Mike Enzi: “I rise today to honor the life and legacy of the late Senator Kay Hagan. Her loss will be deeply felt by us here in the…”

“I rise today to honor the life and legacy of the late Senator Kay Hagan. Her loss will be deeply felt by us here in the Senate, both by those who served with her as well as the many staff and individuals she worked with over time. Senator Hagan was a dedicated public servant who touched many lives faithfully serving her home State of North Carolina. Born in Shelby, NC, Senator Hagan attended Florida State University and then returned to North Carolina to attend law school at Wake Forest University. She worked at North Carolina National Bank, a predecessor to Bank of America, for 10 years, becoming a vice president in the estates and trust division. She was a loving wife and mother deeply committed to her family. She left the bank to raise her three children--Jeanette, Tilden, and Carrie--and became actively involved in the Greensboro community. Senator Hagan started early in politics helping her uncle, former Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles, paste bumper stickers on supporters' cars. She was active in North Carolina politics and ran Governor Jim Hunt's campaign in Guilford County in 1992 and 1996. In 1998, she ran for the North Carolina State Senate and served there for 10 years, where she cochaired the budget committee. During her 6-year tenure as cochair of the budget, she increased North Carolina's Rainy Day fund and balanced five straight budgets. I commend her commitment to fiscal responsibility and achieving a balanced budget.…”