Hoyer Statement on President Obama's Farewell Address

“In his eight years as President of the United States, Barack Obama showed our country and the world what it means to lead.  Confronted with enormous challenges in his first months after taking office, President Obama oversaw our recovery from the worst recession in our lifetimes, the winding down of combat operations in two theaters of war, the rescue of our auto industry, and the enactment of health care reforms that extended health coverage to over 20 million more Americans.  

“Having inherited an economy that was losing hundreds of thousands of jobs each month, President Obama led an economic recovery that has seen an unprecedented seventy-five consecutive months of job growth – creating nearly 15 million new jobs – and a tripling of the stock market.  Thanks to President Obama’s leadership, our economy is now stronger than when he took office, with lower deficits and faster growth.

“Decades from now, historians and future generations will look back on the Obama Presidency and take note not only of the extraordinary economic progress but of significant social progress as well.  President Obama and Vice President Biden supported successful efforts to end the discriminatory ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy and secure full marriage equality for LGBT couples.  The first piece of legislation he signed was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, making it harder for businesses to pay women less than men for the same work.  He used his executive authority to stop immigrant families from being split apart.  His Administration invested in public education and prioritized policies that encouraged the expansion of full-service community schools, early childhood education, and STEM learning at all levels – particularly for girls and underrepresented minorities.   Recognizing the threat posed by climate change to our country and the world, President Obama pushed for a commitment at home and abroad to protect our air and water and preserve our natural spaces for the enjoyment of future generations. 

“I’ve been proud to work as a leader in Congress with a President who recognizes the seriousness of our challenges and the leadership they demand.  President Obama made decisions based not only on their immediate outcome but on a long-term vision for making America stronger, safer, and better adherent to its founding principles.  Along with our First Lady, Michelle Obama, he represented our country well on the world stage.  In Vice President Joe Biden, he has had a partner in governing who has capped a lifetime in public service by elevating the dignity of his office.

“I join in thanking Barack Obama and Joe Biden for their service to our country.  Together, they have shown us that a great nation depends on great leadership, rooted firmly in President Kennedy’s admonition that those who command the ship of state should ‘ask not what our country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.’  I hope the next administration will look to President Obama’s as a guide for success in this regard.”