Former Senate Majority Leader
For 34 years, Senator Trent Lott was a formidable presence in the halls of the U.S. Capitol Building. As Senate Majority Leader, he helped produce the historic 1997 budget that balanced the federal books for the first time in nearly thirty years. With a patriot's concern for good governance and a true diplomat's ability to forge alliances, he led by example, spearheading bipartisan legislation on health care, social security, global trade, and tax policy. A distinguished American statesman represented exclusively by Leading Authorities, Trent Lott brings his trademark southern candor, intellectual courage, and political prowess to every speaking engagement. Perhaps no American statesman on the scene today has more experience, brings more wisdom, or speaks with greater candor and good-natured enthusiasm about America's role as a global leader in democracy, free-market capitalism, and security.
Leadership, Legislation, and Legacy. After 16 years as a congressman and 14 as a senator from Mississippi, Lott presides over an unparalleled legislative legacy. As a crucial bridge-builder in the 1996 welfare reform bill, the formation of the Department of Homeland Security, and the revitalization of the American military after the events of September 11, 2001, he led the Senate to pass decisive legislation to meet the new challenges of the 21st century. At times, this conservative standard-bearer had to live up to the title of his 2005 memoir Herding Cats: A Life in Politics. At others, the going was slightly easier, but despite the hurdles and roadblocks on Capitol Hill, Lott's legacy as a lawmaker is one of historic accomplishments, strategic compromises, and clear-eyed pragmatism.
National Security, Global Strategy. Senator Lott's leadership in the Senate was crucial in bolstering the American military's prowess and prestige. In 1998, he pushed the first military pay raise in a decade through Congress, which greatly improved military recruitment, retention, and overall preparedness?an initiative which would prove crucially forward-thinking a mere three years later. He was also instrumental in the Senate's ratification of NATO's expansion into Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, after leading a Senate delegation to personally meet the leaders of those countries.
Southern Transformation. As one of the first Republicans to crack the Democratic hold on the South in general and Mississippi in particular, Lott began his career in the House of Representatives, landing a seat on the House Judiciary Committee. Two years later, he became the first Republican congressman to be re-elected in Mississippi since Reconstruction, proving his staying-power as well as his standing as a transformative figure in Southern politics. In Mississippi, he championed school funding, university research, and the improvement of infrastructure, both public and commercial. His job-creating initiatives have helped make Mississippi a vital part of the nation's space, military, and high-tech industries.
Most recently, Lott joined forces with former US Senator John Breaux and their sons to form the Breaux-Lott Leadership Group. Together, they provide strategic advice, consulting, and lobbying on a wide range of public policy matters, including energy, defense, tax, and homeland security.
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Download Speech Topics: Trent Lott Topics
Leadership: Herding Cats, Building Consensus, and Getting Things Done As a lawmaker who made a career out of building consensuses and coalitions, Senator Trent Lott established a reputation as one of the most effective and productive legislators of the last three decades. His ability to forge cooperative alliances across party lines set an example and created a style of governance whose lessons are sorely needed today on Capitol Hill. By always keeping America's welfare ahead of partisan squabbles, Lott was able to play key roles in the historic budget of 1997, welfare reform, and incentive-based tax cuts which stimulated unprecedented economic growth in the late 1990s. He spearheaded a landmark education reform bill, supported the largest increase in defense spending since the Cold War, and implemented the most significant trade legislation in a decade. Lott speaks with his trademark southern style about the necessary skills for leadership and negotiation and the care and aplomb needed to bring differing people together to achieve positive results.
Solidifying U.S. InfrastructureAs a long-time Senate leader, Trent Lott has been involved in every issue in Washington, from foreign policy to health care. But his passion is--and has always been--transportation. By recognizing the importance of infrastructure, Lott's approach to funding ports, interstates, and roads has created a vibrant and fertile base where education, economic stimulus, and job creation can flourish. He speaks about his record of transportation funding and the pressing need to create a better, more reliable infrastructure to keep up with the changing nature of America.
POINT-COUNTERPOINT WITH JOHN BREAUX
Tacking to the Center, Getting Results. Former United States Senators John Breaux (D-LA) and Trent Lott (R-MS) both led long, successful, and above all else, productive careers as lawmakers in Washington. By understanding the nuances of negotiation, compromise, and good governance, these two southern statesmen governed from opposites sides of the political aisle, but always led their respective parties toward the center, toward meaningful and beneficial compromises, ensuring that the country was always moving forward. Drawing on their combined 60-plus years as legislators, Senators Breaux and Lott converse eloquently and passionately, debating a wide range of topics in American politics, from tax policy to national security to the need for compromise and debate in America's great deliberative bodies. By agreeing to meet each halfway and putting the needs of the country ahead of partisan squabbles, Breaux and Lott provide a sage example for lawmakers of today and leaders of the future.
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