Steve Daines

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I further 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. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 293, S. 2152.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported amendments be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, 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 unanimous consent that notwithstanding the provisions of rule XXII, all postcloture time on the Azar nomination expire at 2:15 p.m. tomorrow, January 24, and the Senate vote on confirmation of the Azar nomination with no intervening action or debate; finally, that if confirmed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table and the President be immediately notified of the Senate's action.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Maj. Patrick J. Heiny, a Marine Corps Fellow in Senator Cornyn's office, be granted floor privileges for the remainder of the 115th Congress.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, before I got involved in politics, I spent 28 years in the private sector--small businesses, medium-sized businesses, a Fortune 25 company. The Fortune 25 company was Proctor & Gamble. I spent 14 years with that company, and one of our assignments took us to mainland China. I remember when we were offered the assignment and we took the job. At that time, we had a little boy, David, our first child. He was about 18 months old. Our second child, Annie, was just born, a new baby, several weeks old. We moved to Guangzhou. That was in January of 1992. We were part of leading the team that pioneered the operations for Proctor & Gamble back in the early days of the expansion of the company. Today, that geography, in fact, I think is P&G's second largest geography as it relates to sales in the world. I remember we spent some time with other American families from around the world. There were American families. There were families from virtually every continent. These expats living over there would spend time going to orphanages. We would go to these orphanages, usually on a Saturday, and we would hold these babies. Sometimes they had disabilities. Some of these babies never received human touch except for when these families-- oftentimes American families--would go and hold them. On a positive note, it built in a conscience at that orphanage. They knew the Americans were coming on Saturday. Things got cleaned up, the babies were getting a little better fed, and that was a good thing, but we were fighting on behalf of those who had life and weren't being treated very well. I want to tell a couple of stories about things that happened while we were over there in China. I was running a large organization. I had many Chinese employees who were working for me. I remember one day one of my key managers came and he said: Steve, I need to go to the police station this afternoon. I said: Oh, my word. Is there something wrong? Do you need some help? He said: No, not really. My wife is pregnant, and we did not have permission from the authorities to get pregnant. I said: Well, what does that mean? He said: Well, that might mean they would terminate the pregnancy, require it. At that moment, I looked at that employee--one of my key managers-- and I said: I will do all I need to do, all I can, to ensure that we protect that baby, assuming you want to keep that baby. And he said: My wife and I do want to keep that baby. I said: What does help look like? How can I help you? He said: Well, can I get a case of shampoo? Now, we were making some well-known brands, including Head & Shoulders shampoo, Vidal Sassoon, Pantene. We were making Crest toothpaste then and Tide. We had these world-class brands. So I gave him a case of shampoo, and he went downtown to see the authorities. That case of shampoo saved the life of that baby, and they now have a beautiful grown daughter. Another day I was at work and my phone rang. My wife Cindy called me. She said: Steve, you will not believe it, but we just had twin baby girls dropped off on our doorstep in our apartment in Guangzhou. I said: Twin baby girls? Really? At that point, we had three children. We went over to China with two. We had two more, in fact, while we were living over there. At that time, we had three. She said: They are just infants. The story behind that is, there was a mother who lived in the countryside who had one baby, a little girl, and she got pregnant with twins. Because of the one-child policy, she was in trouble, and she fled to the countryside. In fact, she was hiding in a remote location, and her mother would come out to feed the mother and the babies to keep them alive. To make a long story short, we battled for a couple of years because there was no paper trail for these two beautiful Chinese babies. There was an American family who worked for Proctor & Gamble--one of my associates who wanted to adopt those babies. I can tell you, there was another happy ending this time to that story. They are now two beautiful young women who are living in the United States as U.S. citizens. These stories demonstrate the importance of saving one life at a time. I share these stories because today is the 45th anniversary of the Supreme Court's decision on Roe v. Wade. I know there is a lot going on at the moment. The Senate just voted to reopen the government. The House will follow shortly. The President will sign that bill. Common sense has prevailed. We have the government open again. In fact, we are reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program for 6 years. Today, in the midst of all of these important issues we are dealing with, we cannot--we must not--forget that each year in the United States, over 600,000 babies lose their fight for life due to abortion. No case of shampoo is able to save them. They never got the chance to be adopted. That is over 600,000 babies a year; 60 million since the Supreme Court's decision on Roe v. Wade in 1973, 45 years ago today. I told a little bit about David when I started my remarks, our oldest son of our four children. David was born in the United States before we moved to China. I think, as a parent--and if you are a parent, you remember that with new babies, when you take them to get their shots, it is much harder on mom and dad than it is on the baby. The baby is screaming and crying from the pain they are feeling, and you as a parent want to take away that pain. It is part of the natural response of any mom or dad. Tragically, in this Nation, there are over 13,000 babies aborted that are over 20 weeks old. You see, at 20 weeks, that baby can yawn. It can make faces. It can stretch. The science tells us babies at 20 weeks of age can feel pain. So think about the pain a parent feels when a newborn receives a vaccination, and imagine the pain a baby at 20 weeks and beyond feels if it is being aborted. In fact, when they do in utero surgery at 20 weeks and beyond, they administer anesthesia to that baby. We must continue to fight to protect life at all stages. Certainly, where we can take steps--bipartisan steps--to protect life, we should. I think we might be able to agree that banning elective abortions for babies who are 20 weeks or older--that is 5 months, well past the halfway stage of gestation--we should do that. At the center of this debate is a tiny child, and that baby can't speak for itself yet. Those babies we fought for in China--whether it was that baby who was saved by a case of shampoo or those twin baby girls who were dropped off on our doorstep--couldn't speak and fight for their lives. The babies in the womb, their cries aren't audible. We at least could hear the cries of the twin baby girls. That is why we must act on their behalf. Studies have shown that the vast majority of Americans are in favor of prohibiting late-term abortions, of stopping elective abortions after 20 weeks. In fact, if you poll millennials, that number is even higher. Why is that? I am not sure I have the precise answer, but one possibility is technology. If you have a smartphone, take it out. I can't do that because we are prohibited on the floor of the Senate, so I can't demonstrate it here, but if you have a smartphone or your computer or your iPad, go to Google and just type in ``20 weeks.'' That is all. You don't have to type in ``baby.'' Just type in ``20 weeks'' and look at what pops up. What you will see are images of what a baby looks like at 20 weeks. I think technology is now convincing millennials that what goes on in the womb at 20 weeks is a life; it is not just a piece of flesh. That is why we need to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. By the way, just last week the Department of Health and Human Services announced a new Conscience and Religious Freedom Division within its Office of Civil Rights. The administration is committed--and I am grateful they are committed--to enforcing existing conscience laws. I don't believe anyone should be forced to participate in an activity like abortion that violates their conscience. I am grateful for this administration's commitment to protecting life and the rights of conscience, and I stand ready to work with them and anyone here on either side of the aisle to advance the cause for life. I have always believed that people will believe those things they discover for themselves. As a parent, you know that you can teach your children, and you can say things to your children, but ultimately it is a process of their discovering something for themselves before they really will believe something. I think that is what is going on right now with millennials and the issue of late-term abortions and the issues of life, because technology is showing all of us--with the incredible clarity of ultrasounds and getting visibility of what is going on inside and that amazing miracle of life--that, indeed, it is a life. Since the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade, 60 million babies have lost their lives to abortion. We can honor their memories by acting to end this atrocity. I very much look forward to seeing the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act come to the floor of the Senate. We may have disagreements about when life begins, but let's all agree that we should stop late-term abortions. At 20 weeks is when that little baby can feel pain. I think that is a reasonable place to draw the line to get bipartisan support going forward. Only seven countries in the world allow late-term abortions--seven countries. The United States is on the same list as North Korea. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this most important legislation. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I am here to make one point crystal clear for those Montanans who are wondering what is going on with their government. There have been a lot of speeches given today and last night, and there have been a lot of interviews going on. Let me try to sum it up as succinctly as possible. The reason the government has shut down is because of a controversial illegal immigration policy that was not included in a bill that funds the government. If you don't know that, you are missing the facts. We should not hold the country hostage for a controversial immigration policy that impacts only .0007 percent of Montanans, but a minority of the U.S. Senators want to shut down the government, and now their leader is filibustering the U.S. Senate. This is a huge mistake. We need to get the government back up and running so the least amount of pain is felt by Montanans and the American people.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, midnight is approaching and a government shutdown is looming in front of us. I would say--as we can tell in this city--there are not a lot of things Senators will agree on, but I think there is one thing that just about every Senator I have spoken with does agree on; that is, we have a budgeting and spending process that is broken. In fact, the first bill I introduced in Congress was a bill that simply said: If Members of Congress can't pass a balanced budget, they shouldn't get paid. Nobody here likes to see CR after CR. CR stands for continuing resolution. Think about it. We have a government that starts its fiscal year every year on October 1. I spent 28 years in the private sector, and 13 of those years were with Procter & Gamble, a Fortune 500 company. I spent time in a small family business, and I spent time as part of a cloud computing startup that grew over 1,000 jobs. We took the company public. So I have had a lot of experience in budgets, management spending, and ensuring that you actually take in more money than you spend because that is all profit in business. Here in Washington, DC, we are now--October, November, December, middle of January--we are 3\1/2\ months into the fiscal year without having nailed down the spending plan. It is broken. That needs to be reformed. On a more optimistic note, there is a group of Republican and Democratic Senators who are having discussions about how to change the way the budgeting and spending works in Washington, DC, to deliver a better outcome for the American people. Here we are at this moment, just hours away from a looming government shutdown. So whether we are in business or dealing with issues in personal life, we have a choice to make right here in front of us--a choice we have to make in less than 7 hours. We can either keep the Federal Government open and fund health insurance for 24,000 Montana children--it is about 9 million American children. The idea was, let's put something in play that ought to be agreeable to both sides-- something pretty clean, not a tax with a bunch of political, divisive kind of issues. No, we are going to extend the funding of the government, avoid a government shutdown, and let's permanently reauthorize, for 6 years, the Children's Health Insurance Program. It is very popular with the American people. Either we do that or we shut the government down. Here is where we are. There will be a lot of folks spinning a lot of different messages, but let me try to articulate exactly where we are in as simple terms as possible. The House has passed an agreement to keep the lights on and to fund Children's Health Insurance. They passed it. The President has said he will sign that agreement to keep the lights on and to fund Children's Health Insurance. The House has passed it, the President says he will sign it, and now it is up to this body. Will we get 60 Senators--it will take Republicans and Democrats-- because there are only 51 Republican Senators, and the rules of the Senate require 60. Will we get 60 Senators--a good bipartisan vote--to keep the lights on and fund Children's Health Insurance? That is the question. We have less than 7 hours to figure that out. I implore my Democratic colleagues not to follow their leader, who insists that DACA and illegal immigration get fixed today, in the next 7 hours. We all know illegal immigration is a very important issue for our Nation. It has to be addressed. We must secure our borders, and we must resolve this issue, but let's keep it all in perspective. In my home State of Montana, there are less than 100 DACA residents versus 1 million Montanans who would be hurt by a government shutdown. A shutdown hurts our men and women who wear the uniform. To say it another way, the choice is between 100 DACA recipients--less than 100 in Montana--or the 24,000 children who depend on the Children's Health Insurance Program. Don't let these issues get confused by smoke and mirrors. That is the fundamental issue right now that Chuck Schumer and the leaders of our friends across the aisle are talking about shutting down the government over. The right thing to do here is to vote yes today. Let's continue to fund the government while we work to address these issues related to illegal immigration and border security. Senator Lankford was here earlier. There are good bipartisan discussions going on as we speak. These are difficult issues to get sorted out. They are divisive issues, but I think there is a path forward. To me, to say they have to get resolved tonight or shut down the government is the wrong position to take. A shutdown means no long-term certainty for Montana's children. A shutdown hurts our military. A shutdown hurts our veterans. I don't like another CR. I would rather not have another CR. But guess what. You get paid to come here and make a choice. Sometimes it is between two options; neither one is very appealing. I don't like the idea of having another CR. It is just an example of a broken budgeting process. But the choice is that either we buy some more time to resolve these issues of illegal immigration or we shut down the government, harming our military, our veterans, our seniors, and compromising national security. I believe a government shutdown is a mistake.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, access to healthcare is on the line today for 24,000 Montana children. The House of Representatives is working to pass legislation that will reauthorize a program called the Children's Health Insurance Program, better known as CHIP, for 6 years and will keep the government open. If passed, it will then come to us for a vote. Why don't we take the opportunity before us to come together on issues we agree on instead of always fighting on what divides us? I think we can all agree on keeping Montana kids healthy. Let me tell you a story about a family from Helena, MT, the A-Gee family. Jaxon was a normal baby--a happy, healthy baby--until October of 2016, when he was just 8 months old. That is when he was first flown from Helena to Missoula's Community Medical Center's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. He was deathly ill with a respiratory infection. At that time, it was not clear why Jaxon had gotten so sick, but his parents soon learned that he had Leigh syndrome, a disease in which the body is not able to process energy properly, which leads to muscle weakness, swallowing problems, and severe illnesses with just a simple or a common cold. His parents quickly learned to manage his new feeding tube, to suction his mouth and his throat, and to put him on oxygen monitors at night. Unfortunately, Jaxon has had five more serious infections. Each time, he has become ill. It has happened so quickly that he has had to be flown to Missoula even though he has a team of pediatricians, nurses, dietitians, speech therapists, and physical therapists who are trying to help keep him from getting ill. As Jaxon's mom would say, when Jaxon gets ill, the only way to keep him from having to be flown to Missoula is to get him seen by his pediatrician as soon as possible so that if he does get sick, it is relatively minor. I can tell you that this family in Montana is grateful for Healthy Montana Kids, which is Montana's CHIP program. They are thankful for its providing Jaxon's insurance and the copay for his care and his medical supplies. His mom says that the insurance is what makes it possible to manage Jaxon's condition and possible to afford well-baby checks instead of their just going to the doctor's on an emergency basis. To add more background to the story, Jaxon's dad was disabled in a workplace accident, so he is home, caring for Jaxon and the family's other two children. Jaxon's mom works, and her employer has been phenomenal to her--those are her words--as they have faced Jaxon's hospitalizations, but the family of five couldn't afford Jaxon's care without Healthy Montana Kids. A helicopter bill for the ride from Helena to Missoula alone can be as much as $34,000, and Jaxon has taken that flight six times. This family doesn't know what it will do if the funding for CHIP runs out, but the family is committed to caring for its son no matter what. That is why I support a 6-year reauthorization of CHIP. Let me provide another reason. This is Danielle. She is 9 years old, and she lives in Deer Lodge, MT. When she was just 18 months old, she suddenly lost the ability to walk. Cindy and I are the parents of four children. I cannot imagine a more frightening moment as a parent if one has an 18-month-old child, and he suddenly loses his ability to walk. Danielle was diagnosed with a form of juvenile arthritis. You don't think about arthritis affecting an 18-month-old child. This is a disease that causes pain, swelling, a stiffness of joints, as well as vision problems. Thankfully, Danielle was started on a medication--a twice-a-month injection that controls the swelling and inflammation. Because of that, she can walk and even run again. Yet these injections are expensive. To pay outright for just 1 month, it costs over $6,000. Last summer, for 3 months, Danielle was unable to get the injections. She stopped walking, and she no longer could go to school. Her mom had to carry her through the house. When Danielle was approved for Montana's CHIP program, she was able to go to the doctor's and get on another medication--an infusion this time. She is now back at school and running around--to quote Mom-- ``like a kid who doesn't have any problems.'' Danielle loves to study math and science, and when she grows up, of all things, her dream is to be a doctor for kids. Without CHIP, Danielle's family would be unable to afford the medication she needs. Without CHIP, Danielle wouldn't be walking. Danielle and Jaxon and the thousands of other Montana kids and their families need us to work for them. So I am saddened that partisan politics would get in the way of access to healthcare for these children. We have the opportunity today to reauthorize CHIP for 6 years and avert a government shutdown at the same time. I urge my colleagues to do the right thing here, to do the right thing for the 24,000 Montana kids who use this important program. I urge them to support a 6-year reauthorization of CHIP and to keep the government open. I yield the floor.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Curtis and Marlys Schwaderer for their many years of service to the community of Superior, MT, as owners of Mineral Pharmacy. For decades, Mineral Pharmacy has been a cornerstone business in the community, providing vital services for its people. A graduate of the pharmacy school at the University of Montana, Curtis purchased the pharmacy 27 years ago. Together, he and his wife, Marlys, ran the business and raised two sons in the community. As Superior has struggled with the decline of the timber industry with rising unemployment and falling incomes, the Schwaderers and their business have been a constant and stabilizing presence, a beacon of certainty in uncertain times. In November, after 43 years as pharmacist and 27 years at Mineral Pharmacy, Curtis retired, and he and Marlys announced they were selling the business. Under new ownership, the pharmacy continues to serve the community of Superior, and the Schwaderers themselves remain members of the community. The Schwaderers and Mineral Pharmacy are an excellent example of what committed community members and a business can mean to a small town. Every day, in small towns across Montana, you will find hard-working people like the Schwaderers and small businesses like Mineral Pharmacy working hard to keep our communities strong. They are truly the lifeblood of our State. Thank you, Curtis and Marlys, for your many years of hard work and service to your community. I wish you all the best in your next chapter.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I thank Senator Lankford for leading this very important conversation. I thank Senator Blunt, Senator Ernst, and Senator Sasse for joining us today as well in this discussion. Mr. President, 28 years ago, I became a first-time dad. By the grace of God, we got to see three more children born after our first child David was born. I can tell you, my wife Cindy and I were excited and a little bit terrified when we welcomed David into the world. As a parent, one of the toughest things is to see your child in pain. I remember when David cried, I would have given an arm and a leg to stop that pain. I remember when he was just a little baby taking David to the pediatrician to get that shot and so forth, and the pain David felt and the screams and the crying I think were much harder on the parents than on the baby. I think we all recognize the pain a child feels after they are born. As I have gone on and researched this issue of pain and babies and so forth, science tells us that a baby feels pain before they are born. Senator Sasse mentioned earlier that we are one of four nations that allows elective abortion at any time during a pregnancy. The question is, if we were 1 hour before delivery--the baby is 1 hour from being delivered--as a nation, can we at least agree that we should have a law that says abortions should not be allowed because it is pretty clear that the baby is going to feel pain? The question is, at what point do we know they feel pain during the pregnancy? It is shocking to think our Nation loses 13,000 children a year to late-term abortions. We can have the debate about all abortions, but today we are focused on late-term abortions. Thirteen thousand children a year die from late-term abortions. At 20 weeks, these babies can suck their thumb, they can yawn, they can stretch, they can make faces, and science shows these babies are also capable of feeling pain. Our ears may be deaf to their cries, but we don't have to live in ignorance, not when research and even common sense tells us these unborn children feel pain. In fact, there is a reason unborn babies are oftentimes given anesthesia during fetal surgery. That is why we must pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. It is unconscionable that we are allowing unborn children as old as 20 weeks--that is 5 months--to be killed when they can feel pain. In fact, do a Google search. If you have a smartphone, are sitting in front of a computer, type in ``20 weeks.'' You don't even have to type in ``baby.'' Just type in ``20 weeks.'' Then, take a look at the pictures, the images that come up after you complete that search. This is one of them. In fact, I had my smartphone last night. I said to my staff: I typed in ``20 weeks'' in the Google search, and this is the image that comes up. How can we say that is not a baby? While much of the media turned a blind eye to the atrocious acts of Kermit Gosnell, and they didn't watch the horrific videos taken undercover at Planned Parenthood clinics, many of us did. We did watch, and we cannot sit in silence. Most of us would not wish that treatment on even our most hated of enemies, let alone a child of any age. The United States is just one of seven countries that allows elective abortions after 20 weeks. It is not a good list to be on. It is the same list we share that has China and North Korea on it. As an American citizen, I believe in our founding principle that all men and women are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, and among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As a person of faith, I am called--we are called--to help the most vulnerable in our society. As a U.S. Senator, it is my honor to support this legislation, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, and I urge its swift passage.

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 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Montana, like much of the United States, is suffering from the rise in human trafficking. I am grateful that Montana's attorney general, Tim Fox, has taken this issue head-on. In fact, Montana has had three times as many human trafficking cases in 2017 as we had in 2015--a threefold increase. Unfortunately, this number will likely continue to rise in the coming years, and online platforms are a driving force for it. Like so many things, the internet has tremendous power for good as well as for evil. Having spent 12 years building a startup cloud computing business in my hometown of Bozeman--a business we grew to over 1,000 employees. We took the company public. This became a large, global business. I understand the power of the internet for good. But I also believe we must and can have better safeguards to protect our children, our families, and our neighbors from sex trafficking, while at the same time protecting innovation on the internet. Unfortunately, a startup business--your business--has the potential to be used for terrible reasons without your awareness. Even more upsetting, it is also possible that online platforms do know that bad actors are using that platform and they do nothing about it. During my first hearing on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, we investigated one of these platforms: backpage.com. Bad actors like backpage.com must be held accountable. That is why today, on Human Trafficking Awareness Day, I will be joining the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act. This act strips protections for platforms that knowingly assist, support, or facilitate sex trafficking. We must take steps now to stop human trafficking and protect vulnerable members of our community. The Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act moves us closer to that goal. I tip my hat and I am thankful to Senator Portman for introducing this bill. I am thankful for the work of the Senate Commerce Committee to ensure that this legislation protects the millions of companies on the internet that are building our economy and creating high-paying jobs and doing so in good faith. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to be added as a cosponsor for S. 1693, the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act.

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

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, on rollcall vote No. 10, I voted yea. It was my intention to vote nay. Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to change my vote since it will not affect the outcome of the vote.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this week I have the distinct honor of recognizing the Montana Youth ChalleNGe Academy (MYCA), located in Dillon, MT. The MYCA is sponsored by the Montana National Guard and the State of Montana and assists at-risk youth in our state to develop the skills necessary to become productive citizens. This academy focuses on the physical, emotional and educational needs of the youth using a quasi-military style technique of discipline and motivation. To date, they have graduated over two thousand students. I would like to thank six of the original staff who began work at MYCA when it opened in 1999 and who are still employed there today. Director Jan Rouse, Deputy Director Trent Gibson, Lead Teacher Carolyn Bielser, Lead Counselor Ben Stewart, Counselor Tammy Pittman and Cadre Team Leader Cheryl Miskowic have spent years working to help Montana's at-risk youth and their work has touched the lives of many. Along with the other staff at MYCA, they have helped students become contributing members of our Montana communities. Thank you to all those working hard at the Montana Youth ChalleNGe Academy in Beaverhead County.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Sandra Boardman of Chinook, MT. Originally from Chinook, Sandi has served as the Blaine County clerk and recorder for 44 years. As she steps into retirement, she will be remembered for her many years of service. Thank you, Sandi, for your commitment to Blaine County and Montana. Your years of dedication and service show the true meaning of being a Montanan, and, for that, I am very grateful. You are an inspiration to us all. Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement, and I wish you all the best in the days ahead.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this week, I have the distinct honor of recognizing June Rychalski for her service with the Montana Department of Military Affairs. She has served Montana with grace, diligence, a positive attitude, and genuine care for the people of the Treasure State. During her 35 years of service, June has been secretary to the senior Army adviser, administrative assistant to the adjutant general, and next month will complete her career with the Montana Veterans Affairs Division. June demonstrated compassion and professionalism on a daily basis. Her ability to help a grieving family member navigate the challenges of veteran burial honors or steer a distressed veteran in the right direction to attain benefits is highly commendable. Her presence in the Montana Department of Military Affairs will be missed, but the mentorship she provided agency personnel over the years will ensure that her legacy endures. To her coworkers, June was regarded as their greatest advocate. When June retires, she plans to do what she has always done: continue to take good care of others. At age 83, June's example is inspiring. Her work ethic, compassion, and commitment to excellence represent the best of Montana values. Thank you, June, for your service. I wish you the best in retirement and appreciate all you have done for our State.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this week I have the distinct honor of recognizing Montana Representative Kelly Flynn of Broadwater County for his service to the State of Montana. Kelly is currently serving his fourth term in the Montana State Legislature. He continues to serve with an unyielding commitment to his constituents and the well-being of the State, while also fighting cancer. This past November, Kelly made the motion to adjourn the legislative special session, concluding, ``Cancer may take my body but it will never take my heart and soul.'' Kelly's heart and soul are Montana through and through. Kelly is a rancher and outfitter who serves as chairman of the Montana House of Representatives Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Committee. He has also served on the Governor's Council for Private Lands and Public Wildlife and the Montana Board of Outfitters and is currently serving as a member of the Broadwater County Farm Bureau. Montana has benefited greatly from his decades of service. Kelly has been a friend of mine for years. His work ethic is exceptional, and he is the best master of ceremonies in Broadwater County. His commitment to others represents the heart and soul of Montana.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this week, I have the distinct honor of recognizing the community of Glasgow for leading the way with their generosity during the holiday season. Earlier this month, members of the community successfully conducted their annual Block of Bucks program to help raise funds for local families to have warm clothing during the winter months. This charitable effort brought together a broad collection of the community, including the Glasgow Soroptimists, student council leaders from Glasgow High School, members of the National Guard, the local Elks Club, a host of local businesses, and dozens of other volunteers. Through their focused actions, the community of Glasgow raised over $30,000 to provide more than 300 hundred children with winter clothing. If you have ever experienced winter along the Hi-Line in northeast Montana, you will know how important it is to have the proper gear. The generosity of neighbors in towns like Glasgow is something that we can all appreciate. It is a Montana hallmark for neighbors to identify a need and then gather the people and resources to meet that need at a local level. Going into Christmas, I would like to offer a heartfelt thank you to the folks in Glasgow for giving their time and talents to help others by adding warmth to the holiday season.

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, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will keep over $700 million per year in Montanans' pockets. That is not a number that I calculated; that came right from the Montana Department of Revenue. And that is just for the individuals in Montana. That $700 million will be moved from Washington, DC, back to the people of Montana. I can tell you something: Hard-working Montanans could use a pay raise. In fact, in Montana, we have some of the lowest per capita wages in the Nation. Contrast that with what is going on in Washington, DC. In fact, if you Google ``wealthiest counties in the U.S.A.''--I challenge you to do that. Take your smartphone and Google ``wealthiest counties in the U.S.A.'' and look at what you find. The top three wealthiest counties in America are suburbs of Washington, DC. In fact, 6 out of 10 of those counties are counties adjacent to Washington, DC. Montanans don't need to send an additional $700 million of their money back to Washington, DC. In fact, according to the Montana Department of Revenue, nearly 99 percent of Montanans will see a tax cut under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. On average, Montanans will keep approximately $1,600 of their hard-earned money each year. Moreover, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act repeals once and for all ObamaCare's poverty tax--the so-called individual mandate. This tax has systematically penalized the low-income for not being able to afford health insurance. Frankly, repealing this tax is one of the most compassionate things we could do as part of this legislation. Adding insult to injury, when you peel back what is going on with this poverty tax, 42 percent of those paying that poverty tax, that ObamaCare mandate tax, make less than $25,000 a year. In fact, 82 percent of the penalty payers paying this tax make less than $50,000 a year. Repealing this tax is the right thing to do. At the end of the day, the question here is pretty simple: Who deserves more money? Who deserves more control? Is it right here in Washington, DC, or is it the American people? Is it the people of Montana? I think the answer to that question is pretty easy. I believe Montanans do. So I will be voting for hard-working Montana families so they can keep more of their own money. As we debate what we should do with the cash here in Washington, DC, whose money is it anyway? It came from the people of this country. It came from the people of Montana. I will be voting for Montana Main Street businesses, for the hard-working middle class of Montana so we can grow wages--some of the lowest in the Nation--and grow jobs. I will be voting to return some of Montanans' hard-earned money back to the people who sent it here in the first place. Mr. President, I yield back my time.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, as a fifth generation Montanan and avid outdoorsman, I know how important public use of our public lands is to Montanans. Many Montanans, including myself, have also had great experiences hunting, fishing, or hiking on approved private lands as well. Expanding access for sportsmen, improving habitat, and upholding property rights are all priorities of mine, which is why I am introducing the Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act. This bill would reauthorize the Voluntary Public Access-Habitat Improvement Program, a voluntary state-led program that expands public access by incentivizing private landowners to allow the public on their property for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreational activities while protecting their private property rights. In Montana alone, over 70,000 acres of private lands have been voluntarily opened up for hunting and increased public access, and the Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act would help build on that success. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, as a fifth generation Montanan and avid outdoorsman, I know how important public use of our public lands is to Montanans. Many Montanans, including myself, have also had great experiences hunting, fishing, or hiking on approved private lands as well. Expanding access for sportsmen, improving habitat, and upholding property rights are all priorities of mine, which is why I am introducing the Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act. This bill would reauthorize the Voluntary Public Access-Habitat Improvement Program, a voluntary state-led program that expands public access by incentivizing private landowners to allow the public on their property for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreational activities while protecting their private property rights. In Montana alone, over 70,000 acres of private lands have been voluntarily opened up for hunting and increased public access, and the Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act would help build on that success. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.