Come to order.
Please be seated and subdue your conversations
for this very memorable and important meeting that we have.
The senate will come to order.
Please take your seats.
Subdue your conversations and let
us begin this memorable event that we have today.
The chair will ask all members, guests, and staff
to please rise and recite the pledge of allegiance
to the flag.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
and to the republic for which it stands--
one nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.
Thank you.
I want to thank everyone for coming today.
We are saying goodbye for the last time
to a very beloved member of the Senate.
And in particular, in addition to
our own membership in the Senate and the House,
I want to call your attention to people
who have a place-- a very important place in Senator
Forry's life and in our lives as legislators.
And first I want to introduce or at least announce
that we have with us today, former President Terry Murray.
Terry, would you stand please.
She's up here.
And before I go any further, I have
to introduce our own governor, governor Charlie
Baker, our former governor, Deval Patrick,
the mayor of the great city of Boston, our friend,
Marty Walsh.
We also have the clerk of the supreme court
of Massachusetts, Maura Doyle.
We have the treasurer, Deb Goldberg--
the treasurer of the Commonwealth--
the consul general of Israel, Yehuda Yaakov.
And a very special warm welcome-- and I
want you to hold your applause until the end,
because these are people who are very meaningful to the Senate.
These are our former members.
And I want to include the mayor of Lynn, Tom McGee--
the honorable Ben Downing, the honorable Jack Hart,
the honorable Anthony Petrocelli,
the honorable Diane Wilkerson, the honorable John Brennan.
And time for applause for all of them now.
And I apologize if I've missed anyone,
but this is a celebrity-laden audience,
and we know why there's so many people here and so many
celebrities.
Because we have a very special guest to honor today.
So I call upon the senator from Norfolk and Suffolk,
Mr. Rush for the purpose of making remarks
about our friend, Senator Linda Dorcena Forry.
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
All right.
It is both my highest honor and privilege
to be here before you on this momentous yet heartfelt
and extremely emotional occasion to honor the service
and say thank you to our friend, Senator Linda Dorcena Forry.
Governor Baker, Lieutenant Governor Polito,
President Chandler, Speaker Deleo, Governor Patrick,
Mayor Walsh, President Murray, and all current
and former elected officials--
and through you to the members of the Massachusetts General
Court, the citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
the residents of the First Suffolk district,
and most importantly the Dorcena and the Forry families.
A very heartfelt and appreciative
thank you to Senator Forry's family.
Her husband, Bill-- her four beautiful children,
John, Conor, Madeline, and Nora, thanks to you
for allowing all of us to work with your mother
and Bill, your wonderful wife, to do the incredible things
that she has accomplished.
Thank you.
Senator Forry, it is with mixed emotions
that we are here before you this afternoon.
Everyone.
In this chamber and beyond is both excited for your future,
but we continue to have a heavy heart for the absence
that you will leave in this legislature
and in the public realm.
We are your friends, we are your fans, we consider you family,
and we all believe in you.
Thank you.
You have worked with so many of us to accomplish great things.
You have been thoughtful.
You have been deliberate.
And many would agree you have been outspoken at times when
things needed to be said.
Thinking of your career, in fact,
reminds me of one of my favorite moments in political history--
the time when someone hollered to President Truman,
give them hell, Harry.
To which the President responded,
I never give them hell.
I just tell them the truth, and they think it's hell.
That sound familiar?
What do you think?
57 years ago this past January, a young, vibrant political
force to be reckoned with stood on this very rostrum
and gave a speech to the citizens
of Massachusetts and the world.
President Kennedy said from this very rostrum, the words
that are immortalized here--
courage, judgment, integrity, dedication.
These are the historic qualities of the Bay Colony and the Bay
state--
the qualities which this state has consistently
sent to this very chamber on Beacon Hill here in Boston.
I suggest to you and you all know it,
senator Forry has epitomized these words
both in her private and public life-- courage, judgment,
integrity, and dedication.
The official motto of Haiti--
L'Union Fait La Force--
unity is our strength.
How appropriate-- unity is our strength.
Senator Forry's incredible success as a public servant
has been being able to bring people from all walks of life
together--
every background, every political philosophy,
every religion, every way of thinking--
to achieve the very best outcome for the residents
of Massachusetts.
She is intelligent, funny, charming,
motivated, and driven, everything
that we all want to be.
In conclusion, we are here today in this historic chamber
on this memorable day to express the same sentiment.
Senator Linda Dorcena Forry, thank you.
Thank you for your service.
Thank you for your leadership.
Thank you for your friendship.
Thank you for always putting people first.
And thank you for making the city of Boston
and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts a better place
to live today.
Thank you and God bless you all.
Before going on to the next speaker,
I have an apology to make.
I have omitted someone, a very important someone,
the person who normally presides at this podium.
And so, I want to welcome and introduce
my partner in the legislative business, Speaker Robert Deleo.
And now the chair recognizes the senator
from Middlesex and Worcester, Mr. Eldridge.
Thank you, madam president, Mr. Speaker, Governor Baker,
Mayor Walsh, Treasurer Goldberg, President Murray,
and Governor Patrick.
Senate and House colleagues, distinguished guests,
and constituents, friends, and family
of the lady from the First Suffolk district--
I am incredibly honored and humbled
to say a few words about my former colleague
and great friend, Linda Dorcena Forry.
While I congratulate her on her new opportunity,
I am also very sad not to have her as a colleague anymore.
The fact that I have talked with Linda,
as much every week since she left the Senate
as we did while we served together,
speaks volumes about our true friendship
but also about the kind of public servant she is.
Madam president, with the lady from Dorchester,
the personal is the political.
When you saw her in the Senate chamber,
she was the same person as some community event,
or in the halls of the State House, or with her family,
or relaxing after a long day at the State House,
Linda is real with a big heart, a welcoming smile,
a willingness to tell you what she thinks good or bad
to your face--
a common theme from senator Rush--
but always with the comfort that she
would stand by your side to help you
with what you needed as a colleague, constituent,
advocate, or friend.
Madam president, you could see this in the fact
that, during budget week, she made sure
that the staff had plenty of hot dogs and hamburgers
from Sully's and not just the senators.
You could see it in Linda and her staff
fielding calls and providing support
for thousands of Haitian-Americans
in need not just from her district
but from across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
And you can feel it in her voice, the power
of her convictions, calling out homelessness
as the chair of the housing committee--
of how morally unconscionable it is that in this state
you must prove that you were living in a car before you
and your children receive shelter.
And I remember her saying this in the Grand Staircase,
calling out your group of advocates
and homeless families.
We are talking about children, homeless children, children.
No facts, statistics, studies, or reports--
Linda's moral outrage comes straight from the heart.
As elected officials, we all have
work that drives us, that gets us up
in the morning, that motivates us
to get home very late at night and working weekends.
When I think of my friend, Senator Linda Dorcena Forry's
legacy, I think about inclusion, and I
think about representation.
Are we a society that believes that people,
no matter their race, skin color, ethnicity, religion,
national origin, gender, sexual preference, gender identity,
or immigration status should be able to work wherever
they want, live in whatever community they wish--
and equally important-- thrive and succeed?
And if we as a society do believe
that, what are we doing as government officials
to make that vision a reality?
Whether it was housing policy, employment in Boston--
especially the trades-- public education,
or economic development, Linda fought to make sure that
everyone was included and that everyone had a seat
at the table--
that the American dream would live on in Massachusetts.
As the daughter of Haitian immigrants,
Linda has lived that American dream
and has worked her entire life to provide
that same path of success that her parents and that she
and her family have worked so hard towards realizing.
Madam president, since Linda made her decision
to leave the state Senate, of course
every news story knows that now there
is not a single black senator in the body.
Added to that, Linda is one of just few senators
who has a parent who is an immigrant to this country.
As a close friend, observer, and seatmate of Linda's, I
have seen this impact of racism.
When the state senate began its legislative session
last January, in the early days of the Trump administration,
I watched in awe, tears, and rage
when my friend and colleague, Linda Dorcena Forry stood up
from her seat and railed against white supremacists
like Steve Bannon, fully installed in the White House,
calling out the racism that President Trump practices
and has encouraged.
And when I touched her hand after she finished her speech,
I could feel her trembling, and I immediately thought,
what is it like to be black in America?
It is a hallmark of her entire career,
calling out bigotry and bringing people together.
From her first election to the House--
which tipped the scales towards Massachusetts protecting
marriage equality-- to her fighting for the economic
security of Haitians who fled the earthquake ravaged country
in 2010, to her vigilance this session in both ending mass
incarceration in the senate criminal justice reform bill,
and providing economic opportunities for people
of color, and our marijuana legislation--
Linda has shown great strength, leadership, and resolve
in fighting racism, prejudice, and xenophobia.
Her work has inspired people from across Massachusetts,
and she has served her district extremely well,
connecting with and helping people from all walks of life.
I want to close my remarks and restate that representation
matters.
Who represents the wonderful diversity of the people
of Massachusetts matters.
I saw that late last year when my sister and her two
biracial children, Olivia and Joshua,
were at the State House for a visit.
I wanted them to meet Linda.
So in the hustle and bustle of another busy day at the State
House, I called her, and she made her way over
to Emmet's Pub where we were having lunch.
And with all of the charm, kindness, and warmth that we
all know is Linda's style, she talked to the kids
and asked them questions about what they were up to.
And I saw their eyes light up, looking back
at me, and my sister, and then Linda--
and just taking in that someone has the same job as their uncle
Jamie who looks like them.
Madam president, I want to thank the lady from Dorchester,
the state senator for the First Suffolk district,
the state representative for the 12th Suffolk district
for her 23 years of public service,
her compassion, drive, sense of humor,
kindnesses, determination, courage, moral outrage,
her excitement for public-private partnerships,
and her true friendship.
Linda, you have left the Massachusetts General Court,
the constituents of your district,
and the people of Massachusetts much better off.
Thank you.
And we miss you so much.
It is so appropriate that this day, Valentine's Day
and Equality Day, was the day chosen for this purpose.
And therefore, for the purpose of delivering
her farewell address, the chair now recognizes the senator
from Suffolk, Ms. Forry.
Thank you all so much.
Mr. Speaker, madam president, and through you to the members,
my dear colleagues, Governor Baker, Governor Patrick,
Mayor Walsh, Treasurer Goldberg, President Murray,
thank you all.
Thank you.
I want to thank my good friends who spoke today,
Senator Michael Rush of West Roxbury
and Senator Jamie Eldridge of Acton.
They are the best.
Thank you, gentlemen, for your friendship, your guidance,
and your awe-inspiring service to our commonwealth.
They are my crew, so give it up for them.
And to think-- and to think folks say that a progressive
dem and a moderate dem can't get along, it's all baloney, y'all.
It's all baloney.
Thank you, Senator Rush, for your incredible sacrifice
serving our country in the military
as Lieutenant Commander.
Thank you for your service.
I am so moved and honored by all your presence here today.
We didn't plan it this way.
I swear we didn't.
But it's so appropriate, because today
is a day that we celebrate love, and I have loved this job.
I have loved this place.
I have loved my constituents and you, my colleagues.
And my heart is full today.
It's full of the memories, and the goodwill,
and the laughter and victories that we have shared.
This is where my career in elected office
began, here in this historic chamber back in 2005.
To be exact, it was during budget week on April 25th.
I was sworn in along with two other freshmen who
won special elections that year, Chris
Speranzo, and my good friend who I go to for advice--
the gentleman from Brighton leader Mike Moran.
Thank you.
You know it's been a remarkable, remarkable journey
over these 13 years.
I had the honor of serving with some of the best people ever
assembled under this dome.
Together, we made a difference.
That first year, right off the bat, we tackled equal marriage,
and we ensured that our neighbors would never again
have to worry about an assault on their right
to be with the ones they love.
What a way to start a career in elected service.
I am so proud of that vote of how
we stood tall people from both sides of the aisle
from different religious and life experiences,
and I know you are too.
But my career here in the State House started well before 2005.
I first arrived here in 1996 just out of Boston College.
I interviewed for a job with then Chief of Staff, Lily
Mendez, to become a legislative aide
in the office of state representative, Charlotte Golar
Richie.
Thank you Charlotte.
I know Charlotte and Lily are here today.
And I'm so grateful that they took a chance
on a young woman who was more interested back then in fashion
design than public service--
sorry, public policy.
But I also want to thank--
I want to thank my champions who encouraged them to hire me.
We all need people in our corner, and for me
that was the honorable Jim Brett who
also served in this chamber with distinction.
Thank you.
There he is.
And my priest, rest his soul, Father Bill Francis.
But none of us do this work alone.
We stand on the shoulders of men and women
who blazed trails long before we came along.
To leader Byron Rushing who embraced my candidacy for state
rep in my first election--
to Marie, Saint Fleur, Mel King, Bruce Bolen, Senator Dianne
Wilkerson, and Representative Gloria Fox who are here today,
thank you.
These men and women helped me to see my own path forward.
And Senator-- and Representative Ben Swan,
who joined us here today.
Where is Ben?
All right.
Yay.
Come on, Ben.
But these women and men helped me to see my own path forward,
and it was so important for me as a young person of color
to see myself and my leaders, growing up and starting
my own career.
I was fortunate to come here on the vanguard of a real seat
change in state and country.
I was elected a year before Deval Patrick first
appeared on the scene, and I was proud to work for his election.
I loved my time working with him and his wife, Dianne Patrick,
another great model for grace, and dignity, and success.
And together with many of you, I was
so excited to support and work hard to elect the greatest
president in my lifetime, Barack Obama.
All right.
And you know we miss his leadership and that
of his amazing first lady, but we
will have a chance to feel that way again some day.
And I have the faith--
I have faith that it won't be a long wait.
For my first days here as a member,
I felt the support and guidance from all of you--
my colleagues and my peers in government.
I see members of the city councils here from Boston,
our president, Andrea Campbell, thank you for being here.
I see my friend, city councilor Frank Baker.
Thank you for being here.
I felt the support of my colleagues and my peers,
and I was so fortunate to serve under Speaker Sal DiMasi, whose
wife, Debbie, is here today.
Thank you, Debbie, for being here.
Sal saw promise in a young woman-- a young member
from Dorchester and gave me the chance
to step up, serve, learn, and lead.
I'm forever grateful to you, and we're happy he's home.
To Speaker Deleo, you supported me at every turn.
You gave me the chance to challenge myself
and to help my district.
You have been a mentor, a friend, a wonderful leader
for the house.
We have laughed a lot.
And I am so proud of you and the work you've done--
the example you've set.
On behalf of my constituents, thank you for your leadership.
It was hard to leave this chamber,
but when I did in 2013, my friends in the Senate
made the transition so wonderful--
my fellow Dorchester girl, President Therese Murray,
is here today.
Thank you, madam president.
Thank you, madam president, for leading the way,
for breaking down the barriers, for making me
feel welcome and empowered.
And I remember, every now and then,
as I walk through the halls, I'd hear
from a distance, Dorchester.
And I would response, in the house.
So I wish.
I wish we had more time together,
but we made the best of it.
And you will remain such a great friend to me and counsel,
so thank you.
Thank you also to Senator Rosenburg for bringing me
into your leadership team.
Thank you.
To President Harriette Chandler, madam president,
thank you for your dedication to the Senate
and for showing your leadership when we need it the most.
I am in your corner, rooting for you,
and I know you will succeed.
So thank you.
To my colleagues in the Senate, thank you
so much for your friendship all throughout the five years.
In particular, I want to recognize Katie O'Connor
Ives of Newburyport right there, Barbara L'Italien of Andover,
Michael Moore of Worcester.
You know my Boston delegation through Sonia,
Sal, [? Cory, ?] Will.
And I already have Rush.
All right.
But all of you really--
I want to thank the Boston delegation.
The Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus,
the Women's Caucus.
Thank you for all your partnership and commitment.
To Governor Baker, we have worked so well together,
and I really admire how you approach your work here
in the Commonwealth even on those matters where
we've disagreed--
and there's a couple here and there--
you have heard me out and you've listened.
And you've given my constituents your good faith and your best
effort, so I am proud to call you a friend.
So thank you to you and also Lieutenant Governor Karen
Polito.
I extend that feeling to all of my colleagues
here who happen to belong to a different political party,
minority leaders, Bruce Tarr and Brad Jones.
And all of you, I've never let the labels, the D's
and the R's, get in my way.
We are all here to serve, and I've
loved working with each and every one of you.
Thank you.
There is no greater privilege to serve
your community, your neighborhood,
your city your block here in the legislature.
I am so grateful to the people of the First Suffolk
district and the 12th Suffolk district
for sending me here to represent them.
And I hope that I was able to live up to their expectations
on my better days and to make you proud.
Every day I came here I would think of you
and why you sent me here.
I feel like we accomplished so much together.
We built new paths along the waterfront on the Neponset
River and connected communities that were
separated for many decades.
We fought hard to improve our business districts
and to add new amenities.
We built new housing and train stations
in Dorchester and Mattapan.
And there's more in the pipeline.
We've created jobs and made it easier to access them.
We partnered with businesses, and unions, and civic leaders
to level the playing field.
We create new pathways to wealth and security.
We have been tested by tragedy, and we've
shown what strength and resiliency really looks like.
It's been an honor to be one of your voices
here at the State House and to fight that good fight
alongside colleagues who are just
as devoted to our progress.
And I leave here knowing that we are in good hands.
In Boston, we have a tremendous partner
in government, another former member
of the legislature, our mayor, my friend, Marty Walsh, who
is here today.
Thank you, mayor.
I want to thank Marty.
I thank you, Marty, for your leadership,
and your friendship, and for being a good neighbor.
Seriously, he's out there shoveling all the time.
He's no joke.
I'm not kidding.
He's my neighbor.
To the amazing women and men who worked
with me throughout the years, I salute you.
We all know the work--
we all know the people who work in our offices
are the ones who make the difference for our district.
I want to thank everyone from team LDF over the last 13
years.
Some of them are here today.
Sasha Link, [INAUDIBLE] van Zant, Michael Williams,
Jacob Bombard, Sean Pierce, Amanda Curley,
and Janice Blumer, thank you.
And to my current crew, thank you to [? Kathy ?] Kristen,
[? Kicha ?] [? Nazir ?] Alan, Patrick O'Brien, and my chief
of staff, Ceferina Murell, thank you, guys.
To all the wonderful people in this building
who believe in public service and have dedicated
their life to serving others--
thank you to the Senate Clerk Bill Welch, my good friend
Michael Hurley, and the team--
to the house clerk, Stephen James,
and their incredible team.
To our court officers, Paul and everyone, thank you.
To the Senate Business Office, Deb Woodman--
the House Business Office, [? Patti ?] and the team,
thank you.
To the incredible State House Rangers
under the leadership of Captain Steve Owens,
who are on the front lines protecting us every day,
thank you.
Because I was the state's only elected Haitian leader
for a time, my staff and I worked overtime
to help constituents who did not live in my district
but who saw me as their best connection to state government
as their voice.
I did my best to help them.
To my Haitian brothers and sisters,
I will always be your advocate.
I will always lift my voice with yours.
We know there are always mountains beyond mountains,
but we climb and we conquer.
And together, we are stronger, and that
will never ever change.
Thank you.
The immigrant story is the American story.
I stand before you as a first generation American.
And only in this country can you start from humble beginnings
and become a state senator.
So [NON-ENGLISH]
As you well know and you know it well,
this work is not possible without the sacrifices
of others who support us at home and those who came before.
I see Senator Jack Hart, my predecessor.
Thank you for being here.
I see city councilor at-large, Ayanna Pressley.
Thank you for being here.
And I know I hope that President Bill Bulger is
watching and listening to this.
I say thank you to him.
I have been lucky to have that support and encouragement
from day one from my family.
My mother, Annie Dorcena, is with me today.
Mommy [? Cape. ?] You know, she cared for our children
from their youngest weeks to allow
me to get back to work quickly or to hit the campaign trail.
My father Andre did the same-- can not be here today,
because he has Alzheimer's, as did my grandmother, Anita,
who is at home.
And I will get them the video, so they could watch this.
But my mom is amazing.
My grandma will be 104 in a few weeks.
And I got to tell you all--
I'm just going to tell you, you know
she is praying and singing church hymns for all of us
here right now.
Literally, she is.
So my parents set me on a path this many years ago.
They gave us everything we needed to succeed--
education, faith, confidence, and a safe and loving home.
They encouraged us to be good citizens and to give back,
and there's no political advisor or consultant
in the country who I would listen
to over the words of my mother Annie Dorcena.
She's the heart and soul of my political career.
Merci, mommy.
To Bill, the love of my life, we'll
be married 18 years this year.
Who he has-- encouraged, counseled, and loved me.
He is actually the one that pushed me to run.
And at that time we had John who was 13 months old--
just a quick story.
Mayor Walsh was then state representative here,
and Mayor called Bill who is a journalist.
And we say thank you to all the press.
Continue to do the good work and reporting.
Even though you're under attack nationally,
we thank you for your work that you're doing.
But it was Bill talking to Marty Walsh, who called them
because he has the reported newspapers, and he said,
yo, Bill.
There's rumors.
Speaker Finneran stepping down.
Who do you think should run?
And Bill's like, well, that's Linda's seat.
Linda should run, right.
And so, Bill hangs up the phone, and then he comes to me.
He's like, Linda, you know what?
You should run for the seat.
I'm like, are you crazy?
Run for what, right?
But here we are as a rep.
You know, I had, since being a rep I
had three additional children.
Where it could have appeared to many of you here--
because a lot of you were here when I had my babies--
so it could have appeared that I was having
these children around budget time,
but I'm going to say to you that was not the case.
But we got a whole lot of things done for the district,
so thank you.
And so, to my children who are here--
you saw them when they were infants.
And now to John Patrick who is 14,
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] Stand up.
To Conor Forry--
Conor who is 11.
Stand up, Conor.
Conor, stand up for mommy.
To Madeline, stand up.
Madeline is seven.
Wave.
And to my baby, baby Nora, Nora, wave to mommy.
I say thank you to them.
Did you see the baby?
OK.
To Ed Forry, my father-in-law, who
has been a constant source of advice and support
from our first day on the trail in 2004
to helping us organize the St. Patrick's Day breakfast,
thank you, dad.
Thank you for all you have done.
To my brothers and sisters--
I see my brother [? Frons ?] and Patrick is here.
Thank you to my uncles and my aunts,
[NON-ENGLISH SPEECH] It's a lot of people.
OK, wave, guys.
OK, good.
To my cousins-- my cousins, for all their help,
but in particular I want to highlight a brother and sister
team, Carolyn and Phillip [? Brunis ?]
And I say this because in 2004 when
we had the special election, it was in the middle of a winter
storm.
And every day knocking on doors seven hours
a day, losing 20 pounds on the campaign trail, my cousins
were by my side.
When I felt exhausted, they called me and said, Linda,
we're going door knocking today.
So Carolyn and Phillip stand up.
Thank you, guys.
To my bestie-- to my best friend,
my goodness, Tiffany R. Warren, a girl down the street
in Roxbury.
To the amazing community where we came from,
The Dudley Street Triangle--
I see John Barrows who's here.
You know, we grew up in an incredible, incredible
community.
But I did not think that Tiffany would be here today,
and then she popped out of the elevator.
But I got to tell you, this is a lifelong friendship.
Since we were 15 years old, we've been friends.
So Tiffany, thank you.
And so, I take my leave from this house,
from the people's house.
We have done so much together, and we've
made this a better commonwealth.
We have shown that labels and party affiliations
don't have to divide us.
There is no one here in this building
whom I can't work with and no one
in this building who I can't laugh with and find
common ground.
We have shown what's possible when good people come together
to do great things.
I think that example is something
that is worth celebrating.
And we certainly use more-- can use
more of this Massachusetts form of leadership
across our country.
And so for me, it's time to start a new chapter.
And I am excited to move into the private sector
and join John Fish at Suffolk construction
as Vise President of the Northeast Region
for Diversity Inclusion and Community Affairs
and to make an impact in a different way,
but I will not be a stranger.
And I won't promise you today that I
won't be back someday somehow.
You never know what tomorrow brings.
But what I know for sure--
what I know for sure is that I will never
forget what you have done for me, for my family,
and for the people--
the people.
I have been--
OK, OK.
I did OK.
And for the people, I have been honored
to represent for the last 13 years,
this is not a forever goodbye.
This is not a sad farewell.
This is simply a time for me to say to all of you, thank you,
and I love you all.
Thank you and god bless.
Thank you.
Moves that the remarks of the senator from Norfolk
and Suffolk, the senator from Middlesex and Worcester,
and the senator from Suffolk, Ms. Forry,
he printed in the Journal of the Senate.
All those in favor, say aye.
Aye.
Opposed, no.
The ayes have it, and the motion prevails.
We are fortunate to have with us today a representative
from Congressman Michael Capuano who has a presentation to make
to our guest of honor.
Hello.
Well, I think it's fair to say that if Donald Trump were not
President, Mike Capuano would be here today
to pay tribute to Senator Forry, for whom he
has immense respect.
But he has compelling business.
And in fact, you know, he has a war to fight, so he's not here.
So I'm representing him.
This is a certificate of congressional recognition
to Senator Forry, given in recognition
for her many years of committed service
to the people of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
from Michael E Capuano, member of Congress 7th Massachusetts--
heartfelt admiration and gratitude for her.
And for final remarks, a special friend of Senator Forry,
the minority leader of the Massachusetts Senator Bruce
Tarr.
Well, thank you, Madam President.
I rise just to explain that just a few moments ago I
made a motion, and in a moment, I'm
going to ask everyone to rejoin us in affirming that motion.
Because what we have heard here in this very special moment
in this chamber this afternoon is
sterling oratory and testament from the gentleman from Acton,
the gentleman from West Roxbury, and the gentlelady
from Roxbury about the fact that in this country
at this time, if you stand up and make your mission
passionate representation of the things that you believe in,
you can change the future of your neighborhood, your city,
your state, and indeed this country.
And we have heard testimonial this afternoon, madam
president, about the remarkable lady that our friend Linda is
and the remarkable public servant that she has been.
And you have heard testimony about the virtues
that we should hold aloft that she
has brought to these chambers here and down the hall--
testimony about her passion, her respect for others,
the dignity that she has brought to representation, the fact
that she has never chosen to overlook
inclusion and bipartisan engagement
to address the issues that we face.
And how energizing has that presence, that force,
that impact been in each of the chambers
that she has served in?
And so, madam president, we have heard that testimony
this afternoon, and I want to thank my good friend
for bringing those things to our chambers, to our lives,
to our government, and to the people of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
And as we think about that example, that shining example,
that she has set, we know that she will not
be silent in the future, and we hope earnestly
that we will not lose communication with her.
And on this Valentine's Day, we are
reminded that she will always have a place in our hearts
but such that, we can ensure that we carry
her example forward with us as a senate
and as a House for people to read long after this day
when they may have forgotten about the fact
that we gathered here.
So that they will remember what has been said here,
I have made a motion that all of the remarks
offered on the rostrum today be printed in our journal.
And madam president, I renew that motion,
and I hope that when you rise to the rostrum
and when you once again preside, you
will ask us all to give a vocal affirmation to that motion.
Thank you very much.
And in response to the request by the minority leader,
I ask that all the remarks be printed
in the Journal of the Senate.
And all those in favor, say aye.
Aye!
The opposed, no.
The ayes have it, and the motion prevails.
Pursuant to an order previously adopted,
the Senate stands adjourned to meet again today at 2:00 PM
at a full formal session with the calendar
in Gardner Auditorium.
Thank you all for being here.