Berger Praises Clary’s 17 Years of Service

Sen. Debbie Clary (R-Cleveland) announced Tuesday she will retire from the North Carolina Senate in November to pursue consulting and policy work in the private sector.

Clary is one of the first lawmakers in more than a century to serve in Republican majorities in both the state House and Senate.

A business-friendly legislator who fought to improve health care for all North Carolinians, she served seven terms in the House and, most recently, two in the Senate.

“It is with the greatest appreciation that I say thank you to the voters of Cleveland and Rutherford, as well as Gaston and Polk Counties for allowing me the honor of serving them in the North Carolina General Assembly for 17 years,” Clary said.

This year, she sponsored bills that reduce redundant government bureaucracy, reform the state’s Employment Security Commission, and allow North Carolinians to opt out of President Obama’s intrusive federal health care law.

In the House, she spearheaded passage of the Jessica Lunsford Act, which protects children from sexual predators. She also championed the Graduated Driver’s License law, credited with saving teen lives.

“In her 17 years of service in the General Assembly, Debbie Clary has been a strong and consistent advocate for all North Carolinians,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham). “Her efforts have helped save the lives of teens and provide health care for the elderly, and they have made North Carolina more attractive to the job-creating private businesses that will lead us out of this recession. It’s a big loss for the Senate, but we wish her well.”

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