KITTERY, Maine — Wearing blue in honor of the U.S. Navy, Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, admitted it was a bittersweet day Friday as she met with Portsmouth Naval Shipyard workers for what could be the last time as a senator.

Snowe, who is not running for re-election this fall after serving in the U.S. Senate for 16 years, was honored with a U.S. “ensign,” or flag, that flew over the shipyard. Such flags are typically presented to shipyard workers upon their retirement.

“We consider Senator Snowe a shipyarder,” said Mark Nelson of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers.

“That's shipyahda,” quipped Paul O'Connor, president of the Metal Trades Council.

“And you're from New Hampshire!” laughed Snowe.

That kind of banter came easily for Snowe and the shipyard workers, said Nelson, because she has been in lockstep with the shipyard her entire time in Washington.

“I remember a day (during the Base Realignment and Closure process) when we were outside the gate right here and it was pouring rain, and you were right out there with us,” Nelson said.

“When I think of all the rallies, when I think about being the voice for these exceptional workers, they really made my job easy,” she said.

Snowe said it was and remains easy to be supportive of the shipyard because of what she called the “outstanding leadership and truly extraordinary workforce” at the yard.

The senator said she has always been most impressed with the workers' and command staff's efforts to collaborate together to come up with innovating and time-saving methods of performing their duties at the yard.

“What you've done here is so impressive it's almost indescribable,” she said.

O'Connor will travel to Washington, D.C., next week to meet with the federal Office of Personnel Management to discuss the shipyard workers' methods to see if it can be replicated elsewhere in the federal government.

“That's wonderful,” Snowe said. “They need to hear from you. We need to remove these barriers and silos of the federal agencies. You took yours apart and that's what they need to do to succeed.”

The workers and the Navy command recently signed a “declaration of excellence” outlining their efforts.

“We collaborated together to create the declaration,” Nelson said. “Congress would have trillions of miles to go before they can reach our level of excellence.”

“Amen to that,” said Snowe, who said she is leaving the Senate because she can't work in the rancorous atmosphere of Congress. “The Congress absolutely could learn a thing or two from the workers here.”

Snowe said once she leaves office, she intends to travel the country to talk about “what needs to happen to turn this country around.”

HONORING SNOWE

The following certificate was presented to Sen. Olympia Snowe by Capt. Bryant Fuller when she received the “ensign,” or flag, that flew over the shipyard:

Commander, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard proudly presents the Colors of the United States of America to the Honorable Olympia Snowe.

In the name of the people of the United States of America, I present to you the Navy's most honored and cherished emblem, the Ensign of the United States of America.

Be it known that you have indeed served under this flag. On this day, these colors have flown from the topmast flagpole of Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

May it serve to remind you of the high call of those who are dedicated to the defense of our Nation.

We say farewell to a shipmate; we bid you fair winds and following seas.

Good luck and Godspeed.
L. B. FULLER

Captain, United States Navy

Shipyard Commander