Related Link: http://enzi.senate.gov/public/Michael B. Enzi was sworn in as Wyoming's 20th United States Senator on January 7, 1997.
Enzi has made a name on capital hill for his unique way of breaking down party lines and working across the aisle. His way of working across party lines is gaining momentum around the nation's capital. Since 2005, under his 80/20 rule he has had 39 bills go through the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and be signed into law by the President. The average committee gets 3 bills passed every 2 years. Enzi believes that people can agree on 80 percent of the issues 80 percent of the time and if they leave the other 20 percent out they can get a lot done. With that mentality he has turned one of the most contentious Senate committees into one of the most productive.
At the start of the 109th Congress in 2005 Enzi became the ninth Wyoming senator to ascend to the rank of chairman on one of the 16 standing Senate committees. Enzi has been a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, since his arrival in the senate in 1997. In his role as Chairman, Enzi led the Senate in its efforts to help ensure that everyone, no matter their age, can receive a quality education. Enzi worked to help provide Americans access to affordable, quality health care while protecting workers and providing them training to get the best jobs. Enzi also worked to oversee the biggest revision to pension laws in 30 years to strengthen funding rules to secure the retirements of millions of Americans. Enzi's committee also led the way to making the first revision to mine safety laws in 28 years by promoting the use of new technologies to improve mine safety and save lives. During his time as chairman of the HELP Committee 37 bills were reported out of the committee, 23 bills passed the Senate, 352 nominations were reported favorably and 15 laws came through the committee that were signed by President Bush.
In the final hours of the 109th Congress Enzi was instrumental in passage of legislation that will provide a projected $1.6 billion to Wyoming over the next 15 years from the Abandoned Mine Land fund.
Enzi has been a quiet leader moving the U.S. forward in its battle against AIDS on the world front. He continues efforts to open Cuba up to travel, trade and most importantly new ideas.
Enzi helped author the reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act which would create a streamlined job training and employment system vital to employers and workers. He formed the Rural Education Caucus and strives to ensure the unique challenges small population schools face are not overlooked in federal education legislation. He was one of only two Congressional representatives to the U.N. General Assembly in the 108th Congress. He has authored innovative legislation that would reinvent our medical justice system.
Enzi is the Senate's only accountant by profession and he serves with distinction on the Senate Banking Committee. It does not bear his name, but there is a large part of Enzi in the Sarbanes-Oxley bill, bipartisan legislation that continues to have a greater impact on corporate behavior and financial reporting than any legislation of the recent past. There are provisions in the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act authored by Enzi regarding financial literacy and identity theft that will have a profound positive effect on many Americans.
His addition to the Senate Budget Committee has contributed to a more punctual and fiscally responsible federal spending blueprint the past few years and he continues to press for a balanced federal budget and payment of our national debt.
Enzi has stood beside the independent ranchers and farmers of our nation during times of drought, disease, foreign competition, industry concentration and predator infestation, sponsoring bills taking on captive supply problems, country of origin labeling and endangered species reform.
A former small business owner and member of the Senate Small Business Committee, Enzi has remained a strong advocate of small businesses by promoting or preventing legislation depending on its effect on small businesses in the same manner he advocates for rural interests. Small businesses and individual entrepreneurs and inventors have benefitted from special conferences organized by Enzi.
