Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) praised retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) as one of the most effective first-term senators he’s seen during his long career and predicted “history will remember” her decision to oppose Democrats’ effort to whittle away the chamber’s filibuster rule.
“The institution of the Senate is only as strong as the people willing to defend it. History will remember that with the Senate’s defining feature under grave threat, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s wisdom and devotion to this body rivaled that of her most seasoned colleagues,” he said in a statement issued hours after she announced her retirement.
Sinema drew sharp criticism from liberals in her state and around the country for declaring her opposition to an attempt in early 2022 by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to carve out an exception to the filibuster to pass voting rights legislation.
Schumer on Tuesday praised Sinema’s short Senate career for blazing “a trail of accomplishments” despite their clash over filibuster reform.
“Her work on legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act, Respect for Marriage Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act have improved the lives of Arizonans and all Americans,” he said.
McConnell also hailed the central role she played in helping to pass a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure investment package in 2021 and bipartisan gun violence legislation in 2022.
“In five short years, the senior senator for Arizona has done the work of a storied Senate career,” he said. “Her investments in trust and genuine relationships with her colleagues unlocked massive opportunities for the people of her state and the entire nation.
“Our friend from the Grand Canyon State will leave the Senate after one of the most extraordinarily effective first terms in recent memory,” he said.