Steve Daines

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I have the honor of recognizing Brigadier General (Ret.) Dale Stovall of Missoula as Montanan of the Month for his extraordinary courage, lifetime of military service, and heroic actions that saved the lives of his fellow airmen during the Vietnam war. Earlier this year, Ret. General Stovall traveled to Washington, DC, where he received well-deserved recognition from President Trump for the daring rescues that he carried out decades ago in Vietnam. His story is one of unwavering bravery, humility, and dedication to his country. During his service as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, then- Captain Stovall flew some of the most dangerous missions of the war, going deep into hostile territory under heavy enemy fire to rescue downed American airmen. One of his most legendary missions was the rescue of fellow airman Roger Locker, a mission so dangerous that Stovall recalled the sky filled with explosions as he maneuvered his helicopter through relentless enemy attacks. Despite the danger, Stovall pressed on. His extraordinary flying skill and refusal to give up saved Locker's life and many others. Over the course of a single combat tour, he completed 12 rescues behind enemy lines. On each one, he risked his own life so that another American could go home to their family. For these acts of heroism, General Stovall received the Air Force Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and two Silver Stars, making him one of the most highly decorated Air Force Academy graduates in history. But in true Montana fashion, General Stovall is always quick to shift the spotlight away from himself. He reminds us that rescue missions are a team effort of pilots, crew members, and rescuers united under the Jolly Green motto: ``That Others May Live.'' After Vietnam, Stovall continued to serve our Nation with distinction, ultimately retiring as a brigadier general after 31 years in uniform. His commitment to service, courage under fire, and lifelong dedication to his fellow servicemembers make him a hero of the Vietnam era. General Stovall, you make Montana proud. Your legacy of valor, humility, and service will inspire Montanans for years to come. It is my honor to recognize you as Montanan of the Month.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I rise today to speak in support of my friend Mr. Bill Mercer and his nomination to serve as the next judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. President Trump made an excellent choice when he picked Bill. I was thrilled to see him quickly approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, and now, today, the U.S. Senate will vote in the next hour or so on his final confirmation. And I urge my colleagues to join Senator Sheehy and I in supporting his nomination. Bill is a lifelong Montanan. He was born in Billings. We have known each other for a long time; in fact, we went to rival high schools, and we actually competed against each other in speech and debate. He was a Billings West Golden Bear, and I was a Bozeman Hawk. This is what makes America great. Two kids from Montana dreamed big, they worked hard, and now we have the opportunity to serve the State we love together. Bill received his undergraduate degree from the University of Montana. He later went on to receive a master of public administration from Harvard and his law degree from George Mason University. Bill served his State and country in various roles over the past three decades. In Montana, he served as U.S. attorney for the District of Montana from 2001 to 2009. He represented Billings in the Montana House of Representatives for the past 7 years. Bill also worked at the U.S. Department of Justice where he served as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General and Acting Associate Attorney General during the George W. Bush administration. He has been actively engaged in his community, serving in five nonprofit boards of directors in Montana. Bill has been a member of the Montana Bar for 32 years. He has appeared at State and Federal court in Montana and as lead counsel in numerous cases. He has represented clients in appellate courts, which resulted in oral arguments in 15 cases in the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the DC Circuit, and the Montana Supreme Court. Bill has been recognized by his peers in the legal community for outstanding track records, being rated among the best lawyers in Montana for environmental and commercial litigation. Throughout his extensive legal career and years of public service, Bill has represented Montana's interests very well. He is committed to the rule of law and the original interpretation of the Constitution. He understands Montana's laws and issues. His experience as a widely respected and effective member of the Montana House has helped him understand the needs of our State, our families, and our communities. I believe his time serving in Helena has given him an important perspective on the law and the importance of judicial impartiality. Federal judges play a critical role in our government. It is important that we pick servant leaders who are committed to our Founding ideals and to protecting the role of the judiciary. These are lifetime appointments. He will have a lasting impact on both Montana and the Nation. I have no hesitation when I say Bill is the top choice to serve as Montana's next Federal judge. I have seen his commitment to our State firsthand, and his time at the Department of Justice, as U.S. attorney, and as a State legislator prepared him well. There is not a better pick to serve the State of Montana. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting favorably for Bill's confirmation. I look forward to seeing the profound influence Bill will have in Montana and the Nation as he steps into this new role. Thank you.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I am here to make some comments about my friend Bill Mercer, whom we are actually going to vote on here on the floor in a minute, but I wanted to set the record straight on something. I am tired of the lies being spread around. There is a lie about what is happening here in Washington, and the lie is this: Republicans control the Presidency, the House, and the Senate, so it is on the Republicans for shutting it down. That is a lie. It takes 60 votes to get something done here in the U.S. Senate. We are looking for five Democrats to join us. It is already bipartisan. Three Democrats have joined us. If five more join the Republicans, we have done this 11 times in voting for this clean CR, which Democrats have done repeatedly under Joe Biden's watch. If five Democrats join us, we will open the government back up. But just wanted to set that straight at home. Yes, Republicans have majority control of the Senate, but it takes 60 votes to get an outcome here in Washington. We have 53 Republicans, if five Democrats join us, we will get this done.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing the Montana Army National Guard, MTARNG, aviation crews as Montanans of the Month for their extraordinary courage and dedication during a series of lifesaving rescue missions across our State. In the rugged backcountry of Montana, where steep cliffs, high altitudes, and unpredictable weather can turn a simple hike into a life-threatening situation, these guardsmen stand ready, day or night, to answer the call. Their professionalism and heroism exemplify the very best of our citizen soldiers. On August 9, 2025, the Helena-based aviation team responded to a rescue near Zortman after a person fell over a cliff and suffered serious injuries. With limited visibility from wildfire smoke and nightfall plus the added challenge of a sheer rockface and heavy timber, the crew conducted a highly technical nighttime rescue. Thanks to their precision and teamwork, the injured individual was safely hoisted and flown to Billings for medical care. Recognized Crew: CPT Otis Smith (Pilot-in-Command), CW3 Tom Kinyon (Co-Pilot), SGT Ian Montgomery (Crew Chief), SSG Anthony Wright (Crew Chief), and SGT Randy Scales (Flight Paramedic). Only a week later, on August 17, 2025, another MTARNG aircrew from Billings sprang into action when three hypothermic hikers became stranded in the Beartooth Mountains. With ground rescue teams unable to reach the group safely, the MTARNG crew braved freezing temperatures and rough terrain to extract the hikers and deliver them to Columbus for emergency treatment. Recognized Crew: CW3 Zach Lundgren (Pilot-in-Command), CW2 Cameron Olson (Co-Pilot), SGT Justin Asher (Crew Chief), SPC Patrick Northrup (Flight Paramedic), and Rob Gersbach from the Billings Fire Department (Flight Paramedic). Their month of service didn't end there. Between August 24-26, 2025, MTARNG crews from both Billings and Helena joined a multi-agency search for a missing 71-year-old hiker in the Beartooth Mountains. After the hiker was located by an Air Force helicopter from Malmstrom Air Force Base, the MTARNG team from Helena performed a high-altitude hoist rescue, successfully recovering both the hiker and the Air Force flight doctor who had stayed with him overnight in the mountains. Their teamwork and coordination with the Air Force and local responders ensured a safe end to a dangerous mission. Recognized Crew: CW3 Brett Normandeau (Pilot-in-Command), CW3 Pat Rickar (Co-Pilot), SPC Sydney Stephenson (Crew Chief), and SPC Zach Blank (Crew Chief). Each of these operations demanded split-second decision-making, advanced flight skill, and immense courage. Even through flying in wildfire smoke, over jagged terrain, or in the dead of night, these crews embody the Montana spirit of bravery, selflessness, and a steadfast commitment to saving lives. To the men and women of the Montana Army National Guard aviation teams: Thank you for your service to our State and your unwavering dedication to the people of Montana. Your courage in the face of danger makes us proud to call you fellow Montanans.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, in the final days of President Biden's administration, he quickly and quietly issued a rule that had massive impacts on Montana's economy. This happened after the election. Biden's BLM issued an amendment to the Miles City Resource Management Plan that prohibited all new coal development in Eastern Montana. It shuts it down. This means that the BLM prohibited all new coal leasing in the Powder River Basin. By the way, that is the home of the largest coal reserves in the United States. They did this despite strong opposition from local counties in Montana and local elected officials--in fact, the entire Montana congressional delegation and the Governor of Montana himself, Greg Gianforte. In fact, Governor Gianforte specifically requested that the BLM Director withdraw that proposed amendment during the BLM's official ``Governor's consistency review,'' and Biden's BLM ignored him. When the Governor submitted an official appeal to Biden's BLM Director, our Governor was rebuffed. This lack of respect for Montana's local and statewide elected officials cannot be ignored and will not be ignored, and it is going to get changed and reversed today with the passage of this CRA. Let's be clear as to what this resource management plan amendment is and what we are doing today with this Congressional Review Act. The RMPA is an attack on Montana jobs. It is an attack on Montana communities. It is an attack on Montana's energy production. It is an attack on Montana's economy. What today's resolution does is it rolls back officially Biden's war on Montana coal, and it does not affect the underlying resource management plan. What we are doing today is we are disapproving Biden's ill-conceived amendment and nothing else. This CRA does not prohibit the BLM from issuing a new amendment. This CRA simply prohibits a new administration from issuing a substantially similar coal amendment. In this case, that means they can't permanently prohibit any new coal development. Today, you may hear from the other side of the aisle that the sky is falling. That is absolutely not true. What we are doing today is righting a wrong--something the Biden administration slipped in after the election. We are grateful that we were paying attention, and we are going to right this wrong--a midnight Biden rule that was issued without the support from the State of Montana. Talk about Federal bureaucratic overreach. Taking this action this day, today, will lead to more Montana jobs, more Montana energy, and, by the way, more Montana tax revenue to support K-through-12 education and stronger communities in eastern Montana. I urge my colleagues to, again, like we did last night with the procedural vote, support, with this final vote, Montana jobs, Montana communities, and to vote yes on its passage. Vote on H.J. Res. 104

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today, the Senate will vote to proceed to my joint resolution to congressionally disapprove and officially roll back President Biden's anti-coal rule in Montana. H.J. Res. 104 is supported by the entire Montana delegation, and I want to thank Congressman Downing and Congressman Zinke for leading this resolution in the House and Senator Sheehy for joining me in the Senate. This resolution is supported by many Montanans, starting with the Governor of Montana, Governor Gianforte; the mayor of Colstrip, MT; the Montana Coal Council; the Montana electric co-ops; Northwestern Energy; local counties; both of the affected coal mines; and many, many more and, I will tell you, many, many more coal miners. I want to explain quickly what we are doing here today. Today, we will take the first step in overturning the Miles City Resource Management Plan Amendment that prohibits--prohibits--any new coal leasing in Eastern Montana. Let me be very clear. This resolution only overturns the anti-coal amendment that was issued by the Biden administration after the last election, in the final days of their term. None of the actions taken today affect the underlying Miles City Resource Management Plan or how the BLM manages recreation, conservation, and other energy developments in the State. Future coal development will be managed under the existing resource management plan, as it had for years before Biden slipped in, at the last hour, this amendment. Now, why is this important to Montana? The Biden amendment prohibits all new coal leasing across all of Eastern Montana. Eastern Montana and Wyoming are home to the Powder River Basin. These are the largest coal reserves in the United States. Many who are watching, when you think about Montana, you think about our amazing fly-fishing streams, our national parks, our beautiful mountains, our wilderness areas, the tremendous hunting and hiking opportunities we provide, but many don't know that Montana has more recoverable coal than any State in the United States. Think about this: The Biden administration prohibited new coal development in America's largest coal reserve. BLM's resource management plans are meant to be a bipartisan process, taking in feedback from people on the ground and implementing the multiple-use mission of the BLM, but, sadly, the Biden administration tried to pull a fast one. They took this process, flipped it on its face, and they disregarded the voices of Montana. Well, I can tell you here this afternoon, the voices of Montana are speaking loudly with the united Montana delegation both here in Washington as well as Montanans back home in the State, and we are going to right that wrong today. We are going to give Montana a voice in the process. Overturning this partisan rule will grow Montana energy jobs and help our rural communities. In fact, according to the Montana Coal Council, coal supports nearly 900 high-paying jobs in Montana and has provided $2.7 billion in Federal, State, private, and Tribal royalties. In a letter from Montana's Governor Greg Gianforte, he states that this Biden rule ``amounts to a loss of $4.3 billion in future revenue to the State trust land beneficiaries, which includes K-12 public education.'' This is a monumental moment for the State of Montana. I am thrilled this is being considered today on the floor of the U.S. Senate, and I urge my colleagues to support Montana jobs, Montana communities, reliable and low-cost energy, and to vote yes on today's motion.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to waive the mandatory quorum calls with respect to the Waltz nomination and Calendar No. 161, S. 2806.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Jay and Susan Wood of Powell County as Montanans of the Month. Jay and Susan have made it their mission to ensure Montana's veterans never go hungry and delivered more than 44,000 pounds of food to veterans across 16 Montana counties in 2024. So far this year, they have distributed tens of thousands of pounds to southwest Montana vets in need. The Woods have created a community with the Southwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry, where veterans can feel a part of a family. Additionally, they have built an extraordinary network of food pantries, nonprofit organizations, supermarkets, specialty businesses, and countless other groups across the State that work together to identify and support area veterans. Their work is a worthwhile mission, and Jay and Susan are an inspiration to us all to give back to our communities. Their selfless efforts deserve recognition and serve as a powerful reminder to cherish our freedoms and thank those who have fought to defend our country. Jay and Susan, thank you for your tireless dedication. Your compassion and service to Montana's veterans make our State proud. May God continue to bless your efforts and all the men and women you serve.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Jay and Susan Wood of Powell County as Montanans of the Month. Jay and Susan have made it their mission to ensure Montana's veterans never go hungry and have delivered more than 44,000 pounds of food to veterans across 16 Montana counties in 2025 so far. In May alone, they distributed 5,400 pounds to southwest Montana vets, their biggest month on record, surpassing the previous month by 1,400 pounds. The Woods have created a community with the Southwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry where veterans can feel a part of a family. Additionally, they have built an extraordinary network of food pantries, nonprofit organizations, supermarkets, specialty businesses, and countless other groups across the State that work together to identify and support veterans in need. Their work is a worthwhile mission, and Jay and Susan are an inspiration to us all to give back to our communities. Their selfless efforts deserve recognition and serve as a powerful reminder to cherish our freedoms and thank those who have fought to defend our country. Jay and Susan, thank you for your tireless dedication. Your compassion and service to Montana's veterans make our State proud. May God continue to bless your efforts and all the men and women you serve.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, hydropower produces affordable, reliable, and clean baseload power in Montana and across the United States. For years, I have worked with my colleagues to grow our hydropower portfolio in creating new jobs, lowering prices, and strengthening our grid. I want to thank Senator Fetterman for joining me as my colead to push this bill across the finish line. Our bipartisan bill, S. 1020, simply allows the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend licenses for the construction of new hydropower projects that have been affected by supply chain shortages back to 2020. This bill passed the Senate last year by unanimous consent, and we can do that again here today. There are a number of projects whose licenses will expire if we don't pass my bill--projects in Montana, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Oregon, and Alaska--pumped storage projects that will help balance the grid and small projects that will also power rural communities. It is bipartisan and noncontroversial. It is one that we must pass today. The good news is, we do not have objections so it is going to pass today. With that, as if in legislative session and notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources be discharged from further consideration of S. 1020 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I want to thank my colleague Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, who also chairs the Pro-Life Caucus of the U.S. Senate. I want to thank her for organizing this event today because we just passed the 3-year anniversary of the overturn of Roe v. Wade. That was on June 24, 2022. That decision was a pivotal moment in our Nation's history. Roe v. Wade was the worst Supreme Court decision, I would argue, since Plessy v. Ferguson and resulted in the tragic deaths of millions of innocent lives. Countless numbers of precious, unborn lives have been saved. In fact, since Roe was overturned, just in these 3 years, 13 States have implemented laws to protect life starting at conception; 19 States total have enacted pro-life laws. And earlier today, the Supreme Court delivered yet another pro-life victory in the Medina v. Planned Parenthood decision. The Court affirmed that States have the right to decide how Medicaid dollars are spent and that no one can force a State to fund the abortion industry. For too long, abortion providers like Planned Parenthood have used Federal healthcare dollars as a backdoor to sustain their operations. And this ruling puts an end to that abuse and upholds the fact that taxpayers should never be compelled to subsidize Big Abortion. Cindy and I are the parents of four--we are now the grandparents of seven--and have always believed that protecting the unborn is one of our most important duties. It is a belief that I carry with me each day in this job at the U.S. Senate. In fact, that is why back in 2018, I founded the Pro-Life Caucus for the U.S. Senate. I had no idea at that point--this was pre-Dobbs--how important our work would become. And I am grateful to the State of Mississippi, to Senator Hyde- Smith's home State, where the Dobbs decision came from. It was the courage of those folks in Mississippi that resulted in that case before the Supreme Court that had a profound impact across our Nation with this Supreme Court ruling just a little over 3 years ago. During my time as chairman of the Pro-Life Caucus, we confirmed pro- life Justices to the Supreme Court, including Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who went on to serve as the critical fifth vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. I remember that day very well when that news came down. I was struck by a truth that is found in the Old Testament, the Book of Jeremiah 1:15--this is a great mystery, a mystery of God--where it says: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, [and] before you were [even] born I set you apart. What a great truth how God knows this, he loves us, and it is a reminder that all lives are made in the image of God. That is why there is dignity and there is value in every single life, and that includes the unborn, includes the disabled, the aging. All lives are worthy. I am glad to see our country has made great strides in defending the defenseless. When we had our four children, I remember going to those doctor appointments with Cindy and seeing those amazing images, seeing ultrasounds. That was 20, 25, 30-plus years ago. Today, we get to relive that again with our grandchildren. Now our children are having their babies. The technology is so remarkable. It is amazing to get an insight of what is going on in the womb. For those who don't believe in creation and don't believe we were created, I sometimes have to go back and see the miracle of life that is occurring as that little baby is being formed in the mom's womb. But today, the chemical abortion pill is the most widespread form of abortion. In fact, in 2023, it accounted for 63 percent of all abortions, and that number continues to rise. President Joe Biden and his administration removed safety precautions on taking mifepristone, including the in-person dispensing requirement and followup visit with a medical provider. Thanks to the Biden administration, the pills can even be shipped out by mail, despite concrete evidence showing they are extremely harmful to women. In fact, the FDA and the pro-abortion advocates market the pill as ``safe as Tylenol.'' But here are the facts: There is a recently published analysis of health insurance claims of over 865,000 women across the United States. They found that 1 in 10 women experiences serious adverse effects, many of these resulting in emergency room visits. Let me share a stat here that is going to be shocking. The data here is irrefutable. We invite anybody to come check this data out. Here was the conclusion: The adverse health effects for women in this most recent study was 22 times higher than what is on the FDA's label on the abortion pills. Clearly, in no way is that abortion pill safe, and the FDA should reevaluate appropriate protections surrounding its use. I am confident that with President Trump's leadership, with our Republican majority in the U.S. Senate, we are going to make some progress here. Already, President Trump is supporting the pro-life movement. One of his first actions after taking office was to pardon 23 peaceful pro-life protesters who were unjustly incarcerated by Joe Biden's Justice Department. In the U.S. Senate, I was proud to join my colleagues this Congress to introduce the Unborn Child Support Act, which will allow pregnant women to receive child support payments. Caring for a child starts long before birth. Any pregnant mom--any mom who understands what that process is like--knows that caring for a child starts long before birth. By supporting expectant mothers, we recognize the humanity of the unborn child and make sure that women have access to the resources they need to choose life. I will fight to get this bill across the finish line. It takes courage to stand for life in this day and age. I would like to take a moment to thank all who have played a role in advancing the movement, from my fellow Senators here, to advocacy groups, to the grassroots advocates back in our home States, and to those who offer us prayers at night. Everybody plays a part. I am confident that one day, by the grace of God and the actions of this body, abortion will be unthinkable and every preborn child will be protected by law. I spend a lot of time with students who come from our States. We all know that. We see the kids when they come, the tourists. We have junior high kids, sometimes grade school, high school students. They come from small towns, medium towns, and large towns from our States. So when these Montanans come to our office, I always like holding a meeting. I bring them into my office, and we sit down. Sometimes there are not enough chairs, and students will be standing up. I love to take questions from the students. Invariably, there will be a student that will raise their hand and ask me a question about my stance as it relates to a women's right to choose or abortion. Rather than be a dad in that moment--and I have been a dad a lot of moments raising our four children, two boys and two girls--I think sometimes it is best for us to collect and kind of give some thought as to how to answer that question. So I ask: How many of you have a smartphone? Most every one of those students has a phone. Let's do a thoughtful experiment here. Go to Google and type in ``15 week baby''--1-5 week baby--and then touch on the ``images'' link on top. Let's talk about what we see there. Of course, the students--there is not a lot more said at that point; it is silence. I have done this many, many times. I just ask a basic question: Let's just have a debate. Is that life or not? If we were NASA scientists and the Mars rover lands on Mars and that image was projected back to a group of Ph.D. scientists, literally rocket scientists, would they conclude that is life or not? I have done this many, many times, and I will tell you, it is just silence as we all reflect on that basic question. Why did I pick a 15-week baby in the womb? Because that was the line of demarcation that Mississippi had in their Dobbs case that defined-- Mississippi said that is where life begins, that is where protections begin. It was on that basis that case went before the U.S. Supreme Court, what a 15-week baby looks like. I think all of us should reflect on that no matter where we are politically, where we are in terms of advocacy. Just take a look at those images and reflect and ask yourself: Is that a baby or not? I think the images and technology today, with the clarity of ultrasounds, are a pretty convincing argument. So this week, as we celebrate this historic anniversary of the Dobbs decision, let's reflect with grateful hearts on the progress we made. Let's look forward with hope to a future where every life, whether born or unborn, is valued.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the Government Accountability Office opinion letter dated June 25, 2025.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Chris McGuiness of Polson, MT, for his selfless and unwavering commitment to the safety of his community. Mr. McGuiness is renowned by his peers as being the epitome of a genuine volunteer. While maintaining a full-time engineering job and volunteering with local organizations, Mr. McGuiness has dedicated up to 15 hours a week volunteering with the Polson Fire Department for the past 25 years. During his time with Polson FD, McGuiness earned the title of captain and is consistently commended for his hard work and dedication to the department. In addition to his time spent volunteering with the Polson Fire Department, McGuiness also volunteers for the Polson Rural Fire Department Search and Rescue and with the Polson High School tennis team. McGuiness finds joy in helping others; from responding to emergency calls to his day-to-day life around town, he is constantly inspiring others to service. Volunteers are the backbone of many smalltown and rural communities around Montana. Often, our volunteers are overlooked and not thanked enough for all that they do to support the organizations that keep our communities thriving. It is the generosity and kindness of people like Mr. McGuiness that Montana became known as the Last Best Place. I am pleased and honored to recognize Polson Volunteer Fire Captain Chris McGuiness for his steadfast commitment to his community. I am confident that your dedication to serving others has not only inspired those around you but is making a truly positive impact on the people of Polson. You make Montana Proud.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume legislative session and be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I have five requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. 1136 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following resolutions, which are at the desk: S. Res. 269, S. Res. 270.

Mr. DAINES. I ask unanimous consent that the resolutions be agreed to, the preambles be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order.