[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 72 (Monday, May 9, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S2648]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING CONRAD BURNS

  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, last week the world and the Burns family 
lost Senator Conrad Burns. There are thousands of reasons to celebrate 
the life of Senator Conrad Burns, but I will only mention a few, while 
I hope others write down their memories to help fill the void.
  He made friends instantly and could quickly find a way to relate to 
anyone. He had a story for every situation. That is the most effective 
way to make a point. I particularly enjoyed his marital advice, which 
he learned in Hudson, WY. His stories always had a location and a 
person. He said Hudson is where he spent a week one day--but it is 
where he bet a friend $100 that his wife Phyllis could beat his 
friend's wife in a foot race. He wasn't able to talk Phyllis into 
racing, but fortunately, the friend must not have had any luck with his 
wife, either, as he didn't show up.
  While Conrad was a consummate, effective Senator, his love for his 
faith, his family, and friends made him special. He was a man who lived 
by example. He was willing to share about his life to help with our 
lives. He mentored me and many others with his plain speaking, and 
timely, sort of abrupt suggestions. He didn't waste time or words, but 
he always had time to help.
  He also probably never realized the difference he made. I know he 
never realized the difference he made daily while he worked on 
legislation, much of which he never got credit for but was effective at 
getting finished.
  He had a special talent for speaking and presenting that always got 
people's attention. For example, he was able to take difficult issues 
involving telecommunications and make them understandable to his 
colleagues and hold their interest. That is an unmatched talent. He had 
a unique ability to sell ideas that came from his vast, real-life 
experience in agriculture, radio, and especially in auctioneering. He 
could get you to buy into his idea, and you didn't even realize that 
you had bid. His experience in small business gave him the ability to 
make people understand the kinds of decisions small businesses have to 
make--how many decisions, how far in advance they had to be made, and 
how critical that was to how well the United States does. His staff 
would occasionally suggest other words or phrases he might use after 
the fact. He recognized and made a case for the importance of small 
business as the engine of our economy.
  Golf gave him an outlet for his frustration and provided relaxation 
and an opportunity for less stressful conversations. I am not a golfer, 
but Conrad always made the experience enjoyable and memorable.
  His ability to sell is best noted when he auctioned a special Kenai 
handmade quilt and got $15,000 when the best ever previous price was 
$3,000. Incidentally, he made the $3,000 quilt sale too.
  By now, Conrad has had a chance to have a heart-to-heart talk--that 
is the only kind of talk you could have with Conrad, and especially in 
Heaven--with his daughter Kate, who passed away several years ago. I 
picture him playing golf in Heaven, where he is learning firsthand that 
some of those stories about clergy playing golf are true. I bet he even 
has a use for a saddle again and is still keeping up on the ag futures.
  Conrad, you have been missed and will be missed as your memory 
reminds and inspires us. Your family is in our prayers as we grieve and 
celebrate your life along with them.

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