PITTSFIELD — Nothing ventured, nothing gained is not just a fact of life, it’s a fact of Congress, according to Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell.

Mitchell made the comment during a conference call Wednesday afternoon with newspaper and radio reporters in Somerset, Franklin and Oxford counties.

The senator discussed the successes and failures of the recent Congress, the impact of many decisions on Maine and its people, and also touched on his desire for a simpler lifestyle as a private citizen.

While he was obviously disappointed in the failure to pass health care reform, he was proud of many other accomplishments. The most important piece of legislation to pass Congress, he said, was the president’s economic plan.

“It’s the most important thing Congress has done in two years, and with few exceptions, I think we are seeing its effects today with declining unemployment,” Mitchell said. “In the past 21 months, there have been 4,600,000 jobs created, more than in all the five years prior.”

He cited his pride in supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement, and will be urging support for the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

He detailed the support for education with an expanded Head Start program and the Educate America Act.

He listed a number of grants and special programs that helped communities in the three counties represented by the reporters participating in the conference call.

Among these is the funding from the recent crime bill that will provide additional law enforcement funds for Dover-Foxcroft, the Economic Development Administration funds that saved 500 jobs in Pittsfield with the new General Signal technology center, a $4.9 million project for a new veterans home in South Paris, and funds from the Rural Development Administration for a revolving loan fund for Oxford Hills.

Looking forward to leaving his public role in Washington, Mitchell said he will be on the campaign trail for several Democratic candidates across Maine and in other states.

When his term is officially concluded, he expects to stay active in public affairs “but not to be someone who second-guesses those who are in service.”

He also expressed his pride in a scholarship fund he established for Maine high school students. The fund will be in excess of $1 million to generate income for scholarships “so others can get the kind of help I received.”

He appears also to have his eye on some hiking trails and mountaintops in the future.

“It took me 10 years to climb Mount Katahdin. I finally did it last summer to celebrate my 60th birthday. I hope to get around to see more of Maine as a private citizen. I can say I’ve been everywhere in Maine, but that doesn’t mean I’ve seen everything in Maine,” he said.