{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=6B87210B-392A-466F-A426-616201B788F3", "McConnell Honors Departing Senator Mike Braun", "2024-12-16", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senator Mike Braun (R-IN):\n\n\u201cMy earliest participation in politics was wearing an \u2018I Like Ike\u2019 pin on school picture day. Well, last month, the state of Indiana was chanting \u2018I like Mike\u2019.\n\n\u201cMike Braun\u2019s fellow Hoosiers like him so much, in fact, they\u2019ve decided to steal him back from Washington to be their governor. And if I know anything about Indiana\u2019s junior Senator, he\u2019s probably looking forward to trading in the trappings of this institution for a job a lot closer to home.\n\n\u201cBut I\u2019d like to say just a few words before he goes.\n\n\u201cYears ago, a local reporter asked Mike Braun about his approach to life and work. He told him, quote: \u2018You live like you are going out of business every day and it makes you healthy.\u2019\n\n\u201cFor a spry, former three-sport athlete like Mike, that much checks out. But needless to say, in the process of keeping him young, our colleague\u2019s mantra also brought a fair bit of [professional] success.\n\n\u201cSure, a cushy white-collar gig and a predictable corporate ladder would have been the natural next step for a high-achiever fresh out of Harvard Business School. But where\u2019s the fun in that?\n\n\u201cFor Mike, in order to live like you\u2019re going out of business, you have to run a business, yourself. You\u2019ve got to build a team and take risks. And what better place to do that than your hometown.\n\n\u201cMost of us are familiar with at least some of what came next for Mike and his high-school sweetheart, Maureen.\n\n\u201cThe life and business lessons of Mike\u2019s dad, Amos, a decorated World War II vet\u2026\n\n\u201cSteering a 15-person operation through the aftermath of the 1980s farm crisis, and turning it into a national team spread across 38 states\u2026\n\n\u201cFor years, running that success, with sleeves rolled up, from a trailer office\u2026\n\n\u201cAnd raising four kids along the way, three of whom have found their own callings in the family business.\n\n\u201cAs I understand it, we have Maureen to thank that this incredible story of hard work and entrepreneurial spirit took a turn into politics in the first place.\n\n\u201cWhen friends around Jasper tried drafting her to run for school board, she offered them Mike instead\u2026 and so began two decades and counting of life in politics.\n\n\u201cHere in the Senate, Mike\u2019s going-out-of-business approach to public service made an early impression. Careful observers ranked him at one point the most effective freshman in the chamber.\n\n\u201cHe dove head-first into legislation that mattered to him and to Indiana. He advocated passionately for farmers and for families impacted by rare diseases. He fought for outcomes, and stood on principle.\n\n\u201cBut Hoosiers will be proud to know he still doesn\u2019t like dressing up here on the Senate floor. And who can blame him. By Mike\u2019s own admission, most of what he likes to do \u2013 tend the farm, fish, and hunt (both animals and mushrooms) \u2013 he can do within 60 miles of Jasper!\n\n\u201cSo it speaks to Mike\u2019s commitment to his neighbors that, even though he\u2019s leaving Washington, he\u2019s not quite going home just yet \u2013 nor will he be able to hang up the coat and tie.\n\n\u201cThe trust of the people of Indiana is rightly a great source of pride for our colleague \u2013 second only to his pride in the family he and Maureen built. And I know he can\u2019t wait to get to work for them in Indianapolis.\n\n\u201cI know I speak for our colleagues when I thank Mike for his service these past six years.\n\n\u201cWe wish him all the best in the next chapter.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"]], "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://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=6B87210B-392A-466F-A426-616201B788F3"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7079772185534239, "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"}