mr. todd plats, who is also retiring -- platts, who is also retiring. mr. platts: i thank the gentlelady. before commenting on my own retirement i want to echo the gentleman from colorado, maryland, mr. perlmutter and mr. hoyer, in their right on point remarks, judy, about you and your service. we have sat together for the last 12 years on the ed committee, working on education issues, children's issues. you have been such a great leader on homeless children and the importance of us doing right by them in the education arena, even though they were homeless. and maybe all the more important we do right by them. when we hear the term statesman or public servant, you epitomize both. it's been a great privilege to be with you. as i think back to arriving here 12 years ago, one, it's hard to believe it's been 12 years since first coming here. and my decision about a year ago, january of this year, to step down was not an easy one, but it's one that i thought was the right decision for me. i have always been one who believed in 12-year term limits and thought i've