Thank you, mr. President. I come to the floor today to pay tribute to this great wyoming leader. For nearly a quarter of a century, mike enzi has represented the people of wyoming in washington, and hes done it with intelligence, with intensity e and with integrity. The cowboy state and the capitol are going to sorely miss mike if enzi. Hes truly cemented his legacy as the trusted trail boss of the wyoming congressional delegation, and its been an incredible honor and a great privilege for my wife bobbi and me to serve the people of wyoming alongside mike and husband wife diana who is with us today. I mike is truly a devoted family man as well as a man of great and deep faith. In fact, mike taught sunday school over the decades, many in the Faith Community know that mikes first sunday schoolteacher was my wife bobbis mother, jerry brown. Jerry and husband wife both passed away this year, and they had been married 70 years. He taught sunday school in wyoming, and her star pupil was mike enzi to the point that she actually gave mike enzi his first bible, and he still has that today. And here in the senate mike has been not just a close friend to me and a mentor to me, but he hasnd that to many members of this body. Mike was sworn in in 1997. And throughout four terms in the United States senate, he has never wavered in his commitment to god, to family, to country and, of course, to wyoming. Hes known by many as the senates moral compass. Remarkable spiritual leader, Bipartisan SenatePrayer Breakfast. Im a member of that group, and a number of senators are as well. We met today and mike led us in prayer. And ive seen firsthand just how much republican and Democrat Members depend on mike for his moral and ethical guidance. He really is a bipartisan not just policy maker, but also a peace women maker. And West Virginia all peacemaker. Weve all seen it within this body. His legislation has a long history of garnering overwhelming bipartisan support. Over a hundred enzi bills have become law. Ive been proud to sponsor and cosponsor many of them with him in my time inm the senate. The thing he didnt point out is most of the bills that passed pass with over 80 votes. Its rare for an enzi bill to pass with any more than 1518 no votes. Remarkable accomplishment. And its important to note that these bills that have been signed by republican and democrat president s. You go into his office, husband whole conference room, the walls are filled with bills and pens signed into law with the pens being used. By bill clinton, by george or w. Bush, by barack obama and by president donald trump. Behind all of these, as he just talked about, that very successful 80 20 rule, a rule that he learned, well, in the wyoming state legislature. And it has worked extremely well for him here in washington as well. But such is the practical western wisdom in mike enzi. Born in 1944 in bremerton, washington, his father was serving in the 2345eu68 shipyards during world war ii. Moved the family to wyoming shortly thereafter, and thats when he started Elementary School in they are mop lis, wyoming. They moved to sheridan where he graduated from high school. And mike didnt talk about this today, but mike there earned his eagle scout award. Hes a proud eagle scout. As is his son brad, and his grandson is working on it as well, and mike has been named a distinguished eagle by the scouts. He has a bachelors degree in accounting from George Washington university and an mba in Retail Marketing if the university of denver in colorado. Miker and diana moved to gillete in 1969 where they started their own Small Business, and its wonderful to listen to mike talk about Small Businesses. Its called enzi shoes. Not enzi but the letter nz so people could remember it. They later expanded their successful familyde business to miles city, wyoming, to sheridan, wyoming. Miles city, montana. But gillette is mikes true home and where husband heart is. He served two terms as mayor. During his eight years, mike ledy e let to their first economic boom. Hes also served ten years in the wyoming legislature as both a state rep as well as a state senator. Wyoming is mikes world. Family means the world to him. Theyre the t proud parents of three amy, emily e and brad and even prouder grandparentsra of four, megan, allison, treynt and lily. Anyone who knows mike knows that he loves to fish. Even during Prayer Breakfast today when he watchedded on the zoom call behind mike, a fishing rod, and you could see all the lures that he uses on display. Hes accomplished and an avid fly fish orman. In august of 2015 he achieved every fly fishermans dream by completing his wyoming cut slant. This wyoming game and Fish Department program increases aappreciation for our native cutthroat trout. You want to talk to mike about anything, talk to him about fishing. His passion comes through with his love of nature for being, spending so much time in natures cathedral of the great outdoors. He fishes in majestic spots throughout wyoming and all of the world. Well, here in washington mike has been a leading voice on the budget, on tax and on health care issues. He served in the Senate Budget committee and as chairman since 2015. As the first accountant to chair the Budget Committee, mike commit to making government committed to making government more accountable to hard working american taxpayers. Hes a tremendous budget chair. Its because he learned valuable lessons in the wyoming legislature where, like all american families, you need to balance your budget every year and live within your means. Under mikes leadership, Congress Passed balanced budget resolutions for 2016, 17 and 18. He worked tirelessly to pass these budgets even working all night in the marathon floor debates. His budget blueprints offered a better fiscal path by reducing wasteful spending, by lightening tax burdens and by boosting economicis growth. Mikes fiscal year 2018 budget not only provided a path to balance, it paved the way for progrowth, projobs tax relief legislation. The most comprehensive reform of the tax code in over a generation. And as a reconciliation bill, this historic 2017 tax reform bill, the tax cut and jobs act, went through mikes Budget Committee. As budget chairman, mike was also focused on the soaring national department, on budget process reform and on oversight of federal programs. Mike also served as a member of the Senate Health education, labor and Pensions Committee since husband arrival in the senate his arrival in the senate and as a former chairman and Ranking Member, he championed efforts to insure a quality education for all. Expanded access to Affordable Quality Health care, and he spearheaded the most significant pension reform in 30 years, securing millions of americans retirement. Hes also a member of the Senate Finance committee, the Homeland Security and Government Affairs committee and the joint committee on taxation. Other policy successes include improving moon a safety, helping end the aids epidemic in africa and passing Mental Health parity. Mikes high priority, of course, has always been helping the people of wyoming. And he said in announcing his retirement, he says i am an advocate fore e let in Campbell County and wyoming. Everyone lives at the local level, no one lives at the federal level or even the state level. So he said diana and i are your chamber of commerce and your Economic Development people for every town and county in wyoming all the time. Mike started several annual events to boost our state, the inventers conference, the procurement conference and wyoming works tours. In 2009 mike and i started wyoming wednesdays, and it quickly became a big hit. The great tradition when people from wyoming come to washington, we greet every week and get together for coffees and times with doughnuts and friendship, and people love to attend. But mike as well as diana are a force in the senate, and diana did it again just recently. Mike has called diana the most thoughtful person in the world, and thats no exaggeration. Here in the senate ever year diana hostsn a Christmas Cookie Party to thank, as they describe, the real workers that end keep the senate running; the janitors, the cleaning crews, the police officers, the food service workers. Every year diana and her friends work hundreds of hours and bake hundreds of dozens of cookies. All the Senate Workers look forward to dianas 200 dozen thank you event every year thats not 200 cookies, its 200 dozen cookies. 9 in fact, its not unusual for people to ask when the party is in the hallway. Mike the wonderful cohost. And this year, because of coronavirus, she couldnt do all the baking, but they had the cookie festival with baked cookies. Thosend that couldnt get to have receiveec them in locations, mike and diana walked the halls of this building and the Senate Office building to make sure that the guards and the custodians and the janitors and others got their christmas cookies. Mike is usually a man of few words. At ahr recent Prayer Breakfast,e reminded everyone about the p importance of thinking before we speak. He titledim husband his presentation, me and my big mouth. Mouths cannot be trained, only guarded. Well, mike is a true wyoming gentleman, someone who will always be a great friend and a mentor to me, to younger people in wyoming and to everyone here in the senate. In my office theres a picture on the wall of my first day in the senate right here in 2007, being sworn in by thenvice president cheney with senator enzi along with former senator wallace standing behind. Its been a tremendous privilege to serve with mike from my very first day in the United States senate. The people of wyoming owe him an incredible debt of gratitude for his tireless and his faithful service. F mikes character, his courage and his credibility have cemented his legacy as a highly respected leader of the senate. So today so many senators are here gathering to listen to, to honor and to thank mike enzi for his decades of distinguished service to the nation. Thank you, mr. President. I yield the flo. Mr. President . The democratic leader. Mr. President , its hard to follow those heart felt words from senator barrasso about his colleague and friend, and our colleague and friend, mike enzi, but im going to make a try. Justst as our tribute9 to Lamar Alexander was a tribute to the better angels of nature as theyre shown in the lives of senators, so too with mike enzi. I join my colleagues in thanking mike for his service to wyoming and to america. One of theon most frequent questions many to of us are asked is a why cant you folks t along in washington. Why cant you do thing things together. I say to them, there are times when we do, and many times theyre very important. When we do come together, its because ofr people like mike who worked under his socalled 80 20 rule. We know that well, dont we . He would tell you he believed both sides if negotiators willing to give up the other 20 , we can actually get some things done around here. And wouldnt that be refreshing. One of those items was the marketplace fairness act. Mike helped lead the fight for local bricks and mortar retailers to give them a chance to compete on equal if level Playing Field equal and level Playing Field with online sellers, Mail Companies and internet companies. And to allow the statements and localities to collect muchneeded sales tax revenue. Its hard to imagine how many years mike put that into that the marketplace fairness act has given the states the option to require out of state businesses to collect taxes owed under state law the same way local businesses do. Mike knew a lot about local business. As mentioned on the floor by senator barrasso, his colleague, he was a Small Business owner iny e let, wyoming, running nzs shoe store. Even as he went on to become mayor ofy e let at age 30, became a Staff Sergeant in the guard, air National State representative and a state senator, he was still always a Small Businessman from gillette. In 1996 when he was recovering from open heart surgery, thensenator al an simpson decided not to run for reelection. Local leaders kept trying to talk mike into running when he really just wanted to have more time to hunt and fish. In the end, he ran and he won. Husband career has many legislative successes using his 80 20 rule. Ill never forget the days when ted kennedy would come to the floor and talk about the compromise and the bargain hed struck with you. I thought what a political odd couple. But the two of you did some remarkable things. Poles apart in terms of politicallo philosophy. They treated each other with respect, they had amazing successes to show for it. Even when he had differing views on the t best way to resolve issues, mike enzi has shown a willingness to come to the table and discuss the areas where we can agree. In 2012 democratic senator dorgan retired. I called mike after byron had left and said could i take up byrons position in the fought for the Workplace Fairness act. He said, lets do it. We brought in senator Lamar Alexander that was a pretty smart move and thensenator Heidi Heitkamp who both made great contributions to our work with. It was our luck that Heidi Heitkamp was the petitioner in the 1992 Supreme Court case which made the marketplace fairness act necessary. We were an unexpected group of senators;wo two republicans, two democrats literally from all over the United States. We disagreed on some things, sure, but we agreed that main street business needed a break and deserved fair treatment. We kept working on it with mike enzis leadership, and in 2013 the marketplace fairness act passed the is senate overwhelmingly,ov 69 votes. Unfortunately, the house of representatives once againen bre our heart and didnt act on it. We kept introducing the bill. Main street businesses were still struggling existence the unfair advantage that against the unfair advantage. Visitors to my office might have noticed a Little Something thats in my office, i brought it to the floor today, and wondered what this was all about. This was a gift from mike enzi after we were successful in the United States. It would w be a violation of the senate rules to blow the us whenning, but it was a gift from mike for our Work Together helping get the bill down the tracks of the legislative process. We were never able to get the house the take up the measure. But in 2018ing the Supreme Court finally didd the right thing. In a 54 ruling, south dakota v. Wayfair, the court closed the loophole wed been struggling to fight and address for years. Im proud to be part of that bipartisan coalition. In its meant a lot. We estimate that our state has received 460 million in annual revenue by virtue of mike enzis determination and leadership on aithe marketplace fairness fron. In this pandemic crisis, this revenue is more important than ever. Mike has always been a force for fairness, a friend and a leader for whom i have have great respect. As we fight this pandemic, we should strive to abide by mikes 80 20 rule and remember that main street businesses are really hurting, and they need our help. I know mike will have more time now for fishing and hunting. I wish him and his wonderful wife diana and she is a wonderful person, and their grandchildren happiness. I look forward to reading about the next chapter in mike enzis life of giving and caring. Prime minister, i yield the floor mr. President , i yield the floor. Mr. President . Senator from maine. Mr. President , mike enzi and i were both sworn in to our first terms in the United States senate on january 7th, 1997. I immediately saw in the gentleman from wyoming a quiet, effective andth call leader and ethical leader focused not on partisan advantage, but rather, on results. Results that would benefit the people who sent him to washington, and results that would benefit the American People as a whole. The nearly 24 years since then have only confirmed my initial impression. For thefo first 14 of those yea, mike was the sole accountant in the senate. That discipline add discipline combined with his experience as a Small Business owner that has served him so ron his role as chairman of the Senate Budget committee. He knows how important it is to set a budget, to follow it and to control spending. His priority has always been the american taxpayer. And a as chairman of the Budget Committee and as a member of the Senate Finance committee, he has been a leader on tax issues as with. As well. He has shaped the 2017 Tax Reform Act which has helped to boostos Econ