Comments from Therese Murray
Who would have thought? Good afternoon and thank all of you for being here today. The following is a partial transcript, slightly edited, of Terese Murray's comments today after being named the first female president of the Massachusetts Senate. This is a very bittersweet day for me also. Honored guests, family and friends, I want to thank the members of this distinguished body for the faith you've shown with me today and with your vote. As my friends and my colleagues, I am humbled by your support. Thank you Senator Creedon for your kind remarks -- and so you'll note for later reference, my mother called that my "bold look" -- and Senator Tucker for your kind and instructive words. I didn't know I was only the 16th woman ever elected to this body. It's kind of mind-boggling at this day in age. I can't think of a greater honor than to be elected by my peers, to follow my friend and my mentor, Robert Travaglini.
As he stated, we entered the Senate together in 1993 from very diverse, two very diverse districts, but we quickly became very close friends and I thank him for his counsel and his confidence that he placed in me when he named me chair of Ways and Means for the Senate. He has been an inspiration and he has been a friend to me and I am honored. I will never take his place, but I'm honored to follow him. I wish him and his family the best in this new and very exciting chapter for your new career. I also want to thank you, my colleagues for your trust and your support during my tenure at the Ways and Means committee, and I'll try to start saying yes, Bruce, but I doubt it.
The level of openness and cooperation that we've developed over the past four years made my job as chair much easier. This is also true of the relationship with their counterparts in the House of Representatives. Representative John Rogers was such a great help to me when I first became chair and that spirit of cooperation and friendship has continued with chairman Bob DeLeo, and Speaker DiMasi, for whom I have the greatest respect. I have enjoyed working with both gentlemen over the past two years and I look forward to a hearty and spirited discourse with our friends in the House over the next two years.
The Senate and House have already demonstrated what we can achieve working side by side. With the election of our new governor, Deval Patrick, I believe there are even greater accomplishments yet to come. Let's work together with him to make this Commonwealth strong.
The bond that binds all three branches in our work is the best interests of the people of Massachusetts. That will continue to be the litmus test I use every day for every decision I make as Senate president. I also pledge to you that the open and empowering atmosphere created by President Travaglini will continue. I will look to members of this body for advice and counsel and expect input from each of you during the transition and way beyond. We are all in this together. And no idea will be discounted, as we conduct the business of the Commonwealth. Thank you as well to the voters of the Plymouth and Barnstable district for the support you've given me over the last 15 years. I began my campaign in 1992 with you, we weren't sure we were going to succeed but you placed your faith in me. Never did I imagine that I would ascend to the presidency of the Massachusetts Senate. My path to this day was made easier through your support and I pledge to continue to earn that support every day. There are many many others I would like to acknowledge who have assisted me over the years including my current and my former staff. I can't name them all for the interest of time, but I also want to recognize two women, one who is not with us today, Attorney General Martha Coakley, and the other who is with us today, Boston City Councilor Maureen Feeney.
I'm extremely proud of these women and their accomplishments, and of course Council President Feeney is a Dorchester girl like myself. I mention them because, when I first entered the Senate, there were only four women, as Senator Tucker mentioned. Only four women in this body, and women in elected positions were few and far between. The election of the three of us demonstrates that in 2007, gender is no longer an issue when choosing government leaders.
This is the difficult part. Those who know me, and I guess by the papers today there are not too many who do. They know that my family and friends are the center of my universe, my core, my value barometer. My family has shaped who I am and the priorities I've set. The unwavering support of my daughter, Lauren, who has had to live with a type A mother; my sisters, my brothers-in-law, Michael and Bill, all of whom do not always agree with me politically; my nieces and nephews, cousins who are here today; my friends, those who I grew up with and the Dorchester contingent who is up here; and those who I have shared my adult life with in Plymouth. They are my Plymouth Rock.
We grew up in Mission Hill, in Dorchester, with my sisters, my parents -- my poor dad, there were five girls and a female dog -- but they set an example of the benefits of hard work. Our mother worked full time when most women did not work outside the home. And my father worked sometimes as many as three jobs at once. We all obtained our work permits at 14 years of age and we were more than happy to contribute to help support our family. I will continue to work and to carry that work ethic that was instilled in us, into the presidency of the Senate. Five years ago, when I took over as chairwoman of Ways and Means, we were facing a fiscal crisis. Today, we are once again facing a budget deficit that must balance the needs of the Commonwealth with the priorities set by this body, working together we will face the challenges confronting us in education, healthcare, job creation, energy, stem cell research and housing. None of these issues can be dealt with in a singular fashion because they all affect the future of our state. The Senate has traditionally taken the lead in education and we will continue to do so by making sure that affordable, quality education is available from pre-kindergarten through college.
There is a direct correlation between the success of our economy and housing. We cannot keep and attract an educated work force without affordable housing. Innovative programs like 40-R and 40-T will allow our citizens to live and work in the communities where they grow up, but we have to do so much more. In working with the House of Representatives, and the administration, we will do more. This body has also demonstrated its ability to find innovative solutions, by working to make Massachusetts the first state in the nation to pass meaningful health care reform. With the passage of this law, we have again become the catalyst for change by making a commitment that every resident will have access to affordable healthcare. I realize that there will be bumps in the road as this historic plan is implemented but I also know that the Senate, under the leadership of Senator Moore, is determined to see it through, and our determination must never waver in that regard. As one of the world's centers for medicine, Massachusetts is the rightful place for cutting edge ethical, biomedical research. I believe that we need to advance the promotion of stem cell research and biomedical research in a responsible, ethical way that which will expand the industry within our state, create new jobs, and enhance our competitiveness with other states. As we focus on healthcare and the need to bring new industry to the Commonwealth, we must not forget the businesses and industries that are already here, providing jobs to our citizens. We need to lessen the burden on small businesses, and we need to market their products and this Commonwealth throughout the country and around the world.
Massachusetts was founded on the fishing and agricultural community and Senator Tarr touched on that. However, these traditional industries have been hit particularly hard in recent years as a result of ever-increasing federal regulations and escalating costs. Both of these industries are slowly being squeezed out of existence. Our farmers need support and our fishing families need our help. Many of my constituents are part of families who have been farming and fishing for many generations. We need to find solutions before overdevelopment and overregulation drive them out of business forever or, as we've seen in the very recent past, into dangerous waters where they put their lives at risk. Their plight, like the plight of so many others is what first stirred me to public office and to this body. Whether it is a single mom working two jobs to make ends meet, a senior citizen having to choose between prescription drugs or food, veterans of all ages who deserve the services necessary to aid them and remaining integral members of our society. No matter when they came home. Or the family with the sick child who can turn to our Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund so they don't have to sell their house to pay their medical bills or for further treatment for their children. These are the people we have pledged to serve, and they all have a voice through us and they must be heard. We will do so with the understanding that we must always be mindful of the fiscal health of this great Commonwealth. I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish together as colleagues, and I look forward to working with each and every one of you as your president. Thank you very much.
Applause. 