Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) delivered farewell remarks on the Senate floor on Wednesday after more than two decades of public service.
In his final speech, Romney said that he would leave the upper chamber accomplishing some legislative solutions, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the bipartisan Covid Relief Act.
Romney, a moderate Republican, also admitted that he didn’t achieve all that he hoped for during his term.
This includes helping to stabilize the national debt due to the “scourge of partisan politics,” according to Romney.
“The national credit card is almost maxed out” and the country is at risk of becoming “debt poor,” he warned his colleagues.
“Without the burden of the interest on that debt, we would be able to spend three times as much as we do on military procurement: three times as many aircraft, three times as many ships, three times as many drones, spacecraft, cyber defenses. Or alternatively, we could spend double the amount on social security benefits every month,” Romney stated.
Romney’s public service career spanning 25 years includes serving as governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. In 2012, he was the Republican Party’s nominee for president.
In 2020, Romney notably made headlines when he broke ranks from the Republican Party after becoming the only GOP senator who voted to convict 45th President Donald Trump during his first impeachment trial.
Romney said that he enjoyed working with senators on both sides of the aisle during his tenure and acknowledged that his life’s work was a “group affair.”
But he also admitted that he won’t miss the time in the Senate itself, citing the 10-minutes votes that last an hour, “the unknowable schedule of votes, the myriad meaningless votes,” and “the absurd passion of inconsequential votes.”
Romney spoke of America’s shortcomings, but also said the country is fundamentally good. And he talked about facing the challenges ahead.
“I have learned that politics alone cannot measure up to the challenges we face,” Romney said. “A country’s character is a reflection not just of its elected officials, but also of its people. I leave Washington to return to be one among them.”
Sen.-elect John Curtis will replace Romney in the new Congress after winning his election bid last month. Curtis, who currently represents Utah’s 3rd Congressional District in the House, is also considered a moderate conservative.