Monday 15 December 2014

Powerful lawmakers say farewell


Washington (CNN) -- Several congressional giants, who are retiring or were voted out of office, said their public goodbyes during the first half of December.


Amid debate over government funding and controversy over the Senate's torture report, some of Capitol Hill's most vocal and longest-serving members took to the floors of both chambers for their farewell speeches.


Among them was Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, who is retiring after serving in Congress for 40 years. Republican firebrand Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota also bid adieu. She used her final speech to compare Congress to Moses.


Several members were overcome with emotion. Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Arkansas) -- who lost his seat to Republican Rep. Tom Cotton in November's election -- accidentally called his staff "awful" before quickly correcting himself.


More than 60 new members will join the 114th Congress when it convenes in January.



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