Cole Statement on Senator Roy Blunt’s Planned Retirement

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) announced he will not run for reelection in 2022 and will retire at the end of the 117th Congress.

As longtime congressional colleagues, Cole and Blunt first began serving together when they were both members of the U.S. House of Representatives. This included Cole's tenure serving as a Deputy Whip for then-House Republican Whip Blunt. Mostly recently, over the last several years, Cole and Blunt have partnered across the Capitol as the top Republican leaders of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies in their respective chambers.

'Over the course of many years now, Senator Roy Blunt has been a simply wonderful friend, incredible colleague, constant mentor and essential source of wise counsel,' said Cole. 'I appreciate and value his leadership and friendship more than words can express.

'As one of his Deputy Whips in the House during my first years of service in the House, I had the great privilege of working directly with him to promote the voting priorities of the House Republican Conference.

'Throughout the last several years and as my Senate Republican counterpart leading the same Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Blunt has been an absolutely indispensable partner in achieving critical and incremental funding increases for the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Strategic National Stockpile as well as helping usher in the creation of the Infectious Disease Rapid Response Reserve Fund in recent years. I am so proud of all we have achieved together.

'While Senator Blunt will certainly be missed after his retirement, I have every confidence that he will indeed 'finish strong,' showing even greater energy, enthusiasm and effectiveness on his final day in office than his very first. And I know the state of Missouri and our country will benefit from the remaining service he will exceptionally render in the Senate as we all have throughout every day of his distinguished career.'

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