Senator Thad Cochran says farewell

Republican Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi has given a farewell speech in the U.S. Senate where he’s the longest-serving current member of Congress.
The 80-year-old Cochran is retiring April 1st because of poor health. He says he’s “optimistic about the future of our great nation.” Cochran served in the House six years before joining the Senate in 1978. Colleagues paid tribute to Cochran today at the U.S. Capitol, repeatedly praising the Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman for being civil while working across party lines.