CONCORD, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster delivered her farewell address to Congress on the House floor, where she highlighted her bipartisan accomplishments and urged her colleagues to prioritize unity and effective governance.

After serving New Hampshire’s Second Congressional District for 12 years, she announced earlier this year she would not seek re-election.

In her remarks, she emphasized bipartisanship, progress, and hope for the future.

“I rise today full of gratitude for having had the privilege of representing New Hampshire’s Second Congressional District for the past 12 years,” Kuster said in a news release. She reflected on her unique connection to the Granite State, noting, “New Hampshire doesn’t have a national sports team—I’ve long said politics is our pastime, and it has been such a joy to advocate for my friends, family, neighbors, and state in that arena.”

Kuster spoke of the challenges and triumphs of her time in office. “My time in these halls has been many things—rewarding, inspiring, challenging, and, at times, frustrating. But more than anything, it has been the greatest honor of my lifetime,” she said, adding that her work in Congress affirmed her belief that “our government really does work best when Republicans and Democrats come together to solve our country’s biggest problems.”

Highlighting her bipartisan efforts, Kuster proudly discussed her accomplishments: founding the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force and the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence. “Thanks in part to the Task Force’s tireless advocacy…we are finally beginning to see overdose deaths decline across the country,” she said. Kuster also shared a deeply personal moment, recounting how she “first shared [her] own story of sexual assault publicly” in the House chamber while advocating for reforms.

As Chair of the New Democrat Coalition, Kuster stressed the importance of placing “country and duty over party and politics,” noting the Coalition’s role in preventing a government shutdown and averting debt default.

Looking back, Kuster expressed pride in her record and urged her colleagues to continue building bridges. “We didn’t always agree on how to tackle these challenges, but we listened to each other’s positions, debated the ideas on the merits, and focused on the mission of delivering for our constituents,” she said.

However, she also acknowledged the challenges of partisanship. “As lawmakers, we must reject cynicism and the notion that Congress and our institutions are destined for dysfunction and disorder,” Kuster implored, calling on her successors to “lead with courage in the face of division.”

Ending her tenure on an optimistic note, Kuster shared her guiding principles: “Be bold, be brave, and most importantly, be kind.”