To the Editor:
(Syracuse, NY – Jan. 9, 2013) It has been nearly a week since I left Washington. As I reflect on my time in office, I am proud of what my staff and I have accomplished. Over the course of the past two years, my office has held over 40 town hall meetings, met with hundreds of constituents, small businesses, and organizations. We participated in hundreds of community events, and closed more than a thousand constituent issues that you contacted us about.
Legislatively, we moved the conversation forward on a number of issues facing our community and our nation: the plight of small businesses, the debt and the deficit, healthcare, autoimmune disease, and veterans’ issues. For two years, my office was open, accessible, and accountable to the people of the 25th District. We always understood that we served the people of Central New York and, no matter the issues, worked on your behalf.
I went to Congress with the goal of working towards a better nation by supporting those founding principles that made this country an exceptional one. I believe, that with an equally committed staff, we have done that; we have made a difference.
I am not certain what the future holds for me, but I do know that I will continue to work to strengthen our nation and Upstate New York. We live in the greatest country in the history of mankind. The solutions to the problems our great country faces will not come from the government but will come from you, the American people. The greatness of this nation lies in its people not its government. While many challenges lie ahead, I truly believe that our best days are ahead of us, not behind us.
Serving the people of New York’s 25th Congressional District for the past two years has been one of the highest honors of my life. It has been a privilege to be the voice of Upstate New York, my lifetime home, in Washington. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to serve and for the support I have received. Please know how much I appreciate the honor of serving you and for the opportunity to make history by being the first female to hold this Congressional seat.
May God bless our military, our veterans, and may God bless this great nation, the United States of America.
Sincerely,
Ann Marie Buerkle