Carper Speaks on Senate Floor to Honor Senator Mike Enzi

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) spoke about former Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) on the Senate floor, who passed away on Monday.

“One of my first memories of serving in the U.S. Senate involved Mike Enzi. Mike Enzi took the floor and began to speak, and he talked about something called the 80-20 rule,” Carper said. “I said how does the 80-20 rule work? He said, Ted [Kennedy] and I agree on about 80 percent of the issues that come before our committee. And we disagree on maybe another 20 percent. What he and I have agreed to do — we focus on the 80% where we agree. And we just say the other 20 percent we’ll set that aside and take it up another day…As I heard about his death today, I thought about that spirit, the 80-20 rule—maybe we can take a little bit of that and use that to get us across the finish line on the legislation that’s being worked on.”

“You didn’t think of Mike Enzi without thinking of his wife Diana. I just want to say to her and to the Enzi family—thank you for sharing [him] not just with the people of Wyoming, but the people of this country,” Carper continued. “We’re grateful for that gift that you’ve shared with us and mourn his death…I am privileged to have served with him.”

Senator Carper’s full remarks can be viewed here.

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