WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Senator Bob Casey knows a lot about history.
And he sits among it nearly every day in the office in the Russell Senate Office building once inhabited by John F. Kennedy Jr.
It's where Newswatch 16 met Senator Casey to talk about his history in Washington, DC.
"I've been fortunate enough to serve the people of our state for 28 years consecutively. That's pretty rare. And to serve here for 18 years. So, I have a lot of gratitude in my heart as I close my time in the Senate," Senator Casey said.
His staff is starting to pack up the office. But, the post-election rush to the end of the year doesn't leave much time for reflection. Our meeting with Casey was between two votes on the Senate floor, wrapping up 2024 business.
Casey believes some of his most impactful votes here came toward the end of his career.
"I guess, when it comes to Pennsylvania, I'm very proud of the investments we made through the American Rescue Plan in the last four years, The Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, to invest in communities," he said.
The American Rescue plan brought close to $70 million to Casey's hometown of Scranton. The Senator said the real results of that investment will be seen after he leaves office.
Casey also touted his leadership in passing the ABLE Act, which allows people with disabilities to save money without losing government benefits. He is also proud of the millions secured to begin construction on passenger rail connecting Scranton to New York City. An effort he hopes continues.
"Obviously, you always have a concern whether the folks coming after you will carry it forward, but I think there's broad, bipartisan support for it in our region," Casey added.
The Casey name was long associated with Harrisburg politics until Bob Casey, Jr. was elected to the US Senate in 2006. He had hoped to serve a fourth term in the Senate until he was unseated in the 2024 election.
Casey told Newswatch 16 there is plenty of unfinished business.
"I think we have a chance next year. Obviously the Senate and the House will be working on it, but we, I'll be a private citizen soon, we have a role to play in informing ourselves and becoming advocates for a much fairer tax code," he said.
That includes tax cuts for the middle class, a long time talking point from the left. Casey believes the incoming Republican majority could get done.
"We've got a society that's been divided, and part of the reason for that, in my judgment, is that people feel squeezed. Their paycheck doesn't go as far as it used to. One of the ways to provide a remedy for that is to give the middle class a hell of a big tax cut," Casey added.
Advocating for tax reform is one of the things Casey plans to do from a different office at home.
"Every job I had serving the people in government, Auditor General, State Treasurer, and US Senator, required me to be some place else other than home. I had to be in Harrisburg for a decade for those statewide positions, then I was in Washington, two hours further south. So now I'll be able to wake up, and whatever job I have or work I'm doing, I'll be able to do it mostly from Scranton, Pennsylvania," he said.
Casey's historic Washington office won't necessarily go to his successor, Republican Dave McCormick, who will be sworn in after the first of the year. Newswatch 16 reached out to Senator-elect McCormick's office, hoping to speak to him as well. We did not hear back.