[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 197 (Thursday, December 13, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO JEFF FLAKE

  Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, at the end of each session of the Congress, 
we, the Senate, take a moment to express our appreciation and 
acknowledge the efforts of those Members who will be retiring in just a 
few weeks. This year, one of our colleagues who will be leaving is 
Senator Jeff Flake.
  Jeff will be leaving us after a career of nearly 20 years in 
Congress. He has impressed many of us with whom he has worked with the 
strength of his views and determination to fight for those things in 
which he truly believes, both as a Senator and a proud husband to his 
wife Cheryl and father to his five children. He has been a reliable 
advocate for what he sees as the best interests of Arizona and the 
future of the Nation. He leaves behind a legacy of which he should be 
very proud.
  Jeff was born in Snowflake, AZ. His family name was well known to the 
people in his neighborhood in part because it was named for his great-
great-grandfather, William J. Flake, an early pioneer. His family 
played an important role in the founding and day-to-day life of their 
town, and Jeff always embodied the pioneering spirit through his work 
in Congress.
  After graduating from Brigham Young University with a bachelors of 
arts in international relations and a master of arts in political 
science, he took a 2-year leave of absence to serve as a missionary for 
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in South Africa.
  Jeff's early career work as the executive director of the Foundation 
for Democracy in Namibia and executive director of the Goldwater 
Institute helped prepare him for the House of Representatives. He 
became a strong voice for the political views of the people from back 
home.
  Several years later Arizona's Senate seat was open and Jeff took up 
the challenge. The people of Arizona and our Nation were fortunate to 
have him to rely on for so many issues. He has been a steady and 
dependable force for tackling difficult, complex, and occasionally 
unpopular issues in the Senate while remaining respectful of his fellow 
colleagues and loyal to Arizona.
  As a Senator, Jeff worked tirelessly to reduce the deficit and 
control government spending. As chairman of the Senate Budget 
Committee, I sincerely appreciate his efforts and share the same goal 
of reducing waste and ensuring the government operates efficiently. His 
keen insight and attention to these critical issues will surely be 
missed in Congress.
  While serving with him in the Senate, I also learned that Jeff is an 
avid survivalist. It was a pleasure to read about his excursions to 
small, distant islands with only a few key survivalist tools in tow. As 
an Eagle Scout, I understand how important these skills are to have, 
and it is always fun to hear about others putting these critical skills 
to use and what they learn along the way. If he would like to continue 
participating in survivalist adventures after leaving Congress, I would 
be happy to recommend some places in Wyoming that he might enjoy 
camping in for an extended period of time.
  We both have a strong western heartbeat that we express every day in 
everything we do. Diana joins in sending our best wishes to Jeff and 
his family and we thank him for his hard work and dedication to the 
State of Arizona and this country. I appreciate his willingness to 
serve and work so hard for what he believes in. He has helped encourage 
and inspire another generation of leaders. In that way and so many 
others he has made a positive difference.

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