My fellow Utahns, for over forty years, I’ve had the great honor of serving as your Senator.
As many of you know, I came up during the Great Depression, living in a ramshackle house built with recycled lumber from the local scrapyard. My parents gave us everything they had, but in the eyes of the world, we still didn’t have much.
Only in a nation like ours could someone like me—the scrappy son of a simple carpenter—grow up to become a United States Senator.
As your Senator, I’ve always sought to fight for those who could not fight for themselves. And I believe the results speak for themselves.
I’ve authored more bills that have become law than any member of Congress alive today. I played a central role in the creation of the modern generic drug industry, the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act, and the confirmation of every current member of the United States Supreme Court. Just last month, I helped lead the effort to pass historic, comprehensive tax reform. One of my proudest legislative achievements is the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which guarantees vigorous religious liberty protections for all Americans.
When the President visited Utah last month, he said I was a fighter. I’ve always been a fighter. I was an amateur boxer in my youth, and I brought that fighting spirit with me to Washington.
But every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves. And for me, that time is soon approaching.
That’s why, after much prayer and discussion with family and friends, I’ve decided to retire at the end of this term. Although I will miss serving you in the Senate, I look forward to spending more time with family, especially my sweet wife Elaine, whose unwavering love and support made all of this possible.
I’m deeply grateful for the privilege you’ve given me to serve as your Senator these last four decades. I may be leaving the Senate, but the next chapter in my public service is just beginning.
Thank you for all your support through these many years. May God bless you all.
After more than four decades of public service, Senator Hatch leaves behind an unrivaled record of legislative success. In the most recent Congress, Hatch was named the most effective in the Senate, with 45 bipartisan legislative proposals passed into law—the most of any of his colleagues and more than twice as many as the average Senator. Today, Hatch stands among the most prolific legislators of all time, having passed more than 750 bills into law over the course of his Senate tenure—more than any member of Congress in the last 50 years.
Among his accomplishments are some of the most consequential reforms in modern history, including:
- The Americans with Disabilities Act, the landmark civil rights law that ushered in a new era of equality by prohibiting discrimination against persons with disabilities;
- The Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, a universally praised healthcare initiative (to be reauthorized this month) that ensures medical care for millions of children from low-income families;
- The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act, also known as the Hatch-Waxman Act, a historic bipartisan proposal that revolutionized the modern-day drug industry by establishing a framework for the production and regulation of generic drugs;
- The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which protects religious exercise from unwarranted government intrusion, allowing all Americans to live, work, and worship in accordance with their deeply held personal beliefs;
- The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the most significant tax reform legislation in 30 years, which overhauls our outdated tax code and dramatically reduces the tax burden on America’s families and businesses.
Senator Hatch has also fought hard for Utah jobs and priorities, securing $100 million in funding for the Huntsman Cancer Institute in its early years; spearheading critical reforms to ensure the long-term viability of Hill Air Force Base; leading the legislative effort to improve Utah’s rural health centers; and championing a pro-growth agenda that puts the needs of Utah’s small-business owners front and center.
As a member and former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Hatch has also played a key role in the confirmation of every Supreme Court Justice over the last forty years, including such icons as Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, and Neil Gorsuch. He has fought hard to ensure that judges are evaluated on temperament and qualifications, not political views. During his time on the committee, the Senate has confirmed nearly 1,900 federal judges, a majority of all federal judges that have ever served. Hatch has also been front and center in the committee’s legislative work, leading the push to modernize our high-skilled immigration system, keep our cities and communities safe from crime, and strengthen America’s place as the global technology leader.