Lamar Alexander makes final address to U.S. Senate

JACKSON, Tenn. — In his final address to the U.S. Senate Wednesday morning, Lamar Alexander called for unity among his colleagues.

“Our country needs a United States Senate to work across party lines to force broad agreements on hard issues, creating laws that most of us have voted for, and a diverse country will accept,” Alexander said.

His retirement comes after a lifetime of service, first as governor of Tennessee, then president of the University of Tennessee, serving as secretary of education under George H. W. Bush, and finally serving three terms in the U.S. Senate.

“But here’s my different view of why we’re here: It’s hard to get here. It’s hard to stay here. And while we’re here, we might as well try to accomplish something good for the country,” said Alexander.

He’s now using that experience as a call to action for those he’s leaving at the capitol.

“The Senate doesn’t need a change of rules. It needs a change of behavior,” Alexander said. “The behavior to change first is to stop blocking each other’s amendments. If you’re against it, vote ‘no’. Why stop the entire body from even considering it? Why join the Grand Ole Opry if you don’t want to sing? I guarantee you if 15-20 Democrats and 15-20 Republicans decided they wanted to change that practice, they could do it.”

Senators from both sides of the aisle praised Alexander’s service.

“Senator Alexander knows about 50 different issues as well as other Senators know 3 or 4,” Mitch McConnell said.

“The way he has touched not only the lives of individuals in this body, but millions of Tennesseans,” said Marsha Blackburn.

“I have truly come to appreciate Senator Alexander’s fairness, his interest in solving problems, and his bipartisanship,” Diane Feinstein said.

“What an amazing and capable legislator, and true statesman he has been,” said Chuck Schumer.

They said he built relationships through his love of music, his dogs, who have caught national attention, and notably his support of educators. He regularly invited them to Washington D.C., and when they asked what they should tell their students, he said the following:

Finally, please tell them that I wake up every day thinking I might be able to do something good to help our country, and that I go to bed most nights thinking that I have. Please tell them it’s a great privilege to be a United States Senator. I yield the floor.

Lamar Alexander is being replaced by Republican Bill Hagerty.