Date: 2014-12-10
Speaker: HERRERA BEUTLER (republican)
Chamber: H

Thank you so much. Mr. Speaker. it is fun to get to come down here and honor my friend and colleague. Chairman Doc HASTINGS from central Washington. It has been a privilege to get to be right adjacent to Doc. CATHY. we have been on either side. In being the younger member of the delegation. the newest member of the delegation. I think your time and your effort and your willingness to bring us alongto bring me alongis invaluable. It is impossible to overstate the influence that Doc has had on this body over the last 20 years. He has been a constant advocate. fighting for the people of his home and our Stateand our region. reallyand the rest of Washington. You have been doing it since I was in high school. studying U.S. history. Unlike a lot of politicians. Doc doesnt seek credit or run to the microphone or brag about his accomplishments. He truly lives by one of his favorite quotes: "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you are not worried about who gets the credit." I joined the Washington delegation 4 years ago. and from the beginning. Doc has been incredibly generous to me with his time and his wisdom and even with his dinner invites. Like so many in this body. I truly value his friendship. During my time here. I have had the privilegeI dont even want to say "of working alongside"-of following along with some of the issues that are incredibly important to my district and of things that Doc has championed. Trust me. Whether it is joining him out at Hanford Nuclear Reservation or teaming up with him to try and advance our Nations forest policies and best practices. it is plain to see how passionate Doc is about serving the people in central Washington and throughout Washington State. In this day and age when we hear mostly about a polarized Congress and politicians that no one likes and about people who cant work together. it is important to remember and to focus on those Members who are the oppositepeople like Docwho are always looking to find the common ground. who are looking for solutions. and who are wanting to confront the biggest challenges facing our region. I hope and believe it is how Doc is going to be rememberedas a statesman who always did the right thing by the people at home. Docs retirement is certainly a loss for Washington. but I am happy that the pull of being homethe pull of familyhas finally won out after having to balance that life on both coasts for so long. When I had my baby girl last yearit feels like 1.000 years agoDoc was one of the first to ask how we were. how we were doing. what he could do. and to share in the joy of our miracle. and I am truly grateful. I know. for me. when I am trying to work an issue and I need advice. I am going to miss being able to say. "Well. what do you think?" "How would we do this?" or "What coalition would we build?" "What is the strategy?" That is one of the biggest things I remembered. I shouldnt say "remembered." He is still with us. One of the biggest things I think of when I think of Doc is that his approach is always: lets lay out the strategy to get to our solutions. and lets try this and talk to this person and do it this way and remember this. It is that intimate knowledge of how this institution works that we are going to be at a loss for. not just here. but even in the Washington delegation. It is having that institutional knowledge and the relationships. because this place. like anything else. is funneled by relationships. His intimate understanding of that and the way he has worked so carefully with people to advance ideas. we are going to miss it. We are going to feel the loss. We look forward to hearing from you and watching you enjoy your time at home with your kids and your grandkids. Tell us about how great it is from time to time. We are going to miss you.