“I am also appreciative of the fantastic staff who have worked with me over the years, who have done so much to make sure that the work we did reflected those values, and worked every day to make sure the constituents of the Sixth District were well served”, said Tierney.
On December 12, 2014 Rep. John Tierney of Massachusetts asked for permission to address the United States House of Representatives for one minute in an emotion farewell speech:
“Madam Speaker, I rise on this particular occasion to thank my family, my friends, my colleagues, and the voters of the Sixth Congressional District of Massachusetts for giving me the unbelievably wonderful opportunity to represent that district here in this venerable body, the House of Representatives.
I have been privileged to witness history and to participate in its making. My focus has always been on social justice and opportunity for all. I know that we have worked assiduously to try to make that happen every day that I have served here.
I am also appreciative of the fantastic staff who have worked with me over the years, who have done so much to make sure that the work we did reflected those values, and worked every day to make sure the constituents of the Sixth District were well served.
I also want to say that the delegation from Massachusetts deserves particular recognition on that. I am always appreciative of their support. And having served with the unbelievable legend, Senator Edward Kennedy, for years was a particular privilege.
Madam Speaker, from making college more affordable and accessible to making sure that people had the opportunity in the workforce to get the skills they needed to perform and have a job that paid them well enough to support their family, to making sure we had oversight in foreign affairs and to making sure when people are contracting on contingent operations that they take care not to have waste, fraud, and abuse in the work that is done; from watching the taxpayers’ dollars to making sure that people in this country got a fair shake and that somebody stood up not just for the banks and not just for the large corporations but for every single family in this country, making sure that their government worked for them, I have been proved, I have been honored, I have been privileged, and I thank, again, my constituents, my family, my friends, and all of my colleagues here in the House.”
Source: Congressional Record