Washington, DC—Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made the following statement following the announcement by U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel of his retirement from the U.S. Senate next year:

“Chuck Hagel has served the people of Nebraska and our nation with honor, and I will be losing a friend and colleague when he retires. He is a battlefield hero who has used his experience in war to advocate for a foreign policy that is in the best interests of our troops and our country. I hope his fellow Republicans will emulate his independence as we shape our Iraq policy in the coming months.”

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