Retiring Arizona Senator Jon Kyl gave his farewell address to the U.S. Senate today. Kyl, who is leaving Congress after 26 years, including 18 years in the Senate, spoke for nearly half an hour. His speech focused on policy issues rather than remembrances of his career. At the end he thanked his fellow senators and staff.
"I'm deeply proud of everything we have accomplished from tax relief to welfare reform to missile defense to nuclear policy. Not to mention things of primary importance to my state. But I also understand that political victories can be ephemeral because in a democracy, debate over these issues never really ends, it's always ongoing," Kyl said.
Kyl will be succeeded by Congressman Jeff Flake, who won the senate seat in last month's election.