2 0 0 9 , ▁he ▁res igned ▁as ▁N ED A ▁secretary ▁and ▁President ial ▁Ad vis er ▁for ▁Econom ic ▁Pl anning , ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁another ▁run ▁for ▁Senate ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁election . ▁ ▁Senate , ▁July ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁– ▁June ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Rect o ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Senate ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁becoming ▁the ▁young est ▁Senator ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁Congress ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 3 7 . ▁He ▁cha ired ▁the ▁Comm itte es ▁on ▁W ays ▁and ▁Me ans ▁and ▁on ▁Trade ▁and ▁Indust ry . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁co - ch air man ▁of ▁the ▁Cong r essional ▁O vers ight ▁Comm itte es ▁on ▁the ▁Pro per ▁Im plementation ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁In ternal ▁Re venue ▁Code ▁( N IR C ) ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁Official ▁Development ▁Ass istance ▁( O DA ). ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Account s ▁committee . ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁first ▁six - year ▁term ▁as ▁Senator , ▁he ▁was ▁largely ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁laws ▁with ▁positive ▁impact ▁to ▁consum ers , ▁small ▁entrepr ene urs , ▁workers ▁and ▁industry . ▁ ▁Senate , ▁ 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 6 ▁He ▁was ▁proc laimed ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁winning ▁sen atorial ▁candidates ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁Senate ▁elections . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁