North Carolina U.S. Senator Richard Burr gave his farewell speech on the Senate floor Wednesday. He is retiring after 28 years in Washington.
In a nearly 30 minute speech, Burr said Congress needs more statesmen and fewer politicians.
"America has always been a great country where dreams can come true. Let's keep it that way," he said, "Our citizens and our elected officials alike should dream big and then work hard to make them a reality."
A Republican from Winston-Salem, Burr was elected to the Fifth Congressional District in 1994. He won his Senate seat ten years later.
In 2021, federal investigators looked into allegations that he used inside information to trade stock in the early days of the pandemic. The case was closed with no charges filed.
Democratic Congressmen G.K. Butterfield and David Price are also stepping down, while Republican Madison Cawthorn was defeated in this year's primary election