Steve Daines

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the life of Shawn Gilbert. Shawn was a prominent member of Montana's Little Shell Tribal community who tragically lost his battle with cancer this past January. Even in his final days, Shawn maintained a positive attitude, and all who knew him fondly remember the constant smile on his face. As is the Montana way, Shawn loved the great outdoors. He enjoyed snowmobiling, four-wheeling, and hunting with his family, as well as reloading his own ammunition and target practice with his pistols. Shawn served his people as a member of the tribal council and dreamt of the day his nation, Little Shell Nation, would be formally recognized. It is our duty and my honor to keep that dream alive as my colleague, Senator Tester, and I work to enact into law legislation to do just that. I had the pleasure of meeting Shawn while he was in office at the Little Shell Tribal headquarters. Along with his fellow tribal leaders, Shawn presented me with a beautiful beaded bolo tie which sits on display in my office. It serves as a daily reminder of the Little Shell people and of Shawn. May God watch over his soul as his light lives on through the memories of his loved ones.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, as a fifth-generation Montanan who grew up just a short drive from our Nation's first national park, Yellowstone National Park, and as chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, the resolution before us is critically important to reassure the public that the U.S. Senate recognizes the remarkable value our national parks bring to our national heritage. I especially want to thank my good friend from Hawaii, Senator Hirono, who serves as ranking member of our subcommittee, for her partnership on bringing this resolution to the floor here this evening. She has been invaluable in working together to bring us to this moment. In fact, 33 of our colleagues joined us in submitting this resolution--nearly half Republican and half Democrat--including Alaska, Washington, Tennessee, New Mexico, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Missouri, Minnesota, Florida, Michigan, Colorado, Virginia, Louisiana, Ohio, California, Wyoming, Rhode Island, Maine, Arkansas, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire. There are small States and large States, States that boast vast landscapes and big game like Alaska and Montana, diverse ecosystems like the oceans of Hawaii or the Florida Everglades. Other States boast historic and cultural treasures, like our hallowed battlefields in Virginia. At a time when our country and Congress seem to be torn, it is only fitting that tonight our national parks are going to bring us together for a moment, to bridge this political divide, to bring remarkable opportunities for cultural education, outdoor recreation for our families and for people around the world to enjoy, and, frankly, to bring us together as family and friends. As the National Park System begins its second century this year, we have seen record visitation, with 331 million visits in 2016, but record visitation also brings additional strain to our national parks and strain to our infrastructure. I am hopeful that with the adoption of this resolution, we can all be reminded of the importance of continued investment in our national parks to ensure their legacy truly endures for our children, grandchildren, and for generations to come. Mr. President, as in legislative session, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 117, submitted earlier today.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I have the honor and privilege of recognizing the faculty, administrators, staff, and students of Flathead Valley Community College for their service to the people of northwest Montana--2017 marks the school's 50-year anniversary. FVCC serves thousands of students of every age and background. In its five decades of existence, the college and its faculty have won numerous awards for providing a high-quality and low- cost education in Kalispell, MT. The college provides more than 50 career and technical programs, while also giving students a cheaper and more convenient option for their first 2 years of college. FVCC also has developed programs that can help high school students get a ``Running Start'' on their college careers. FVCC has given generations of students the tools they need to succeed. The college also serves a vital role in supplying the region's employers with a skilled workforce. The idea for a community college in northwest Montana began in 1960 when Kalispell School Board chairman Owen Sowerwine noted a study that 80 percent of local high school graduates were receiving no higher education whatsoever. Sowerwine worked with other local educational leaders such as Bill McClaren, Thelma Hetland, Les Stirling, and Norm Beyer to create a new community college. The college opened its doors in 1967, and today we celebrate their legacy. FVCC continues to grow and find new and better ways to serve the community. Its Kalispell campus has grown to eight buildings, with new on-campus housing opening this year. FVCC also has an extension campus in Libby, MT. I look forward to seeing what the next 50 years will hold, and I congratulate all involved in the success of FVCC on reaching this milestone.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I am joining my colleagues on the floor with a bit of confusion, a bit of disappointment, and, frankly, a lot of questions. I am referring to the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch as the next Supreme Court Justice. As a Senator, one of the most consequential votes I will cast is a vote to confirm a U.S. Supreme Court nominee. It is a lifetime appointment to our Nation's highest Court. I recently spoke with some students back in Montana, some FFA students. The average age 17, 18 years old. God willing, Neil Gorsuch may serve on the Court for 30 or more years. These FFA students' children and perhaps even grandchildren will be part of Neil Gorsuch's time on the Court, given that he likely will serve for three decades or more. As it stands today, the Senate is on the precipice of confirming Neil Gorsuch to be our next U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice. However, as the news has been reporting, as our Twitter feeds are overflowing with information, it looks as though my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are caving to the pressures of the far left, and they are set to unleash an unprecedented filibuster. I have met with Judge Gorsuch. I watched his confirmation hearings. What I have seen and what most Americans agree--Judge Neil Gorsuch has been incredibly transparent, he has been accessible, and he is the right man for the position. He is mainstream. He is a westerner. He is committed to judicial independence. He has a brilliant legal mind--that is without dispute. He is exceptionally qualified. In fact, the American Bar Association unanimously rated Judge Gorsuch as ``well qualified.'' That is its highest rating. He has met with nearly 80 Senators. Prior to his hearing, he provided the Judiciary Committee over 70 pages of written answers about his personal record. He provided 75,000-plus pages of documents, including speeches, case briefs, opinions, and written works going as far back as his college days. The White House archives produced over 180,000 pages of email and paper records related to Judge Gorsuch's time at the Department of Justice. Judge Gorsuch sat for three rounds of questioning, totaling nearly 20 hours, in committee. As the American people watched Judge Gorsuch before that committee, they saw an exceptionally qualified nominee for the highest Court in the land, someone who was bright, who was kind. I would argue that Judge Gorsuch's mind, his intellectual capacity, is only exceeded by his heart. This is a kind and independent jurist. When he came before the Judiciary Committee, this was the longest hearing of any 21st-century nominee. He answered nearly 1,200 questions during his hearing, which is nearly twice as many questions posed to Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, or Ginsburg. He was given 299 questions for the record by Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee--the most in recent history of any Supreme Court nominee. Judge Gorsuch did all of this with the utmost integrity and with transparency and humility. Yet here we are, with Democrats engaged in unprecedented obstruction, refusing to give Neil Gorsuch an up-or-down vote. The Senate has only ever employed a cloture motion for a Supreme Court nominee four times in modern history. We voted on cloture when Justice Alito was nominated in 2006. We did the same in 1968, 1971, and 1986. In 1991, Clarence Thomas was confirmed on a 52-to-48 vote, and in 2006, Samuel Alito was confirmed on a 58-to-42 vote. In fact, when President Obama was in the White House, Republicans did not filibuster a nominee. This body confirmed Sonya Sotomayor in 2009 by a vote of 68- to-31 and confirmed Justice Kagan by a rollcall vote of 63-to-37 in 2010. We did not filibuster. Let me remind folks that cloture is in place to stop debate, not to stop a vote. Cloture was put in place to speed the Senate up, end debate, and move to a vote, not to stop a vote. It was never intended to be a stall tactic or something to obstruct this body. This bears repeating. Cloture was put in place to speed up the process, to prevent obstruction. This Chamber has never had a partisan filibuster to a Supreme Court nominee. Let me say that again. This Chamber has never had a partisan filibuster to a Supreme Court nominee. So here we are today, with no other option but to invoke this so- called nuclear option to put an eminently qualified individual on the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Gorsuch is the definition of a mainstream judge. In more than 2,700 cases in which he has participated in the Tenth Circuit, 97 percent of them have been decided unanimously; in fact, he was in the majority 99 percent of the time. Yet Senate Democrats would rather play politics and place the demands of extreme liberal interests over ensuring regular order. Let's talk about what we are and what we are not doing. We are in the Senate, a Chamber I am honored to serve in, representing more than 1 million Montanans. We operate on a set of Parliamentary criteria based on things that have happened before. Therefore, we are going to establish a new precedent; we aren't changing the rules. This isn't happening for the first time. Let us remember that in November of 2013, Senate majority leader Harry Reid established a new precedent of how many votes are necessary on executive branch nominees, with the exclusion of Supreme Court picks. What is even more shocking to me is that over the past few weeks, through the hearing process, through the debate and discussions about Judge Gorsuch on the floor, and with support from across my State of Montana--let me just name some of those organizations and people in support of Judge Gorsuch: the Montana Chamber of Commerce; four of Montana's Tribes--the CSKT, the Crow Tribe, Fort Belknap and Fort Peck; the Montana Farm Bureau, Judge Russell Fagg of the 13th judicial district, Judge Jeffrey Langton of the 21st judicial district, Judge John Larson of the 4th judicial district, State senator Nels Swandal, retired judge of the 6th Judicial District; the Montana NRA members; the Montana Grain Growers Association and the Montana Wool Growers Association; the Montana Stockgrowers Association; our attorney general in Montana, our auditor in Montana, our speaker of the Montana House. This is a very mainstream group of Montanans, leaders back home who are in support of Judge Gorsuch. Yet my colleagues are rejecting the will of the American people, rejecting the will of Montanans, filibustering this nomination, and not even allowing for an up-or-down vote. The American people deserve a Supreme Court Justice who upholds the rule of law and will follow the Constitution. The American people deserve a Supreme Court Justice who doesn't legislate from the bench. The American people deserve Judge Neil Gorsuch to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, is tasked with keeping Americans safe in the homeland. To carry out this mission, DHS spends over $7 billion on acquisition programs annually. DHS and its agencies are held to a high standard for keeping our Nation safe. We also must hold it to a high standard of fiscal responsibility. DHS must be good stewards of taxpayer resources. DHS's acquisition process has long faced problems resulting in waste, delays, and under delivery of performance objectives. Since the inception of DHS, the Government Accountability Office, GAO, has highlighted challenges and offered recommendations to improve the acquisition process. There has been progress; however, there continues to be room for improvement. According to a GAO report release today, DHS's acquisition process remains a high-risk issue, susceptible to cost overruns and schedules delays. These issues reduce buying power and force security employees to wait for new capabilities. This is not fair to those on the frontlines tasked with keeping us safe, and it is not fair to the American taxpayers. That is why I am introducing the DHS Multiyear Acquisition Strategy Act of 2017. This legislation will require DHS to develop a multiyear acquisition plan to guide the overall direction of the Department's acquisitions, across all agencies, and include it annually in the Department's budget request to Congress. It will create a Departmentwide prioritized list of investment, to ensure limited resources are being directed to the highest valued use. This legislation will increase communication internal to DHS, as well as with industry and with academia, to help identify current capability gaps and future technological needs. It also includes private sector principles, such as developing incentives for program managers to exceed project cost, schedule, and capabilities goals. I have seen these principles work during my 28-year private sector career, and it is long past due that we apply them to government. We must move away from the ``spend it or lose it'' mentality of government budgeting. I thank Senator Claire McCaskill for being an original cosponsor of this bill and Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick and Michael McCaul for leading introduction of companion legislation in the House of Representatives. I ask my Senate colleagues to join us in support of this important legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, is tasked with keeping Americans safe in the homeland. To carry out this mission, DHS spends over $7 billion on acquisition programs annually. DHS and its agencies are held to a high standard for keeping our Nation safe. We also must hold it to a high standard of fiscal responsibility. DHS must be good stewards of taxpayer resources. DHS's acquisition process has long faced problems resulting in waste, delays, and under delivery of performance objectives. Since the inception of DHS, the Government Accountability Office, GAO, has highlighted challenges and offered recommendations to improve the acquisition process. There has been progress; however, there continues to be room for improvement. According to a GAO report release today, DHS's acquisition process remains a high-risk issue, susceptible to cost overruns and schedules delays. These issues reduce buying power and force security employees to wait for new capabilities. This is not fair to those on the frontlines tasked with keeping us safe, and it is not fair to the American taxpayers. That is why I am introducing the DHS Multiyear Acquisition Strategy Act of 2017. This legislation will require DHS to develop a multiyear acquisition plan to guide the overall direction of the Department's acquisitions, across all agencies, and include it annually in the Department's budget request to Congress. It will create a Departmentwide prioritized list of investment, to ensure limited resources are being directed to the highest valued use. This legislation will increase communication internal to DHS, as well as with industry and with academia, to help identify current capability gaps and future technological needs. It also includes private sector principles, such as developing incentives for program managers to exceed project cost, schedule, and capabilities goals. I have seen these principles work during my 28-year private sector career, and it is long past due that we apply them to government. We must move away from the ``spend it or lose it'' mentality of government budgeting. I thank Senator Claire McCaskill for being an original cosponsor of this bill and Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick and Michael McCaul for leading introduction of companion legislation in the House of Representatives. I ask my Senate colleagues to join us in support of this important legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, is tasked with keeping Americans safe in the homeland. To carry out this mission, DHS spends over $7 billion on acquisition programs annually. DHS and its agencies are held to a high standard for keeping our Nation safe. We also must hold it to a high standard of fiscal responsibility. DHS must be good stewards of taxpayer resources. DHS's acquisition process has long faced problems resulting in waste, delays, and under delivery of performance objectives. Since the inception of DHS, the Government Accountability Office, GAO, has highlighted challenges and offered recommendations to improve the acquisition process. There has been progress; however, there continues to be room for improvement. According to a GAO report released today, DHS's acquisition process remains a high-risk issue, susceptible to cost overruns and schedules delays. These issues reduce buying power and force security employees to wait for new capabilities. This is not fair to those on the front lines tasked with keeping us safe and it is not fair to the American taxpayers. I spent 28 years in the private sector. I know when tough business decisions need to be made, you convene a board that brings with it a breadth of experience and a deep understanding of strategic objectives and goals. That is why I am introducing the OHS Acquisition Review Board Act of 2017. This legislation will create a review board within the Department to strengthen accountability and uniformity across all agencies and the entire acquisition process, ensure long term strategic objectives are met, and ensure the use of industry-proven best practices. I thank Senator McCaskill for being an original cosponsor of this bill and Representatives Thomas Garrett and Michael McCaul for leading introduction of companion legislation in the House of Representatives. I ask my Senate colleagues to join us in support of this important legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, is tasked with keeping Americans safe in the homeland. To carry out this mission, DHS spends over $7 billion on acquisition programs annually. DHS and its agencies are held to a high standard for keeping our Nation safe. We also must hold it to a high standard of fiscal responsibility. DHS must be good stewards of taxpayer resources. DHS's acquisition process has long faced problems resulting in waste, delays, and under delivery of performance objectives. Since the inception of DHS, the Government Accountability Office, GAO, has highlighted challenges and offered recommendations to improve the acquisition process. There has been progress; however, there continues to be room for improvement. According to a GAO report released today, DHS's acquisition process remains a high-risk issue, susceptible to cost overruns and schedules delays. These issues reduce buying power and force security employees to wait for new capabilities. This is not fair to those on the front lines tasked with keeping us safe and it is not fair to the American taxpayers. I spent 28 years in the private sector. I know when tough business decisions need to be made, you convene a board that brings with it a breadth of experience and a deep understanding of strategic objectives and goals. That is why I am introducing the OHS Acquisition Review Board Act of 2017. This legislation will create a review board within the Department to strengthen accountability and uniformity across all agencies and the entire acquisition process, ensure long term strategic objectives are met, and ensure the use of industry-proven best practices. I thank Senator McCaskill for being an original cosponsor of this bill and Representatives Thomas Garrett and Michael McCaul for leading introduction of companion legislation in the House of Representatives. I ask my Senate colleagues to join us in support of this important legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, one of the most consequential votes that I will ever cast is a vote to confirm a U.S. Supreme Court nominee. It is a lifetime appointment to our Nation's highest Court. In fact, tomorrow, when I cast that vote for Judge Gorsuch, it will be the first chance I have had as a Senator to confirm a Supreme Court nominee. As it stands today, the U.S. Senate is on the precipice of confirming Neil Gorsuch to be our next U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice. Just a few short hours ago, my colleagues on the other side caved to the pressures of the far left and unleashed an unprecedented, partisan filibuster for the first time in 238 years of this institution. I was honored to be at the White House's East Wing on January 31, with President Trump, when he made the announcement that Judge Neil Gorsuch would be the nominee to replace Antonin Scalia. Judge Gorsuch's academic accomplishments are nothing short of being absolutely stellar. His decision to serve as a Justice on the highest Court in the land is a true testament to his character, his intelligence, his understanding of the law, and his commitment to the Constitution. Judge Gorsuch was appointed by President George W. Bush to the Tenth Circuit in 2006 and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. In fact, some of those Democrats who did not oppose Judge Gorsuch then included his Harvard Law classmate Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Of utmost importance in a Justice is the desire and the ability to apply the law as it is intended, not to legislate from the bench. So I can say that I was very thrilled to here Judge Gorsuch say this: ``A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge, stretching for results he prefers rather than those the law demands.'' On February 9, I met Judge Gorsuch in my office. Let me tell my colleagues, he is impressive. We discussed the Constitution. We discussed the Second Amendment. I represent the State of Montana. I can tell my colleagues that as we look at our Constitution and our Bill of Rights, the Second Amendment is very important to the people of Montana. He will defend the Second Amendment. We also talked about the separation of powers, the role of government and federalism, and the Fourth Amendment. Through 4 full days of hearings, Judge Gorsuch eloquently answered Judiciary Committee members' questions, and certainly, before the entire viewing audience of the American people, he showcased his brilliant legal mind. Prior to his hearing, he met with 80 Senators. He provided the Judiciary Committee with 70 pages of written answers regarding his personal record and over 75,000 pages of documents, including speeches, case briefs, opinions, and written works going as far back as his college days. The White House archives produced over 180 pages of email and paper records related to Judge Gorsuch's time at the Department of Justice. During the committee hearing, Judge Gorsuch sat for three rounds of questioning totaling nearly 20 hours. In fact, when Judge Gorsuch appeared before the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. Senate, it was the longest hearing of any nominee in this century. He answered nearly 1,200 questions during that hearing. By the way, that is nearly twice as many questions as Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, or Ginsburg. Today's vote was nothing more than a campaign fundraising effort for Senate Democrats. In fact, the Democratic Members who have pledged to support him already have threats from liberals of voting them out of office. It is a sad day that this body has become so partisan that, for the first time in this body's history, we had a partisan filibuster to a more than qualified nominee. Judge John Kane, a judge appointed by Democrat Jimmy Carter, said in an op-ed for an online legal website: As the saying goes, we could do worse. I'm not sure we could expect better, or that better presently exists. There is just no arguing that Judge Gorsuch a mainstream nominee. Take the remarks of Obama's Solicitor General, Neal Katyal: Judge Gorsuch is one of the most thoughtful and brilliant judges to have served our nation over the last century. As a judge, he has always put aside his personal views to serve the rule of law. To boot, as those of us who have worked with him can attest, he is a wonderfully decent and humane person. I strongly support his nomination to the Supreme Court. I remind my colleagues that those are the words of President Obama's Solicitor General. A nominee of this caliber who has undergone, as I just mentioned, rigorous vetting deserves the respect of the Members of this Chamber. Yet Senate Democrats walked down the road that their former leader did in 2013 by changing the precedent of this body and allowing the U.S. Senate to become even more partisan. The American people want Judge Gorsuch. The polls show that. In fact, they demanded nine Justices on the Court. Today, we are one step closer to confirming him. Judge Gorsuch is the right replacement to honor the legacy of Justice Antonin Scalia. He has widespread support across the State of Montana, including our agriculture groups, the NRA, and leaders from across our State. Four Indian Tribes in Montana have endorsed Judge Gorsuch. The American people deserve a Supreme Court Justice who will uphold the rule of law and follow the Constitution. The American people deserve a Supreme Court Justice who doesn't legislate from the bench. The American people deserve Judge Gorsuch to serve them on the U.S. Supreme Court. As the American people watched Judge Gorsuch before the Judiciary Committee, they saw an exceptionally qualified nominee for the highest Court in the land. They saw someone who is bright--Columbia undergraduate, Harvard Law School, Oxford Ph.D. I would submit that Judge Gorsuch's intellectual capacities are only exceeded by the size of his heart. This is a kind man. This is a brilliant man. This is an independent jurist. I very much look forward to casting my vote tomorrow to confirm Judge Gorsuch.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, as a fifth-generation Montanan who grew up just a short drive from our Nation's first national park, Yellowstone National Park, and as chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, I am excited to introduce this resolution to reassure the public that Congress recognizes the remarkable value that our National Parks bring to our national heritage. From America's hallowed battlefields in Gettysburg and Fredericksburg, to the glacial peaks, geysers, and big game in my home State of Montana, to the ancient cultural resources, volcanoes, and marine life of Hawaii and all across the plains, many of the units of the National Park System bring remarkable opportunities for cultural education and outdoor recreation for people from around the world to enjoy. I am excited to be joined by ranking member Mazie Hirono and over 30 of our bipartisan colleagues from Alaska to Maine and Florida in introducing this resolution. The support of this resolution is a reflection that our National Parks bridge political divides and make our Nation uniquely American. As the National Park System begins its second century this year, we have seen record visitation with 331 million visits in 2016, but record visitation also brings additional strain on the National Park Service's failing infrastructure. I am hopeful that Congress, the Trump administration and future administrations will continue to invest in our National parks to ensure their legacy endures for our children and generations to come.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this week, I have the distinct honor of recognizing Jenny Genger of Jefferson County for her selfless commitment to others in her local community. Jenny is a wonderful example of a local leader who is always willing to take on additional responsibility and devote her time and talent to others. Jenny graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in sociology. At her graduation in Missoula, one of the soldiers in the honor guard escorting the national flag caught her attention. With that chance encounter as the spark, the two were married about a year later. The young couple settled near Helena, in Montana City, where today they are raising their four children. In Helena, Jenny became very active in the Mothers of Preschoolers, also known as MOPS, by serving initially as the director of hospitality, and then after a period of rapid growth, she graciously took on additional duties as the president of a newly formed MOPS group. Jenny served in this capacity for nearly 8 years. A few years ago, Jenny passed on her MOPS leadership baton and began serving as the chairperson for the education program in her church. As chairperson, Jenny spurred a program to have educational activities available during parent-teacher conferences in order to help parents attend the conferences. Jenny also volunteers each week at the local pregnancy resource center and coordinates the center's annual banquet. Not only does Jenny excel at serving her community, she has done so even while her husband, Noah, a Montana Army National Guard pilot, was gone for nearly a year conducting missions in southwest Asia. Montana is a State with many unsung heroes, and people like Jenny are the community glue that make Montana a great place to raise a family. For her efforts to serve, educate, and inspire those around her, Montana is sincerely thankful. Thank you, Jenny.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this week, I have the distinct honor of recognizing Leslie Cartner, commander of the Yellowstone Battalion of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps in Billings. Leslie's devotion to the Yellowstone Battalion, the only Sea Cadet organization in the State of Montana, has been outstanding. In the next few weeks, Leslie will complete her tenure as Yellowstone Battalion Commander and transfer responsibility for the Sea Cadet program to another capable Montanan. In 1962, Congress chartered the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps. Today there are over 380 Sea Cadet units and nearly 9,000 young Americans participating in the program. In the Yellowstone Battalion, under Leslie's leadership, the cadets have been trained in drill and ceremony, first aid, inspection procedures, and taught the basics of fighting a fire while onboard a ship. In addition to learning introductory level Navy skills, the cadets have received character-building instruction in avoiding substance abuse and prevention of bullying and harassment. One of the instructors for the Yellowstone Battalion, Navy veteran George Blackard, described Leslie as the driving force behind the local Sea Cadet program and ``the one who really got it off the ground.'' I strongly share George's appreciation for the work Leslie has done to enhance the program and her commitment to helping build the next generation of leaders. From Libby to Ekalaka, Montanans are doing great things to strengthen their communities. A thank you for a job well done, I tip my cap to Leslie. Good job, Sailor.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, since 2001 our Nation has frequently called upon members of the National Guard and Armed Forces Reserve to confront our enemies and protect our interests around the globe. Without the contributions from the Guard and Reserve components, the joint force would be far less capable and unable to perform many critical tasks. Often, members of the Guard and Reserve incur out-of-pocket expenses to travel to and from their training locations. There are many challenges that these servicemembers face, but subsidizing the cost of training with after-tax income should not be one of them. This issue is particularly relevant to Montana. My home State is widely recognized as having one of the highest per capita veteran populations in the Nation, with many Montanans serving in the Guard or Reserve. The distances between homes and training sites can be challenging. As the son of a marine, I understand the costs associated with service. With a deep appreciation for the commitment and sacrifice expected from members of Guard and Reserve, I offer the Tax Relief for Guard and Reserve Training Act. This bill lowers the mileage threshold from 100 to 50 for tax-deductible expenses. This change would put the Guard and Reserve on equal footing with most government and military travel regulations. The Tax Relief for Guard and Reserve Training Act is a reasonable reform, specifically targeted at those who are often asked to shoulder burdens for the common good. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, since 2001 our Nation has frequently called upon members of the National Guard and Armed Forces Reserve to confront our enemies and protect our interests around the globe. Without the contributions from the Guard and Reserve components, the joint force would be far less capable and unable to perform many critical tasks. Often, members of the Guard and Reserve incur out-of-pocket expenses to travel to and from their training locations. There are many challenges that these servicemembers face, but subsidizing the cost of training with after-tax income should not be one of them. This issue is particularly relevant to Montana. My home State is widely recognized as having one of the highest per capita veteran populations in the Nation, with many Montanans serving in the Guard or Reserve. The distances between homes and training sites can be challenging. As the son of a marine, I understand the costs associated with service. With a deep appreciation for the commitment and sacrifice expected from members of Guard and Reserve, I offer the Tax Relief for Guard and Reserve Training Act. This bill lowers the mileage threshold from 100 to 50 for tax-deductible expenses. This change would put the Guard and Reserve on equal footing with most government and military travel regulations. The Tax Relief for Guard and Reserve Training Act is a reasonable reform, specifically targeted at those who are often asked to shoulder burdens for the common good. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, water is a basic foundation of life. In Montana, we depend on a steady supply of water to drink, irrigate our crops, water our livestock, and provide energy through hydropower. Water is a precious resource, and there are still rural communities that face barriers to access and are in dire need of clean drinking water. The struggle for water continues to create health challenges for Indian Country and nearby communities, in addition to making economic development more difficult. There are approximately 35,000 Americans across 12 counties in both Montana and North Dakota whose existing public water supply systems are unable to provide them with water that meets the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The Bureau of Reclamation plays a critical role in managing the storage and delivery of water in the Western United States. Some of the earliest water projects built by the Bureau were built in Montana. These projects provided critical infrastructure for Montana homesteaders and were of critical importance to the long-term growth of our State. They are still vital today. That is why I am introducing the Clean Water for Rural Communities Act. This legislation would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to provide Federal assistance for the planning, design, and construction of the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority System and the Musselshell-Judith Rural Water System in Montana and North Dakota. The Dry-Redwater and Musselshell-Judith rural water projects have spent 7 and 11 years, respectively, in deliberation with the Bureau, as well as $4 million and $3 million in State, local, and Federal funding. It is critical we provide the Bureau of Reclamation the necessary authorization to complete these projects and provide clean and reliable water to 35,000 Montanans and North Dakotans. I thank Senator Tester for being an original cosponsor of this bill. I ask my Senate colleagues to join us in support of this important legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, water is a basic foundation of life. In Montana, we depend on a steady supply of water to drink, irrigate our crops, water our livestock, and provide energy through hydropower. Water is a precious resource, and there are still rural communities that face barriers to access and are in dire need of clean drinking water. The struggle for water continues to create health challenges for Indian Country and nearby communities, in addition to making economic development more difficult. There are approximately 35,000 Americans across 12 counties in both Montana and North Dakota whose existing public water supply systems are unable to provide them with water that meets the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act. The Bureau of Reclamation plays a critical role in managing the storage and delivery of water in the Western United States. Some of the earliest water projects built by the Bureau were built in Montana. These projects provided critical infrastructure for Montana homesteaders and were of critical importance to the long-term growth of our State. They are still vital today. That is why I am introducing the Clean Water for Rural Communities Act. This legislation would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to provide Federal assistance for the planning, design, and construction of the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority System and the Musselshell-Judith Rural Water System in Montana and North Dakota. The Dry-Redwater and Musselshell-Judith rural water projects have spent 7 and 11 years, respectively, in deliberation with the Bureau, as well as $4 million and $3 million in State, local, and Federal funding. It is critical we provide the Bureau of Reclamation the necessary authorization to complete these projects and provide clean and reliable water to 35,000 Montanans and North Dakotans. I thank Senator Tester for being an original cosponsor of this bill. I ask my Senate colleagues to join us in support of this important legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I want to thank my esteemed colleague from Wyoming, Senator Barrasso, for his comments. He shared many of the same views I have. As I think about the job I do as a Senator--perhaps one of the most important jobs we have as Senators is approving a Supreme Court Justice. An Associate Justice of the Supreme Court can serve an average of 27 years. We think about Justice Scalia; he served 30 years. Neil Gorsuch is 49 years old. God willing, he probably will serve 30 years or more, perhaps. Think about that. My wife and I have four children. They are going through the college years and so forth. They are in their early and midtwenties. They will likely be grandparents when Judge Gorsuch wraps up his career on the Supreme Court, assuming he is approved. That is why a decision like this about whom to vote for, whom to stand behind, whom to stand with is so important. It is not just for today, it is for our children and our grandchildren. The people want a Supreme Court Justice who does not legislate from the bench. The people want a Supreme Court Justice who upholds the rule of law and follows the Constitution. The people want a Supreme Court Justice with a record of constitutional jurisprudence and legal restraint to match what we saw from Justice Antonin Scalia. The people want a Supreme Court Justice with the academic credentials, who is well prepared to serve the American people on our highest Court, to wrestle with some of the most complicated issues that the High Court wrestles with. When President Trump announced that he was appointing Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court, the American people knew he was truly a supreme pick. He has a brilliant legal mind. He understands the role a judge plays in our judicial system--to interpret the law and not to legislate from the bench. In fact, on the night he was announced, when President Trump revealed his pick, I was at the White House, and I heard Judge Gorsuch say: ``A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge, stretching for results he prefers rather than those the law demands.'' That is the humility of a great judge. Judge Gorsuch has impeccable legal qualifications that demonstrate he will be the type of Justice every American deserves to have on the highest Court. He graduated from Harvard Law School. He was a Harry Truman Scholar, graduated with honors in 1991. He earned his law degree and then attended Oxford University as a Marshall Scholar and received his doctorate degree in 2004 from Oxford. As we say out West, and as a Montanan, I have to say I am thrilled to see somebody from Colorado be nominated for the Supreme Court. We say out West: Go get a good education and then get over it. And he brings that kind of humility to the bench. He understands that he is beneath the law, he is subject to the law. He is there to interpret the law, not to make the law. He clerked for Justice Byron White. He clerked for Justice Kennedy of the Supreme Court of the United States. In fact, in 2006, Judge Gorsuch was nominated by then-President Bush to the Tenth Circuit in Denver, CO. He was confirmed without any opposition, including the support of 11 current Democratic Senators. In fact, some of those Democrats included Harvard Law classmate Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and the current minority leader, Chuck Schumer. During his time as a judge on the Tenth Circuit, he has built a solid reputation as a respected jurist with a very distinguished record. One thing about serving on the Tenth Circuit Court for 10 years: You can run, but you can't hide. He has left a track record. It is an impressive track record. It is a consistent record of defending the Constitution, including respecting the separation of powers and respecting federalism and the Bill of Rights to protect every American from government overreach and government abuse. When I had the opportunity to sit down with Judge Gorsuch, it was back in early February. We spoke about the role of government and federalism. We spoke about the Second Amendment. We spoke about protecting life and upholding our civil liberties. We spoke about our shared western values, mine as a native Montanan, his as a native Coloradan, both of us westerners. I know he understands our way of life. He understands Montana values. In fact, his face lit up as we talked about the love of the outdoors and his passion for hiking and fishing. As chairman of the Western Caucus, it is important to me to have someone who understands western values, someone who understands the impact the law and his decisions will have on the West. As westerners, we fight to protect our Fourth Amendment rights. We champion federalism so that power not expressly given to the Federal Government in the Constitution is returned back to the States and to the people. We will tirelessly fight to protect the Second Amendment. These are western values. By the way, the Second Amendment is not primarily about hunting. Our Founding Fathers were not thinking about deer hunting or elk hunting when they were discussing the Second Amendment. It was about liberty. It was about freedom. These are western values. Judge Gorsuch's background and record strongly suggest that he recognizes and adheres to these values. He will uphold the law. He will rightfully check the administration and Congress when their actions are not done under the law, like President Obama's EPA power plan or the WOTUS rule. These are actions that cripple western economies, and they are politically charged. I would also like to mention that Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado and I were just at the White House meeting, just an hour ago. We were at the White House meeting with over a dozen Tribes who represent hundreds of other Tribes. We were there to discuss our support for Neil Gorsuch to be a Supreme Court Justice. I can tell you, it was great to be there with one of my hometown Tribes from Montana, the CSKT. They have endorsed Neil Gorsuch. They understand that we need a mainstream, commonsense westerner on the Supreme Court. By the way, when you look at Neil Gorsuch's record on Indian Country issues, as a member of the Tenth Circuit Court for 10 years, he has a track record of ruling on some very complicated issues that face Indian Country. He understands sovereignty. That is very important. That is why you are seeing Tribes endorsing Judge Gorsuch. More importantly, the American people deserve nine members on the Supreme Court. Neil Gorsuch is the mainstream judge the American people want and deserve to fill out the Court. I am looking forward to what will happen next week in those hearings. You are going to see a very, very bright, a very, very thoughtful, a very, very kind, and a very, very humble jurist who understands and upholds the rule of law. I am excited for our country that we have such a phenomenal nominee. I look forward to casting my vote to confirm him to the highest Court in our great country. I suggest the absence of a quorum.