U.S. Senator Katie Britt, Republican from Alabama, weighed in today on U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s announcement that he plans to step down as senate majority leader. She noted that McConnell was born in Alabama.

“Today, we congratulate and thank one of Alabama’s greatest native sons,” Britt said. “We’re incredibly grateful for Leader McConnell’s decades of service and leadership for our country.”

McConnell was born on February 20, 1942, in Sheffield, and was raised in nearby Athens, until 1950, when the family moved to Georgia and later to Kentucky.

“His legacy is unparalleled in the Senate’s history and will long outlast his tenure as Leader,” Britt said. “He has always been a consummate statesman and stalwart champion of this venerable institution. I think Leader McConnell said it best—it’s time to make sure our next leader will be the majority leader, so we can preserve the American Dream for generations to come.”