On the recordFebruary 15, 2022
Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the late North Dakota attorney general, Wayne Stenehjem. Earlier this month, North Dakota laid to rest a dedicated public servant for our great State who was both a colleague and a true friend. Wayne spent over four decades serving the people of North Dakota. Throughout that time, he worked to make our State a better place to live. Moreover, he was a fierce advocate for the rule of law and the rights of North Dakotans. Wayne was the best at what our State has to offer, having called North Dakota his home for the entirety of his life. He was born in Mohall, ND, graduated from the University of North Dakota, and received his law degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law. Wayne started his career in public service in North Dakota's State Legislature, where he served for 24 years, first as a member of the North Dakota House of Representatives and then as a member of the North Dakota Senate. He then ran for the position of attorney general and was the longest serving attorney general in the State's history, having held the position for 21 years. In fact, Wayne and I both ran for State office in 2000, Wayne for attorney general and I ran for Governor. We spent much of the year traveling the State together and, once elected, we were able to start our service in statewide office at the same time. It was a blessing to have my time as Governor and now Senator coincide with Wayne's service as attorney general.…





