NY Rep. Carolyn Maloney Delivers Farewell Remarks on House Floor
Congress’s third most effective legislator shattered glass ceilings and rose to historic ranks in Democratic leadership
Edited by: TJVNews.com
On Thursday, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) delivered farewell remarks on the House Floor during a special order for departing members. First elected in the ‘Year of the Woman’ in 1992, Maloney paved the way for female leadership at both the city and federal levels. As the first woman to represent both her Councilmanic and Congressional Districts, she became a national leader on women’s rights, consumer protection, and health care and compensation for 9/11 responders and survivors.
She rose to historic levels of Democratic leadership as both the first woman to chair the Joint Economic and Oversight and Reform Committees in which she ushered through prolific legislation like the CARD Act and legislation that reformed the United States Postal Service. In her 30 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Maloney became the third most effective legislator having authored and passed more than 80 bills, 12 of which received Presidential bill signings- an honor reserved only for landmark legislation.
Find a full transcript of her speech below:
Madam/Mister Speaker,
To my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, it has been a privilege to have had this extraordinary opportunity to serve with you for the past 30 years in the House of Representatives.
And a special thanks to our tremendous Democratic House leadership. Thank you Majority Leader Steny Hoyer for being a great strategist, mentor, and friend as well. And Majority Whip Clyburn—for what you’ve taught me and all that you’ve done for this nation. Thank you as well to Speaker Pelosi – a trailblazer who was the first female Speaker of the House and is rightfully being called the most effective Speaker in modern times. And to our new speaker – Hakeem Jeffries, New York and the country are lucky to have you and look forward to your leadership.
Like Speaker Pelosi, my career has been a series of firsts. I was the first woman to represent my district on the City Council, and to represent my district in Congress, and the first in history to give birth while on city council.
I was also the first woman to serve as Chair of the Joint Economic Committee, as well as the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
I remember – almost as if it were yesterday – walking towards the Capitol as a newly elected member. I had just defeated a 14-year Republican incumbent who outspent me 4 to 1. And I had such a feeling of hope and optimism of what could be done to help people.
I said it then, and it is still true today, that serving in the U.S. Congress is the thrill, honor, and extraordinary opportunity of a lifetime.
The first time I ever walked onto the floor of this historic chamber was in 1992 – a year that came to be called the Year of the Woman.
I announced my run for Congress on the day of the Casey v. Planned Parenthood decision, which placed restrictions on Roe, along with New York leaders like Bella Abzug, Geraldine Ferraro, and Elizabeth Holtzman. They expressed their outrage. I announced for Congress – to fight to reverse that and make other changes.
Its hard to believe that in 2022, our Supreme Court didn’t chip away at abortion, they bulldozed our rights into the ground – depriving 33 million women of access to abortion.
When I first entered Congress, about ten percent of Congress were women. Back then, the entire Congressional Women’s Caucus could meet in an elevator.
Our numbers have now moved to 149 women in Congress or nearly 28 percent.
As the great New Yorker Shirley Chisholm once said, “You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.”
And there is no better place to implement those ideas than the U.S. Congress.
And that is just what I did. In the last thirty years, I have passed more than 80 measures and had 12 presidential bill ceremonies with five of our Presidents, which are reserved for transformational legislation.
President Clinton had bill signings for my Nazi War Crimes Disclosure Act and the Standby Guardianship Act for children.
President Bush signed the Debbie Smith Act, which has been called the “the most important anti-rape legislation ever passed,” as well as many sex trafficking prevention laws and CIFIUS – committee on foreign investments in the US.
In 2009, President Obama signed my Credit Card Bill of Rights, which according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, has saved consumers over $16 billion a year – each year — since 2009.
Even President Trump signed my Never Again Education Act to support Holocaust education programming as well as 9/11 health and compensation – which is part of why I’m wearing this coat today, as I did until the bill passed – and we still need additional funding for this vital program this year.
Just this past April, President Biden signed our bipartisan Postal Reform Act. Thanks to Oversight Committee Ranking Member James Comer, we proved that bipartisanship can prevail over partisan bickering in the best interests of America.
All of these achievements would not have been possible without my fellow members of Congress, who have proven to me that if you work hard enough, our government can provide for the people.
I truly believe the best legislation is bipartisan and I hope our Congress can come together more for meaningful legislation, as we did after 9/11, natural and financial disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic, infrastructure, and so much more.
I’d also like to recognize those who have worked in my office over the years, including my district office staff, my DC staff, and the staff of the Oversight Committee and the Joint Economic Committee. Our work truly would not have been possible without your hours of dedication to public service.
To each and every one of my friends and constituents, thank you for your continued support and inspiration. It has been the honor of my life to represent the people of New York’s 12th Congressional district.
I also want to thank you my wonderful family, my amazing daughters – Christina and Virginia, my son-in-Law Peter, and baby Leland – you are the joy and meaning of my life.
And thank you to the love of my life, Cliff Maloney – who is with me in spirit – and whose support always meant the world to me.
As I speak today, I am thinking of the important work that lies ahead.
Rest assured, I will continue to keep fighting for the issues that are near and dear to my heart, including the Equal Rights Amendment. Let’s get it ratified and in our constitution!
There can be no time limit on equal rights – and the ERA is needed now more than ever to stop anymore bulldozing over women’s rights.
Infrastructure is in my DNA, especially in these times when modernization and new systems for transportation are so vital to our future.
I am proud that the two largest federally funded construction projects in the country are located within my district – the Second Avenue Subway and the East Side Connector. I am proud to have brought over $10 billion in infrastructure funding to my district alone. And as I part, I will continue to work towards building high speed rail between New York and Boston – nothing would build our economy more.
My dear colleagues, together — we have bent the moral arc of this nation in the direction of justice and fairness. But we musn’t rest until “equal” means just that – “equal.”
Finally, I have always regarded public service as a loan that I must repay each and every day I am in office. Thanks to your tireless efforts, wisdom, and support, I feel like I leave office debt-free.
The Best is Yet to Come!
Madam Speaker, thank you once again, and I yield the floor.
