On the recordApril 4, 2017
for months, I have been coming down to the floor every week to recognize someone in my State who has made a difference to our communities in Alaska, someone who has devoted time and energy to making my State a better place to live. I call these individuals our Alaskan of the Week. As I have said repeatedly to all of my colleagues and to those watching on TV, I am a little biased here, but I believe my State is the most beautiful in the country and, I would argue, in the world. I urge everybody in this room, everybody watching on TV, to come to see for yourself. Take a trip to Alaska. It will be the trip of a lifetime. I guarantee you. It is the people who truly make my State unique, people who are helping each other, strong-willed, warmhearted, tenacious people who have worked tirelessly for years for all of those who live in Alaska. This week I would like to honor Dan Fauske, one of the strongest willed, warmest hearted people I have ever known. All he has done for us has made Alaska a better place for literally thousands of people throughout our State. Dan came to Alaska in 1974 after serving in the Army, as so many Alaskans do. Like so many Alaskans, he arrived with a glint of steel in his eye and a mission to help build our State. Alaska is full of natural wonders, but our manmade wonders are also marvels, and Dan wanted to be part of building more of those marvels for our State and for our country.…
