{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://dennyheck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-heck-delivers-farewell-remarks", "Rep. Heck Delivers Farewell Remarks", "2020-12-03", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "Senate", "WA", "Denny Heck", "H001064", "dennyheck.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.  Today, Congressman Denny Heck (WA-10) spoke on the floor of the U.S. House for the final time before his retirement from Congress at the end of this session. A transcript of his remarks follows:\n\tThank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak on this floor for the last time. My purpose is to convey two simple thoughts. First, an expression of gratitude, foremost to my wife Paula. We're newlyweds  we have only been married 44 years  and to my two sons. Their support has been the only reason I have been able to do this. I have been absent. I am sorry. I promise to do better. Thank you as well to my staff. Every member here knows full well we ain't nothing without them. We are just the ornament on the hood of the car, and they are the engine. They have both my undying love and gratitude. Thank you to my colleagues. My life is enriched and I am a better person for having known you. And a very special call out to my dear, dear friend  albeit messy roommate  and an outstanding legislator, Derek Kilmer. And last, thank you to the people of the 10th Congressional District of Washington, whom I affectionately but sincerely refer to as my bosses. You sent me here to represent a newly created congressional district. It was truly my privilege. Thank you. Second, a plea. A plea to all those who follow here: please, please work to nurture this institution. Institutions sustain us, be they our houses of worship for our faith or this secular equivalent for our democracy. They get us through hard times, but only if we tend to them. Citizens in a democracy have rights and responsibilities. Members of this institution, this body likewise. We are all too aware of our rights here, but it is the responsibilities that bear emphasizing. We have a responsibility to conduct ourselves in a civil fashion. It is self-evident that civic discourse in America has degraded. Some would say that it has even become vulgar. It is hard to reach agreement with a colleague tomorrow whom we have character assassinated today. So, let us not measure our success in terms of the number of Twitter followers we have gathered through emotion-charged or clever attacks. Let us not define those with whom we disagree  even if that disagreement is profound  as the other. We live in a pluralistic society. Part of our responsibility is to figure out how the political Rubik's Cube comes together, getting to yes among different and competing points of view, fashioning a result where everyone can get up from the table, perhaps not with everything they sought, but with enough to vote yes while still being true to our values. There is such a thing as principled compromise. Indeed, I believe that principled compromise is the only way we can move forward and lift up those around us in desperate need of our help. Do we no longer believe that? Or did we forget it? Where I have failed to live up to these ideals, I beg your forgiveness. I can only promise to keep trying. Finally, I cannot help but think of the eternal wisdom of our former colleague John Dingell, the longest serving member of this chamber in our nation's history. When I arrived here every first-term member walked on down to where he sat and sought his advice, and he gave the same to everyone. He would look us in the eye and say: You have an important job, a very important job. And you're not a very important person. Indeed, John taught us that we do not possess power, but that we only hold it in trust.  \n\t\tFor the privilege of holding the trust for these last 8 years I am forever changed and forever grateful. I am 2,300 miles out and headed home. With that, Mr. Speaker, I permanently yield back.\nCongressman Heck has proudly represented Washington's 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House since 2013. He announced in December 2019 that he would retire from Congress at the end of his current term. In November 2020, he was elected by the people of Washington to serve as the state's next Lieutenant Governor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://dennyheck.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-heck-delivers-farewell-remarks"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7242019530385733, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}