U.S. Sen. Bob Casey calls time in Senate the ‘honor of a lifetime’

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey gave farewell remarks in the Senate chamber on Wednesday, bringing his 18-year congressional career to a close. 

Casey, who has served in the Senate since 2006, thanked colleagues, staff, and family members, calling his time in the U.S. Senate the “honor of a lifetime.” The three-term senator also thanked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the late Sen. Harry Reid, whom he credited with encouraging him to run for Senate in 2005. 

“I begin with an expression of deep, abiding gratitude to the people of Pennsylvania who conferred upon me the honor of serving them in three statewide public offices for 28 consecutive years, first as auditor general, then as state treasurer, and for the last 18 years as United States senator,” Casey said. “It’s been a privilege to have served our commonwealth – to serve the people of our commonwealth.”

During his floor remarks, Casey reflected on his work in the Senate and expressed pride in the series of bills he was able to get signed into law throughout his time in Congress. One such bill is the Stephen Beck Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, or ABLE Act, which allows people with disabilities to use tax-free savings accounts to pay for qualified disability expenses. 

“Before ABLE, people with disabilities could not save more than $2,000 without risking access to their federal benefits, forcing many people with disabilities into a permanent state of poverty,” Casey said. “I worked with Sen. Richard Burr to pass the ABLE Act in 2014 so that people with disabilities … can save for their future.” 

Casey also noted his work on other bills that have since been enacted, including the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, the latter of which Casey described as ensuring “that pregnant women can go to their employer and ask for reasonable accommodations – simple things like a stool to sit on, or a water bottle, or bathroom break and other accommodations.”

The outgoing senator also expressed pride in working on legislation to improve the safety of airline cockpits after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, as well as several legislative efforts to combat hunger. 

Casey said his office closed nearly 200,000 constituent service cases during his tenure and also highlighted his work to direct federal funding to various communities in Pennsylvania. 

“I worked to provide investments to lift up families during the pandemic, support public safety by delivering funding for police and fire departments, improve water and sewer systems, roads, bridges and small towns and rural areas, and support local nonprofits to protect the most vulnerable among us,” he said.

Before concluding his remarks on Wednesday, Casey highlighted several challenges that Washington lawmakers must address in the coming years, such as climate change, gun violence, the opioid crisis, and the cost of living. 

“It’s much more difficult to raise a family and provide long-term stability than it used to be. Pennsylvanians used to be able to work one job – often without a college degree – and provide for their families for decades. There’s a big moment in 2025 – a tax bill. I won’t be here for it, but that tax debate will be a critical moment for American families,” he said. 

“Congress will decide whether to help middle-class and low-income families, people striving to get to the middle class, or to continue what I would argue is a 40-year trend to provide substantial tax benefits to the largest corporations on the Planet Earth and the wealthiest Americans.”

Continuing on economic matters, Casey urged his colleagues to make the federal Child Tax Credit fully refundable and warned colleagues that China remains an “economic adversary” to the U.S. He also said lawmakers must continue to support Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia. 

“The Senate and the American people have to make a choice in the years ahead between dictators and democracy. We must continue to support – not just in the Senate and the House, but as Americans – continue to support the people of Ukraine in their consequential war with a murderous dictator, Vladimir Putin,” Casey said. “Our nation has generously supported the Ukrainian military. We cannot stop. Abandoning them now undermines freedom-loving people all over the world.”

Casey lost a close race to Republican challenger Dave McCormick in November’s general election and will leave public office after a 28-year stint in government – he was elected to his first public role, as Pennsylvania auditor general, in 1996.

“I will continue to do my part to serve as a citizen and as a Pennsylvanian,” he said. “Serving in the United States Senate has been an honor of a lifetime.”