eisenhower, to pack all their clothes and belongings. Literally took seven or eight days. We had to go back to our little house in alexander virginia, suburbia, munich, the neighborhood was surrounded by secret service. We been living there. Dad was vice president. Ive never forget that night mom was cooking dinner. Literally, we are [laughter] sitting around the dinner table and mom is cooking dinner, and she looked over at my dad and she said, jerry, something is wrong here. [laughter] you just became president of the United States and im still cooking. [laughter] steve ford and jenna and barbara bush on growing up in the white house. Sunday evening at 7 30 p. M. Eastern and pacific. Its part of American History tv right through Christmas Day on cspan3. Senator Daniel Inouye died monday at the age of 88. Senator inouye, and world war ii medal of honor recipient spend 50 years in the senate. Members of the public will be allowed to view his casket in the rotunda. Friday at 10 30 p. M. Eastern, the public memorial will be held at the Washington National cathedral. Senator kay bailey hutchison, republican of texas, is retiring from the senate after serving four terms. She will be replaced by republican ted cruz, a former texas solicitor general. She delivers her farewell remarks on the senate floor. This is 25 minutes. Week there would have been so much joy in the halls of the capitol bringing with the laughter and the anticipation of our seasons happiest time. But in just one weekend, a sadness have said in with the news of the massacre of innocent children in newtown, connecticut, followed by the loss of our wonderful colleague, senator Daniel Inouye. So i will leave this extraordinary institution and experience with a heavy heart for those who have been lost just in the last few days. I do want to thank you for asking me to represent them in washington. I want to thank the many people who have served on my staff for almost 20 years. I have to say i am touched that both senses, on both sides of this room are filled with my Staff Members who have been so hardworking, so loyal, and have produced so much in 20 years for our state and nation. And i think them. I do want to thank my colleagues and all the people who work here. Senators, but also those who work behind the scenes to make our lives as good as they can be with the hard hours that we all have. Those who keep our buildings safe and clean, the work in the library, the shops, the cafeterias, and to guide tens of thousands of tourists through our nations beautiful capital each year. I want to thank my husband, ray, and her two children, bailey in houston, they are 11 now, and so many of my colleagues that were here when i started bringing my children as babies here, have watched them grow up. The senate isnt easy on families. They sacrificed so i could serve the people of texas, and im grateful for their patience and generosity. They have loved coming to the capital during these times. 11 years for the children, and 20 for my husband, ray. And i know my children fondest memory if i ask them what either of them are most about this is to the capital, is playing soccer in the russell building hallways in the evenings when it is clear to and i would not be here today if it were not for my parents who gave me the gift of strong values, unwavering support, and education to be whatever i want to be. I must say that my parents were surprised when they saw what i want to be. They would never have thought that their daughter growing up in lamar texas, a town of 15,000 people would think that she could be a United States senator. We had a wonderful Public School system, and im proud to say i am a product of public education. My Public Schools in lamar, which were excellent, and the university of texas and university of Texas Law School prepared me to be what i could be. So it has been a privilege to walk these halls in the capital of the worlds greatest and and longest serving democracy. I think back to the days that stand out in our memories. September 11, 2001, of course is the one none of us will ever forget. We know exactly where we were the minute we knew there was a terrorist attack on america. And though we suffered a horrific attack, the strength, resilience and extraordinary acts of kindness of the American People showed the world that attempts to destroy our way of life would never succeed. On that day, no one could get in or out of washington, and many Communication Networks were inoperable. So when the pentagon was hit, and the capitol was evacuated, my staff and i walked one block to my home on capitol hill. Just as example, the husband of my Office Manager worked in the section of the pentagon had been hit, so we were on the phone, the one phone that we had, the hospitals, the police, anyone that we thought might be able to tell us if he was safe. Thankfully, he was fine. But there were so many who waited for hours, who called hospitals to hear from their loved ones. Sometimes the news was a relief, and sometimes they waited in vain for good news. And i have to say that it was an incredible moment when the senators who could find each other, where ever they had gone from the capital, we finally gathered early well, Late Afternoon in the Capitol Police headquarters to talk to our leaders who had been taken to an undisclosed location. And they said we dont want anyone to come, but we are going to the steps of the capital to hold a press conference. We dont want anyone there because we dont know if its safe, but we want to tell the press that we are going to be open for business tomorrow, and to the nations business. Even though there was the suspicion that the capital had been on the terrorists list of targets. Every single one of the senators, and there were i think 60 to 70 that admitted to the Capitol Police, did come to the capitol steps, as did members of the house of representatives. And after the press conference was held by the leaders, all of the several hundred who had gathered, spontaneously broke out singing god bless america. That was a time that said this is the strength of our country. We will not be defeated. As i exit the senate, i am aware that we are divided. As a legislative body and as a country. I do not think we have different goals, not here and not in america. But we do have different ways of reaching them. Congress offers a great deal of criticism, or partisan acrimony. But while we may disagree politically and and or our opposition in this chamber, it is the conversation behind the scenes that cements and defines our relationship. I will leave the senate i have worked with men and women of great patriotism, intellect and heart, on both sides of the aisle. I would like to thank my colleagues, democrat and republican for the many wonderful years working together. We seconded one another at times and engage in rigorous debate. And others. The American People should know that either way we our goalie joe and we all understand that our states have different needs and there will be differences in priority. But in the senate, an adversary today will be an ally tomorrow. It is a rare occasion for acrimony to turn personal. Madam president , it would be my party hope that this collegiality will not be lost. Protecting the rights of the minority has assured that every senators voices are heard and every state representative is heard. As intended. Open debate and open amendment are what differentiates the senate and house. When our committees function, we passed bills and vigorous markups, weve put the bills in shape for floor debate. If they dont go through committees and are not allowed floor amendments, the quality of the legislation suffers, and mistakes are often made. Let me give you some examples of how relationships can produce results. During the anthrax scare, the Hart Building was closed for a month which made it very difficult, of course, for senators based there to do their work. Selfcentered Diane Feinsteins staff joined in my offices in the russell building. My chief of staff at the time gave him full access. One of senator feinsteins Staff Members commented on that, a Republican Office giving democrats a free range . But my chief of staff just said, they have full access because we trusted them. Senator feinstein and i have teamed up to pass important legislation. The hutchison and feinstein overseas basing commission that studied the training capabilities and costs of overseas military bases to determine their value compared to american bases. This resulted in consolidation and closures that brought thousands of troops back to the United States where training and Rapid Deployment were superior. We passed the feinsteinhutchison Breast Cancer stamp bill. Through voluntary purchase, has raised 72 million for Breast Cancer research. That was senator feinsteins idea. And senator feinstein and i took the amber alert for abducted children nationwide which has accounted for rescuing, documented almost 600 children since its passage. I remember when senator Hillary Clinton stopped by with her chief of staff to which wish me happy birthday the first year she was innocent. With just a few months after she arrived and my staff was right, and possibly a bit starstruck to see the former first lady walking into the room. We went on to Work Together in vital voice, global partnership, dedicated to supporting and empowering Women Leaders and social entrepreneurs in a merging economies. We also teamed up with senators mikulski and collins to assure other schools have the option to offer singlesex schools in classes. After i visited with secretary of education rod paige, the Young Womens Leadership Academy in the harlem area of new york city, one of the first and most Successful Pilot projects for girls Public Schools with which i know the presiding officer is very familiar. And i remember the time i invited senator Barbara Mikulski to texas, because she and i have worked together supporting for so many years, and this year have been, she chair, and i Ranking Members of the appropriations subcommittee. We went to visit the Johnson Space center because i wanted her to see the great work they are doing there. And then i took her to the houston rodeo, because i wanted her to see the texas culture. Well, im not sure that the senator who grew up in the inner city of baltimore knew exactly how people would dress at the rodeo, but suffice it to say, there were a lot of rhinestones and cowboy boots and big hair and big hats. Senator mikulski whispered to me during this time, kay, if we were here monday and we went to the chamber of commerce, do these people look like this . And i said, yes, pretty much. So senator mikulski and i also teamed up to pass the homemaker ira, to make sure that our stayathome moms and dads would have the same opportunity for Retirement Security savings that those who work outside the homes have. And it has been a huge success. We also cosponsored the early Breast Cancer program. She is a skilled legislator and a dear friend of senator Jay Rockefeller has been an outstanding chairman of the Commerce Committee. We dont always agree, but as the lead democrat and republican, we have worked hard to reach consensus, and we have gotten things done. That faa bill started the planning for the next generation of air Traffic Control systems. The highway bill, the nasa reauthorization that ensured we would keep the focus on our Space Program that has been instrumental in our National Security and economic development, which with tremendous help from senator bill nelson was the only one among us today who has actually been into space. In a congress that has been marked by little progress, we have found a way forward. For some, that might not be something to take pride in. But we have serve the American People by passing legislation that keeps the country running, and im very proud of what weve been able to accomplish. Our Commerce Committee has been one of the most productive in the whole of congress, and i count him as a friend. Maria cantwell and harry reid and i have worked to address the issues of our state, to have the same deductions as those who have income taxes, though we do not, and that the parity has been so important. Leader Mitch Mcconnell has guided our party and our conference through the past six years. He is a gifted leader, and one that i have witnessed time and again has come up with strategies that have gotten things done in the right way. Senator jon kyl and ive worked on immigration and attacks released. Senator Lamar Alexander and i have championed the america competes at so we would continue the priority of scientific research, and that we would never fail to invest in our future because it was the seed corn for our economy. Im very pleased the distinguished Ranking Member of the judicial committee, and the finance committee, finance committee now and judiciary before, is also on the floor and has been a wonderful friend to me, helping me in my very first election when he was a rock star at my fundraisers in texas. And i think senator orrin hatch for his long leadership in this body. And ive had the wonderful good fortune to serve with two colleagues of my home state. First, senator phil gramm who was a wonderful mentor and colleague. They broke the mold after senator graham, and we always enjoyed our school rivalry, he being a texas aggie, and me being a university of texas, they like to call them but we are proud longhorns. And ive had a great relationship with my other senator who is going to soon be the senior senator from texas, john cornyn. Now, john cornyn im very pleased to say is going to get the opportunity that ive had all these years when people trip up and introduced me as the Senior Citizen of texas. Im happy determined that over to my colleague, senator cornyn. And im very proud that hes going to be the deputy republican leader in the next congress. I know hes going to be a steady hand at the wheel, as we try to steer the ship of state in the right direction. He has proven time and again that steady leadership is the one that rises to the top. And i thank him for being on the floor as well today. In fact, i want to praise our texas congressional delegation. We call it team texas. It is the spirit that holds our delegation together, republicans and democrats. Ive noted that there are those in washington who think texans are little too loud, and we have a little too much fun. But i can assure everyone that team texas hearts are as big as our mouth. Madam president , it has been a long and wonderful 19 plus years. We hit the ground running and we have never stopped. When i was first elected in a special election in 1993, we had to, actually for, full plane loads of people fly up for my swearing in because it was a special election. We filled the entire gallery. And those rowdy texans were so happy to watch my little swearing in ceremony, and it was a great day for me as well as my wonderful and loyal friends and supporters. I started having weekly constituent coffee that first year because there were so many visitors from texas, and i wanted to make sure that at least there was one time every week that any texan who was here that wanted to see me could come and visit and was welcomed. So every thursday morning around nine or 9 30, the person in charge of this first effort was the wife of a threestar general, who volunteered her time in our offices. And i think it was as much her handling of the event as the idea itself that led many other senators to take up his practice and get a chance to always visit with their constituents, at least once a week, if they were otherwise going to Committee Meetings or having to do their work and not able to see everyone. So i want to thank gert clark for putting her stamp on arsenic hospitality. Some of the most powerful moments that will stay with me forever were spent with members of our military. Visiting them where they are at harms way across the world is one of the most movin