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Provision ‘will guarantee that retired coal miners in Kentucky and other states won't lose their health benefits at the end of this month. Would I have preferred that provision to be more generous? Of course I would have. My request to the House was to fund it for a full year’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor:

The day after the election, I said that I had two main priorities for this session of the Senate: pass 21st Century Cures and fund the government.

We’ve passed the Cures bill already, and we’ll be voting shortly to keep the government running.

And soon after that vote, we’ll pass the bipartisan water resources bill, which directs assistance to families in Flint and supports important waterways projects in nearly every one of our states. It’s testament to the hard work of so many and Chairman Inhofe in particular.

This week we also passed the defense authorization conference report, under the leadership of Chairman McCain, which addresses many of the national security challenges facing our country.

I’d also like to point out, that the Cures bill, which passed earlier this week, simply would not have happened without Chairman Alexander.

And it’s impossible to overlook the unending, unyielding work of Senator Murkowski on the energy bill too. Or our indispensable Finance Committee Chairman, Senator Hatch, who’s been involved in almost every bill — from the Doc Fix to Tax Extenders — that comes through this chamber.

I’d like to note the great work of the Appropriations Committee, specifically, for its efforts to ensure that individual bills and an omnibus were prepared for consideration. We know they’ve been putting in long hours, especially this week, and for that we are thankful.

This Congress, the Senate has passed nearly 300 bills and nearly 200 of those are now law.

But what really matters isn’t the number of bills passed, it’s what we can achieve on behalf of the American people. And by that standard, I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish for our country.

Over the past week, I’ve had the opportunity to pay tribute to many colleagues who’ve made such a lasting impact on the Senate during their tenure. But as the 114th Congress comes to a close, I’d like to take a moment to recognize another set of individuals whose work makes the business of the Senate possible in the first place.

It goes without saying that keeping the Capitol running is a vast undertaking. It requires a passion for service, round-the-clock work, and great sacrifice by everyone employed.

The legislative process simply wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated work of so many. On behalf of the Senate, I’d like to acknowledge their efforts and say thank you to the following:

• To my leadership team for your wise counsel…

• To our committee chairs and ranking members for so much great work over the past two years…

• To the many, many colleagues in both parties for working so hard to make this Senate a success…

• And to those we’re saying farewell to — Senators Coats, Boxer, Mikulski, Reid, Vitter, Kirk, and Ayotte — for your service to the country…

I say, thank you.

• To my Chiefs of Staff, Sharon Soderstrom and Brian McGuire, for their indisputable talent and for leading a team that’s second to none — every member of which I’d thank individually if I could…

• To the Floor Staff, Laura Dove and Gary Myrick and their teams, for keeping the floor running smoothly and for making it look effortless every time, even though we know it’s anything but…

• To the Parliamentarians and Clerks who sit on the dais whenever the Senate is in session, making sure our operations are smooth and by the book…

• To the Secretary of the Senate and her team for protecting the rich history of this body and for overseeing so many different legislative and administrative operations.

I say, thank you.

And, off the Senate floor, there are so many more to thank too.

• The Capitol Police, for putting themselves in harm’s way to protect everyone who works in, or visits, this institution…

• The Sergeant at Arms staff, for overseeing a dizzying range of efforts — from setting up rooms and enacting security protocols to preparing for next year’s inauguration…

• The Architect of the Capitol staff, which is always hard at work making this Capitol the best it can be, from the conservation of these illustrious hallways to the extensive restoration of the Capitol Dome…

• And the countless others — the doorkeepers, the legal counsels, the committees and their staff, the pages, and all those I haven’t mentioned — we appreciate what you do, please know that your service and your dedication does not go unnoticed.

And let me also again recognize the Democratic Leader for his more than three decades of service. As I said yesterday, Harry and I clearly have had differing views on many things throughout the years, but we’ve shared similar responsibilities as the leaders of our respective parties, and I think we can both agree that none of this would have been possible without the support of our staff. I want to recognize Harry’s team, past and present, and thank them for many years of partnership with my office.

So we now prepare to turn the page on one Congress, and get ready to write a new story in a different one.

I’m proud of the work this Republican-led Senate has done the past two years. My colleagues should be proud of their work as well. It’s been incredible to see what we’ve been able to achieve already. We know our work doesn’t end here though, and I know each of us is eager to get started in the 115th Congress.

But for now, I want to again thank my colleagues for a productive Congress. And I want to wish each of you happy holidays and a Happy New Year.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks today on the Senate floor on the retirement of his long-time colleague Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada:

“It seems that any speech about the Democratic Leader requires a mention of Searchlight, Nevada.

“There’s a reason why that is.

“You can’t begin to understand the man until you understand where it all began.

“And here’s where it began.

“A tiny mining town at the southern tip of Nevada. One teacher. Zero indoor plumbing. Miles of desert. That’s Searchlight — at least the Searchlight Harry Reid knew when he was growing up.

“It’s the kind of place where you might learn to drive at 13, or spend your summer roping cattle with a cowboy named Sharky. In fact, if your name is Harry Reid, that’s exactly what you did.

“Harry grew up in a tiny wooden shack with a tin roof. Hitchhiked more than 40 miles to school. Had a father who toiled in the hard-rock mines.

“It goes without saying that this was not an easy life. It taught some tough lessons. But Harry had his escapes.

“He found one in the snap and crackle of his radio. Now, Searchlight didn’t actually have a radio station of its own, but every now and then Harry could pick up a faint signal from California. And during the regular season, it carried his favorite baseball team — the Indians.

“He can still rattle off Cleveland’s 1948 roster. Just ask him.

“Harry played some baseball himself. He was the catcher in high school. And, during his sophomore year, Harry’s team was crowned Nevada State Champions. Later — after a close game on the California coast — his team won the Nevada-Arizona-California tri-state playoffs too.

“Harry still treasures the big white jackets each member of the team received.

“Not because he was the best player on the team — Harry says he wasn’t — but because of what that jacket represented: His hard work, his contributions, his worth.

“Harry, like many young men, once dreamed of a life in the majors, of cheering crowds and Commissioners Trophies.

“So did I.

“I wanted to throw fastballs for the Dodgers.

“Harry wanted to play center field at Fenway.

“We wound up as managers of two unruly franchises instead.

“As the leaders of our parties, we’re charged with picking the batting order, controlling the pitch selection, and trying our best to manage 100 opening-day starters.

“It isn’t always easy.

“Baseball, as Harry has often pointed out, provides a nice reprieve from the serious work of the Senate. So, no matter how contentious the issue before us, we try to put politics aside — at least briefly — to trade our views on the Nats and Bryce Harper.

“Harry is probably looking forward to having even more time to dedicate as a fan of the sport and never having to miss another game because of votes.

“But if there’s one thing that Harry loves more than baseball, it’s his wife Landra and the family they’ve built together.

“When Harry Reid first met Landra Gould, the two of them were in high school — and Harry was hardly conflicted about his feelings for her. ‘She looked like she belonged in the movies,’ he recalled, ‘She was smart [too]. And she’d been places. Out of my league, that’s for sure.’

“But if there’s one thing we know about Harry, he doesn’t give up easily.

“Wasn’t long before the two of them were heading off on their first date. It started as many dates do, with a movie, and ended as no dates do: with Landra push-starting his car.

“Now, Harry worried — as many of us might — that this could well be their first date and their last date. But then he looked over at Landra. She smiled as she pushed alongside him. It was the kind of smile that said, ‘who cares about the car, I’m with you.’ It’s a smile that’s stayed with him ever since.

“’There are moments,’ Harry said, ‘that turn a life… that stay with you until the last breath, [and] this was one of those moments for me.’

“The Reids have never been strangers to pushing through challenges.

“They’ve confronted a lot over nearly six decades of marriage.

“But hand-in-hand, sweat on the brow, they’ve always moved forward — together.

“Through it all, Landra has never stopped smiling, and Harry has never stopped counting every lucky star for Landra.

“His idea of the perfect night out is still a quiet night in, with her.

“Landra’s his confidante, his high school sweetheart, his best friend.

“She’s his everything.

“And, for a guy who grew up with nothing, that’s something.

“Harry Reid didn’t have an easy childhood. He faced tragedy from a young age. There were times when he just wanted to leave Searchlight and never look back.

“But these experiences helped shape him too.

“This is a guy who’s seen it all. He’s been on the wrong side of electoral nailbiters. He’s been on the other side of them too. He even won a primary against someone named ‘God Almighty.’

“Harry will now retire as the longest serving U.S. Senator from his state, with some three decades of Senate service behind him.

“It’s clear that Harry and I have two very different worldviews, two different ways of doing things, and two different sets of legislative priorities.

“But, through the years, we’ve come to understand some things about one another, and we’ve endeavored to keep our disagreements professional, rather than personal.

“We’ve also found some common ground through baseball.

“I hardly know what it’s like to serve here without Harry — he came into office just a couple short years after I did — but I do know this.

“Come next month, you’ll know where to find him.

“Right next to Landra.

“Writing new chapters.

“Making new memories.

“Continuing a love story that began, with a smile, more than 50 years ago.

“Today the Senate recognizes the Democratic Leader for his many years of service to Nevada, to the country, and to his party.

“We wish him and Landra the best as they set off on their next journey.”

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