A message from Senator Harry Reid announcing his retirement from the Senate:
http://www.reid.senate.gov/press_releases/thank-you

SENATOR HARRY REID

These bruises I have on my face, on my eye, are an inconvenience, but trust me they’re nothing compared to some of the bruises I got when I was fighting in the ring. When I was a boy, I dreamed of being an athlete. I listened to those games on the radio, baseball games, and I envisioned me as a man out in center field at Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park in Boston. But the joy I’ve gotten with the work that I’ve done for the people of the state of Nevada has been just as fulfilling as if I had played center field at Yankee Stadium.

The job of minority leader of the United States Senate is just as important as being the majority leader. It gives you so much opportunity to do good things for this country. And that’s what I am focused on.

But this accident has caused us for the first time to have a little down time. I have had time to ponder and to think. We’ve got to be more concerned about the country, the Senate, the state of Nevada than us. And as a result of that I’m not going to run for re-election.

My friend, Senator McConnell, don’t be too elated. I am going to be here for twenty-two months, and you know what I’m going to be doing? The same thing I’ve done since I first came to the Senate.

We have to make sure that the Democrats take control of the Senate again. And I feel it is inappropriate for me to soak up all those resources on me when I could be devoting those resources to the caucus, and that’s what I intend to do.

The decision that I’ve made has absolutely nothing to do with my injury, it has nothing to do with my being minority leader and it certainly has nothing to do with my ability to be re-elected because the path to re-election is much easier than probably has been any time that I’ve run for re-election.

LANDRA REID

I get a little upset sometimes when I hear politicians say that they’re gonna go and spend time with their family after they decide that they’re not gonna be in politics anymore. He’s a wonderful husband and a wonderful father. And so that’s been more important than the other things that he’s done with his life.

SENATOR HARRY REID

Someone with my background, my upbringing, to have the experiences I’ve had is really a miracle and I want the people of the state of Nevada to know that I am so grateful. And I have done my best. I haven’t been perfect, but I’ve really tried my hardest to represent the people of the state of Nevada.

Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement and video today:
http://www.reid.senate.gov/press_releases/2015-27-03-statement-from-senator-harry-reid

“When I was a boy, I dreamed of being an athlete. I listened to those baseball games on the radio, and I envisioned myself as a man out in center field at Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park in Boston. But the joy I’ve gotten with the work that I’ve done for the people of the state of Nevada has been just as fulfilling as if I had played center field at Yankee Stadium.

“The job of Minority Leader of the United States Senate is just as important as being the Majority Leader. It gives you so much opportunity to do good things for this country. And that’s what I am focused on.

“But this accident has caused Landra and me to have a little down time. I have had time to ponder and to think. We’ve got to be more concerned about the country, the Senate, the state of Nevada than about ourselves. And as a result of that I’m not going to run for re-election.

“I am going to be here for another 22 months, and you know what I’m going to be doing? The same thing I’ve done since I first came to the Senate.

“We have to make sure that the Democrats take control of the Senate again. And I feel it is inappropriate for me to soak up all those resources on me when I could be devoting those resources to the caucus, and that’s what I intend to do.

“Someone with my background, my upbringing, to have the experiences I’ve had is really a miracle. And I want you to know that I am so grateful for your invaluable support. I have done my best. I haven’t been perfect, but I’ve really tried my hardest to represent the people of the state of Nevada.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

Titus Statement on the Retirement of Senator Harry Reid

Las Vegas, NV – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s First District released the following statement on Senator Harry Reid’s announcement that he will retire from the U.S. Senate at the end of his current term:

“Harry Reid changed the course of history, not just in Nevada but for the nation. His leadership on issues of health care and environmental protection has left legislative landmarks unlikely ever to be matched. The desert is blooming with solar plants, some 73,000 previously uninsured Nevadans now have coverage, and Tule Springs is protected, all thanks to Senator Reid. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve with him over the years.”

Heller Statement on Retirement of Senator Harry Reid

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) released the following statement after United States Senator Harry Reid announced he will not seek re-election:

“I would like to thank Harry for his long and decorated career in public service. He served Nevada with distinction in both local and state government before coming to Capitol Hill and representing the concerns of Nevadans as both a member of the House and the Senate. Throughout his time on the Hill, there was never any doubt his actions always put the interests of the Silver State first.”

Heller continued, “Harry’s coming home to Nevada. I have no doubt his family is looking forward to catching up on lost time, especially the grandchildren. I look forward to working with him for the next 22 months.”

Americans United for Change Thanks Senate Democratic Leader Reid for His Decades of Leadership on Behalf of Working Americans

Americans United for Change President Brad Woodhouse released the following statement following Sen. Harry Reid’s announcement he will not be running for reelection next year:

“Of Senator Reid’s decades of selfless public service, we are proud to have fought alongside him over these last 10 years to advance progressive values in Congress. Time and again, we witnessed why they call him ‘Give ‘em Hell Harry.’  He brought a boxer’s mentality into every fight for the middle class.  In 2005, we saw a tenacious Senator Reid put then-popular President Bush on the ropes for trying to privatize Social Security and put the retirement security of millions of Americans at risk. That was the first fight Americans United took on with Senator Reid. In 2007, we saw Senator Reid force Republicans to filibuster a responsible end to the war in Iraq until they were blue in the face. At the height of the Great Recession left behind by President Bush that was leaving 800,000 Americans without jobs every month, Harry Reid was instrumental in delivering the recovery package and Wall Street reform that pulled the economy out of a tailspin and on course to creating 12 million jobs. Politicians had been talking about comprehensive health care reform for 40 years, but on Christmas Eve 2009, we saw Senator Reid find a way to get it over one last and tall hurdle to make it a reality that will save many lives and families from worry of going bankrupt over medical bills. We’ve seen Senator Reid go to the mat and outmaneuver his Republican counterparts on everything from health reform to making millionaires pay a fairer share, to filibuster reform and approving qualified judicial and executive nominations.  Senator Reid leaves behind an knockout legacy fighting for working families, fighting for fair pay, and fighting to make sure all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care.  For all Senator Reid has accomplished toward giving more Americans a shot at the middle class and protecting the health and retirement benefits Americans have earned, and for the work he will continue to do, we couldn’t possibly thank him enough.”

HRC: Senate Under Harry Reid Fundamentally Changed the Lives of LGBT Americans

The following is a statement from HRC’s President Chad Griffin upon news that Senator Harry Reid will retire from the U.S. Senate after the completion of his current term. As leader of the Democratic Caucus since 2005, Reid has played a key role in ensuring legislation critical to the LGBT community passed the Senate, from new Hate Crimes protections, to ENDA, to the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, to an updated Violence Against Women Act, the first federal sexual orientation and gender identity non-discrimination statute.

“In the dark days after the 2004 election, a Mormon boxer from Nevada became the LGBT community’s quiet champion in the Senate, and we will be forever grateful for his leadership. During Senator Reid’s term as majority leader, the Senate passed sweeping legislation that has fundamentally improved the lives of LGBT Americans and brought this nation closer to achieving its mission of liberty and justice for all. Without his courage and commitment to equality, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell would still be on the books and LGBT people would lack key hate crimes and domestic violence protections. With two years left in his term, Senator Reid will continue to be a key ally as we fight for a new federal LGBT non-discrimination bill in this session of Congress.”

Sen. Reid received a 100 percent rating on the HRC Scorecard for the last four Congresses. The scorecard rates members of Congress on their positions on LGBT-related legislation.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBT people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

 

Tod Story, executive director, of the ACLU of Nevada released the following statement in response to Senator Reid’s announced retirement:

“Senator Reid will be missed when he retires in 2017, and we thank him for his 40 plus years of public service. In our nearly 50 years, the ACLU of Nevada has worked with Reid to strengthen civil liberties and recognize the rights of all people. While we may not have agreed on every problem, or every solution, we have had the honor of working with the senator on marriage equality, women’s rights, the rights of immigrants, and employment discrimination. We will continue to work with Reid to restore privacy and due process to the people. With the scheduled sunset of surveillance authority in the Patriot Act on June 1, now is the time to end unbridled surveillance of Americans. We hope there will be significant progress toward that goal.”