McConnell honors spirit of Kentucky — bourbon

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) came to the Senate floor Thursday to talk about one of his favorite Kentucky drinks — bourbon.

{mosads}“I rise to pay tribute to the spirit of Kentucky — literally,” McConnell said. “Kentucky is, of course, the birthplace of bourbon.”

McConnell got unanimous consent to pass S.Res. 446 marking the 50th anniversary of Congress recognizing that bourbon whiskey is a distinct product of the United States and prohibiting the important of “whiskey purporting to call itself bourbon.”

“Fifty years later, I rise to introduce, along with my friend and colleague Senator [Rand] Paul (R-Ky.), a new Senate Resolution to recognize the 50th anniversary of this original Declaration of Independence for Bourbon,” McConnell said. “Bourbon production in Kentucky has grown strong and thrived over the last half century, and I am sure it will continue to do the same for the next 50 years.”

McConnell said nearly 95 percent of U.S. bourbon comes from his state and that its sales contributed almost $2 billion to Kentucky’s economy in 2010.