Celina’s Faber sworn in as Ohio Senate president

It is customary for the President of the Senate to exercise what we call the president’s prerogative to make a few remarks. So I appreciate you indulgence for just a few moments as we commence the next chapter of this great institution.

The Scripture tells us that in everything we should give thanks, and so I want to begin today with a word of gratitude. First, I want thank God for all he has blessed us with and his best gift that is the reason we just celebrated over the Holidays. Next I want to thank those who made this occasion possible. To Reverend Doug Meyer of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Celina, thank you for delivering the invocation today. You presence has made this occasion extra special and I ask for your continued prayer on our behalf in the days ahead.

To Justice Sharon Kennedy and Judge Jeffrey Hopkins, thank you for administering the oath of office to those of us who are beginning new terms. And my thanks, as well, to the Joint National Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard for delivering the colors and more importantly for their service to our nation.

To the children and grandchildren of Senate members for leading us in the pledge of allegiance; and to the Alliance Chorus, who will hear from in just a moment as we conclude. I also want to recognize the Senate and Statehouse employees who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to organize every part of this day, from the invitations and logistics of this event to getting senators moved into their offices and accommodating their guests. The work of our staff often goes unrecognized, but never unappreciated.

I have the great honor of representing the leading agricultural district in the State and I wanted to pay special tribute to them throughout luncheon in the Atrium today. Many of the organizations that represent Ohio’s agriculture industry, led by the Ohio Farm Bureau, volunteered to provide the meal we all enjoyed. I appreciate not only their assistance with this event today but also their service to our state’s number-one industry, agriculture. My greatest thanks today belongs to our

family and friends, who are there alongside me not just for this occasion today but every day. To Andrea, Adam and Brooke, I offer my sincere thanks and all of my love and affection. Like all of the families here, you have and will have too many days and nights with dad in Columbus and not home. Without your love and support I would not be here.

We are honored today to be joined in the chamber by several past presidents of the Senate: Doug White and, of course – my friend and colleague Tom Niehaus whose birthday it is today! Please join me in honoring them for their service to this body and our great state. To other distinguished guests and to the family and friends of each member, welcome to the Ohio Senate today.

Your love, support and patience have made this accomplishment possible, and we will rely on each of those qualities even more in the days ahead. Finally, I want to express with greatest humility my gratitude to each of you as members

for the honor of leading one of the finest and most respected legislative bodies in the world. We have incredible talent, intellect, creativity, compassion and courage sitting among the 33 of us here today. It should be used for the common good of this state and its people.

I am sure that like me, you have been asked, why are you in public service? Why are you willing to spend the long hours, incur the personal costs of being away from your family and the financial costs associated with the job? Knowing most of you as I do, having served with some of you for more than a decade, I know that most of you are here for the same reason I am. For your children and grandchildren! You believe in Ohio. As has often been said of those of us in Public Service, we are only temporary place-holders of the offices we represent and we serve at the will of those who sent us here. The seat each of us holds at this moment represents the hopes and expectation of the not just those who elected you to represent them but every man, woman and child who lives in your respective district.

Scripture, again, says that to whom much is given, much will be required. The challenge of representing the millions of people in this great state has been bestowed on 33 of us sitting in this room. That is a profound thought, and we must never take that trust for granted. To each of you elected to serve with me, I give you my promise to speak with honesty; to lead with integrity; to serve by example; to communicate with clarity to respect this institution, its members and its constituents at all times and above all else, to learn by listening. As many of you know, Lincoln, who visited and some say even danced in this chamber, appealed in his first inaugural address to “the better angels of our nature.” I echo that call for civility today. I believe we should seek to compromise on policy but never to compromise on principle, and you will always have my profound respect for acting on conviction – knowing that at times we might disagree.

We continued today a tradition of each member walking into the chamber on the opposite side of the aisle where they sit. We continued today a tradition of each member walking into the chamber on the opposite side of the aisle where they sit. The practice of shaking a colleague’s hand and then crossing the aisle to take our seats is symbolic. It is a gesture of goodwill and a commitment to collaboration on the work we face ahead. The challenge of each of us as members and especially those of us entrusted to lead our respective caucuses is to make sure that act of bipartisanship becomes not just a symbol but also a daily practice. This is not a moment for political rhetoric or policy pronouncements. It is a challenge to rise above the division and discord that defines so much of politics today and to set a new standard.

Both Republicans and Democrats agree that our primary charge is pure and simple. Our Job is to provide the leadership our great state needs to help make and keep Ohio a great place to live, work and raise our families. Both sides of the Isle have the shared purpose to find ways to grow Ohio’s economy and allow the private sector to create jobs. I recognize that shared goals do no automatically translate to shared methodology and ways to implement our ideas. While we may fairly differ on that how, I don’t believe we differ in this chamber as to the what.

As Lincoln said, shades of opinion may be sincerely entertained by honest and truthful people. So then, I say humbly and respectively to my colleges and friends from the other side of the aisle. Today we are extending you the olive branch of cooperation. We look forward to working with you to do good things for Ohio. But remember, as Lincoln also said, “Only he who has the heart to help also has the right to criticize.” No one here today would underestimate the work that lies ahead of us, to balance our state budget; to educate our children, to build up our economy; to create jobs; and to make Ohio the greatest place in the nation to live, work and raise a family. This is no small task. We should not forget the fact that the people who sent us here can send us home.

To whom much is given, much will be required. As I tell school groups who come here to visit, take a look around this chamber. Quickly you will recognize the history and grandeur that makes this chamber special as one of the “People’s Houses. You can’t help but to wonder about those who have went before us in this chamber and about who in this room may be a future member of the Senate. I want to conclude today with the words of another American President, who once sat in this very chamber as a member of the Ohio Senate. James Garfield ended his inaugural address by saying, “And now fellow-citizens, I am about to assume the great trust which you have committed to my hands. I appeal to you for that earnest and thoughtful support which makes this Government in fact, as it is in law, a government of the people. Upon our efforts to promote the welfare of this great people and their Government I reverently invoke the support and blessing of Almighty God.”

After now traveling all across Ohio and having spent time in most of your districts, I am further convinced Ohio, is a just and wonderful state that has truly been blessed by God. We have advantages other states can only dream of and together we can and will work to assure Ohio’s best years are ahead of us. That is our shared challenge and I know we are up to it! Thank you and may God bless you and Ohio and may Good bless this work of this 130th General Assembly.