Roy Blunt Issues Statement on the Resignation of Senator Trent Lott

On Monday, House Republican Whip Roy Blunt announced that he wished Senator Trent Lott and his wife Tricia all the best as they move on to the next phase of their lives together.

The 66-year-old Senate Republican Whip from Mississippi has announced that he will be resigning from the Senate at the end of 2007, before his final term has ended, although he easily won re-election in 2006. His announcement has come as something of a shock to Capitol Hill and is being taken by some as a sign that the Republican Party is in serious disarray.

"Trent's many contributions to this chamber are difficult to fully appraise -- but impossible to ignore. He often talked about his service in this House with great affection. Indeed, his 16 years here were enormously important to this chamber...Looking back on Senator Lott's career, there are almost too many accomplishments to count. His work alongside President Reagan to build a bipartisan economic recovery alliance certainly comes to mind -- as do his efforts in 1996, when he and Speaker Gingrich forged agreement to enact historic welfare reform legislation into law, despite a string of vetoes from President Clinton...Trent always understood that his first priority was the people of Mississippi. Perhaps the best demonstration of this unwavering commitment came in the form of Hurricane Katrina," Blunt stated.

Throughout his Senatorial career, Lott consistently and shrewdly used his respected position in the Senate Finance Committee to further the cause of pro-business legislation and sought to keep government out of the marketplace as much as possible. Many lobbyists from the private sector are taken aback by his decision.

However, Lott was unrelenting in his criticisms of some insurance companies such as Allstate in the aftermath of their handling of claims concerning Hurricane Katrina damage. Lott felt that the insurance companies he targeted did not live up to their contractual commitments and should be sued by the federal government as a result.

Five years ago Lott became the target of sharp censure from black leaders and some equal opportunity activists when he expressed admiration for the policies of a retiring white Congressman from Mississippi who had been a supporter of segregation throughout his early political career. However, his leadership position remained strong and he worked his way back into the good graces of those whom he had inadvertently offended.

Lott insisted that he is not retiring because of any health problems and not for political reasons; and he simply feels it is time for him to be moving on.

Original Newswire Source:
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