{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3DA9B776-5981-4389-80AC-2E6EC30EBE46", "Thune Honors Retiring Senators Shelby and Toomey", "2022-12-15", "2022", "2022-12", "Republican", "Senate", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", "thune", "https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases", "scraper", "Click here to watch the video.\n\nWASHINGTON \u2014 U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today honored retiring U.S. Sens. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) on the Senate floor.\n\nThune\u2019s remarks below (as prepared for delivery):\n\n\u201cMr. President, yesterday afternoon Richard Shelby delivered his farewell here in the United States Senate.\n\n\u201cIf it is difficult to think of the Senate without some of our retiring members, it\u2019s nearly impossible to think of it without Richard Shelby.\n\n\u201cLike Jim Inhofe, he\u2019s a Senate institution.\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s proudly served the state of Alabama for six terms in the Senate.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s 36 years of tireless work to make life better for the people of Alabama and for the American people as a whole.\n\n\u201cHe is currently the longest-serving senator in Alabama\u2019s history, as well as the longest-serving member in history of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.\n\n\u201cMr. President, throughout his Senate career, Richard has always kept his eye on getting things done for the people of Alabama, whether that\u2019s supporting Alabama military installations or the work NASA does in his state.\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s a longtime NASA advocate, and, as chairman and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Defense at the Senate Appropriations Committee, he has worked to ensure robust funding for our national security priorities.\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s also been a champion of funding to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom.\n\n\u201cAnd he\u2019s been a supporter of scientific research at various government agencies, as well as in partnership with research universities.\n\n\u201cMr. President, Richard is also notable for being one of the tallest U.S. senators.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s significant to me because as a tall guy myself, I don\u2019t often run into people I can look up to.\n\n\u201cBut I look up to Richard.\n\n\u201cLiterally \u2013 and figuratively.\n\n\u201cRichard\u2019s record of service and his dedication to the people of his state are an inspiration to me and to many others as we carry out our work in the Senate.\n\n\u201cAnd I will miss his presence and his example \u2013 as well as his sense of humor, which has lightened the mood on many challenging days.\n\n\u201cBut if anyone has earned his retirement, it is Richard Shelby.\n\n\u201cAnd I wish him and Annette \u2013 his wife of 62 years \u2013 some very well-deserved relaxation and the very best of everything in the years ahead.\n\n\u201cMr. President, later today Senator Pat Toomey \u2013 my longtime colleague on the Senate Finance Committee \u2013 will deliver his farewell remarks.\n\n\u201cPat is known for, among other things, his steadfast commitment to pro-market policies \u2013 fiscal responsibility, pro-growth tax policy, free trade, limited but efficient regulation \u2013 and above all for his command of these issues.\n\n\u201cHe has a tremendous grasp of finance, banking, and the economy, and an equally tremendous understanding of what the ins and outs of the tax code mean for business, saving and investment, and entrepreneurship.\n\n\u201cAnd he\u2019s able to break down these oftentimes byzantine subjects and explain them in plain language.\n\n\u201cThese attributes made Pat the indispensable man during tax reform five years ago.\n\n\u201cHis expertise and commitment were key to passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act \u2013 the wide-ranging reform of our tax code that put more money in American families\u2019 pockets and made American businesses more competitive.\n\n\u201cBeyond tax policy, Pat has consistently fought protectionism in its many forms.\n\n\u201cHe has pushed back on financial market regulations that restrict fair competition.\n\n\u201cAnd he has fiercely advocated for market-opening initiatives that benefit Pennsylvania families, workers, and businesses.\n\n\u201cHe is going to be missed in the Senate \u2013 and on the Senate Finance Committee in particular \u2013 for his knowledge and his experience, and for his practical approach to getting things done for the American people.\n\n\u201cMr. President, I admire Pat for his economic expertise.\n\n\u201cBut I especially admire him for his thoughtfulness, his decency, and the fact that he is very principled.\n\n\u201cHe has stayed committed to the causes he believes in, from improving economic opportunity for American families, to reducing government waste, to protecting taxpayer dollars.\n\n\u201cAnd while I don\u2019t know what he will do next, I am confident that whatever he does will continue his commitment to building an economy that works for the American people.\n\n\u201cMr. President, I want to wish Pat and his wife Kris the very best on his retirement.\n\n\u201cI hope they are able to enjoy some well-deserved rest in the coming months.\n\n\u201cAnd I look forward to seeing all that Pat will do in the future.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:06Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", 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