Steve Daines

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, as someone who spent over a decade in the private tech sector, I know firsthand the challenges our country faces when it comes to cyber criminals. Technology has made it easier than ever for bad actors to steal identities, distribute malware, and commit a whole host of other crimes, all from behind the computer screen. Law enforcement is facing tremendous challenges in tracking and stopping these criminals. The fact is, our law enforcement policies need to be updated to reflect the reality of the 21st century, but these policy changes need to be made through a process that is transparent, effective, and one that protects our civil liberties. The changes to rule XLI of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure would allow the government to hack an unlimited number of Americans' computers--including innocent victims' computers--with a single warrant. This rule change was approved behind closed doors at the Department of Justice. Fundamental changes to the way we allow law enforcement to execute searches need to be made through a process that is fully transparent to the American people. We cannot give the Federal Government a blank check to infringe upon our civil liberties. If Congress does not act, this rule change will automatically go into effect December 1. This bill simply delays the rule change. It is a delay which will allow Congress to consider new law enforcement tools through a process they deserve. I urge my colleagues to join my colleagues in delaying this rule. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, today I wish to recognize Alan Charles of Miles City for his tireless work at Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. Alan served in the agency's Helena office for the last 20 years, helping maintain Montanans' access to quality hunting grounds, an integral part of our way of life. In his role, Alan oversaw the block management program, which enabled landowners to enroll 7,234,628 acres of land for public hunting. He also provided oversight for critical access programs to ensure Montanans were able to enjoy our great outdoors and participate in our favorite pastimes. Over the course of 10 legislative sessions, he also provided testimony and background on legislation dealing with access and game issues in our great State. Alan was also a community builder, helping bring together landowners, the State government, and sportsmen, finding common ground among these groups. I am grateful for Alan's service to our State and its vast natural resources. After all, they are what make Montana the Treasure State. It takes a dedicated person to accomplish what Alan did, and I profoundly appreciate his time and efforts to preserve the Montanan way of life.

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, entrepreneurship is a bedrock of Montana, a relationship well understicod by the Small Business Administration, SBA. In fact, the SBA recognizes over 115,000 small businesses in the state, making up 97.4 percent of all businesses. These organizations employ nearly 236,000 Montanans, or 67.4 percent of the state workforce. While there are many harmful regulations coming out of Washington these days, the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, issued a rule last October to give entrepreneurs an important tool in their belt to get their/dreams up and running. This rule was the crowdfunding rule, which allows entrepreneurs to raise up to $1 million annually without having to incur the costs of expensive SEC registration. With this rule, entrepreneurs can now raise capital to grow their business and create jobs without incurring expenses ordinarily reserved for established companies able to become publicly traded. In fact, Treasure State Internet & Telegraph is one startup in my home town of Bozeman, Montana that has been able to use this important new rule. I am pleased today to support Montana's entrepreneurs by introducing the Crowdfunding Enhancement Act. This bill will make it easier for startups using crowdfunding to grow by creating a ``longer runway'' for costly filings. In this way, startups won't be penalized with costly paperwork by growing too fast growth. This bill also makes it easier to attract more capital once it reaches the current crowdfunding limits. With passage, this bill is a win for Montana and all our entrepreneurs. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, entrepreneurship is a bedrock of Montana, a relationship well understicod by the Small Business Administration, SBA. In fact, the SBA recognizes over 115,000 small businesses in the state, making up 97.4 percent of all businesses. These organizations employ nearly 236,000 Montanans, or 67.4 percent of the state workforce. While there are many harmful regulations coming out of Washington these days, the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, issued a rule last October to give entrepreneurs an important tool in their belt to get their/dreams up and running. This rule was the crowdfunding rule, which allows entrepreneurs to raise up to $1 million annually without having to incur the costs of expensive SEC registration. With this rule, entrepreneurs can now raise capital to grow their business and create jobs without incurring expenses ordinarily reserved for established companies able to become publicly traded. In fact, Treasure State Internet & Telegraph is one startup in my home town of Bozeman, Montana that has been able to use this important new rule. I am pleased today to support Montana's entrepreneurs by introducing the Crowdfunding Enhancement Act. This bill will make it easier for startups using crowdfunding to grow by creating a ``longer runway'' for costly filings. In this way, startups won't be penalized with costly paperwork by growing too fast growth. This bill also makes it easier to attract more capital once it reaches the current crowdfunding limits. With passage, this bill is a win for Montana and all our entrepreneurs. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I thank Senator Perdue for his leadership. What an honor it is to be down here on the Senate floor surrounded by freshmen--the freshmen Republican class. We have the Presiding Officer, Freshman Cory Gardner from Colorado; Lt. Col. Dan Sullivan, U.S. Marines, from Alaska; and David Perdue, who was the CEO of a company before he came to the Senate. We have LTC Joni Ernst from Iowa. I am proud to serve with Joni here and thankful for her service to the country, both in the military and now in the Senate. There are others. Mike Rounds is a former Governor from South Dakota who had to balance his budget there or he would lose his job. As Senator Perdue mentioned, when I first came to Washington, I did come equipped with a skill that was familiar to Montanans, like hunting and fishing are, and that is how to balance a budget. Before I came here, I spent 28 years in the private sector, 13 years with Proctor & Gamble and then 12 years with a startup company, and in between that, 3 years in our family construction business. I know what it takes to make a payroll. I know what it takes to make a family's household budget work. Yet balancing the budget is a skill this body has not embraced for nearly 20 years. As Senator Perdue mentioned, four times out of 42 years has this process worked. That is broken. Think about this. It is September 28. On Saturday, it is October 1, the beginning of the next fiscal year of the U.S. Federal Government, on which we will spend about $4 trillion this next fiscal year. We begin the next fiscal year in 2 days without a budget. We were all here last year at this same point in time--the last week of the fiscal year, the last week of September--and we moved into this fiscal year without a budget. It is no wonder that we are $20 trillion in debt when you don't have a budget. There is an old saying in business: If you aim at something, you will hit it. We do not have a budget here, and that has created $20 trillion in debt. When the Congressional Budget Office issued its August 2016 report last month, it shared that this year's projected budget deficit now has increased from an already staggering $439 billion in a January report. They have raised it now to $590 billion--an increase of 34 percent. If I were running a business, I could not get away with this. I would be out of business. Serving on a board of a publicly traded company, we would be firing the CEO and we would be firing the board with results like this. Here is something to think about. Deficit spending is nothing short of age discrimination because this excessive spending is at the cost of our children and grandchildren. That is what we are passing down. We are racking up the credit card debt, figuratively speaking, and passing it on to our kids. The American people are asking themselves: Why aren't the people they have elected able to ensure the future for our children? How can balancing the budget be so difficult? Being here for 2 years in the Senate, I have come to realize that the biggest hurdles to balancing the budget are the very rules, the very process that guides this institution. They are broken. Unless we fix the process with the leadership of Senator Perdue, who is getting out in front of this issue--unless we fix that--we will continue to repeat the growing deficits because this process is yielding the results it was designed to deliver. It is unacceptable. It must change. We are now approaching $20 trillion, which is 105 percent of GDP. The first bill I introduced when I came to Congress--in fact, I walked down to the Chamber, laid the bill on the desk of the clerk--was called the Balanced Budget Accountability Act. It said simply this: If Members don't balance the budget, they shouldn't get paid. Let's bring some real-world accountability to this institution. Let's put the pain on the Members of Congress instead of the American people. I thought perhaps if our pay was on the line, it would force us to be held accountable to not only balance the budget but get on track to long-term responsible spending. If we do nothing, we know what will happen. We will be right back here--mark it on your calendars--the last week of September, and we will be here debating a CR, pushing it into December with some big omnibus vote. It will happen again, guaranteed, unless we change this process and change the people who serve in this institution. We need action, we need accountability, and we need it now. In conclusion, I will say this. I have one distinction, perhaps; that is, I am the only chemical engineer who serves in the U.S. House or the U.S. Senate. When you are trained as an engineer, you are trained to take a look at a problem and identify a solution. We have a solution with Senator Perdue's leadership. You see, the freshmen Members of the Republican class of 2014 came here not to accept the status quo but to reject it and to change the way this country operates; truly, to save the future of our kids and our grandkids. I look forward to working with my colleagues to reform the budget process. Let's get this country back on the right track. I say to Senator Perdue, it is an honor to serve with you. Thanks for getting in front of this very important issue.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, for Montanans, gunsmithing goes hand-in- hand with hunting and sport shooting. Sometimes the difference between a successful hunt and an unfulfilled tag can be a needed modification on a rifle. Throughout Montana and across America, hundreds of thousands of gunsmiths make sure that our firearms are setup to our custom specifications. Many of these gunsmiths do so as a side project or hobby, making a little extra income in the process. Recently, the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, DDTC, issued guidance that changed the definition of a manufacturer under the International Traffic m Arms Regulations, ITAR, to be so broad that could include these gunsmiths and require them to register as manufacturers, which includes an annual $2,250 fee. ITAR was intended to control the production and exportation of products essential to our national security, such as those intended only for military use, but not to unnecessarily hinder American business and innovation or undermine the Second Amendment. That is why I am proud to introduce the Export Control Reform Act of 2016 with my colleague Senator Capito. The bill transfers regulatory responsibility for common, domestic firearms and related items from the Department of State to the Commerce Department, to be regulated like any other commercial business--allowing small business to continue to serve hunters and sports shooters. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, the travel and tourism industry plays a significant role in the U.S. economy. Travel and tourism contributed over $480 billion to the U.S. GDP last year. In Montana, tourism is one of our leading industries. Every year, visitors spend over $3 billion in our state which supports jobs and reduces taxes for Montana residents. The development of the online marketplace has made it easier than ever for travelers to do research, plan trips, and make reservations online. Online platforms allow customers to compare thousands of brands in one place. As a result, the number of hotel reservations made online has surged over the past several years. There are now up to 480 bookings every minute. As the number of online bookings has increased, there has also been an increase in the number of online booking scams. Illegitimate reservation sellers pose as hotel websites, leading consumers to believe they are booking directly with the hotel, when in fact they are booking with an unrelated third party. Transactions on these sites can result in additional hidden fees, loss of expected loyalty points, or even confirmation of reservations that were never made. One study found that as many as 15 million bookings a year are affected by fraudulent websites. That is why I am proud to introduce the Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2016 with my colleague Senator Nelson. The bill requires third party sites to disclose that they are not affiliated with the hotel, providing clarity and transparency to consumers booking online. It also empowers state attorneys general to pursue cases on behalf of consumers who have been scammed. Providing clear disclosures that reveal the true identity of websites will give confidence to the millions of consumers who make reservations online every year. I ask my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this much needed 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 travel and tourism industry plays a significant role in the U.S. economy. Travel and tourism contributed over $480 billion to the U.S. GDP last year. In Montana, tourism is one of our leading industries. Every year, visitors spend over $3 billion in our state which supports jobs and reduces taxes for Montana residents. The development of the online marketplace has made it easier than ever for travelers to do research, plan trips, and make reservations online. Online platforms allow customers to compare thousands of brands in one place. As a result, the number of hotel reservations made online has surged over the past several years. There are now up to 480 bookings every minute. As the number of online bookings has increased, there has also been an increase in the number of online booking scams. Illegitimate reservation sellers pose as hotel websites, leading consumers to believe they are booking directly with the hotel, when in fact they are booking with an unrelated third party. Transactions on these sites can result in additional hidden fees, loss of expected loyalty points, or even confirmation of reservations that were never made. One study found that as many as 15 million bookings a year are affected by fraudulent websites. That is why I am proud to introduce the Stop Online Booking Scams Act of 2016 with my colleague Senator Nelson. The bill requires third party sites to disclose that they are not affiliated with the hotel, providing clarity and transparency to consumers booking online. It also empowers state attorneys general to pursue cases on behalf of consumers who have been scammed. Providing clear disclosures that reveal the true identity of websites will give confidence to the millions of consumers who make reservations online every year. I ask my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring this much needed legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, for Montanans, gunsmithing goes hand-in- hand with hunting and sport shooting. Sometimes the difference between a successful hunt and an unfulfilled tag can be a needed modification on a rifle. Throughout Montana and across America, hundreds of thousands of gunsmiths make sure that our firearms are setup to our custom specifications. Many of these gunsmiths do so as a side project or hobby, making a little extra income in the process. Recently, the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, DDTC, issued guidance that changed the definition of a manufacturer under the International Traffic m Arms Regulations, ITAR, to be so broad that could include these gunsmiths and require them to register as manufacturers, which includes an annual $2,250 fee. ITAR was intended to control the production and exportation of products essential to our national security, such as those intended only for military use, but not to unnecessarily hinder American business and innovation or undermine the Second Amendment. That is why I am proud to introduce the Export Control Reform Act of 2016 with my colleague Senator Capito. The bill transfers regulatory responsibility for common, domestic firearms and related items from the Department of State to the Commerce Department, to be regulated like any other commercial business--allowing small business to continue to serve hunters and sports shooters. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I would like to recognize Joan Eliel, investigator/program specialist with the Montana Department of Justice for receiving one of three 2016 Outstanding Crime Victim Advocate of the Year awards. Joan is a dedicated public servant who has been a key DOJ employee for Attorneys General McGrath, Bullock, and Fox covering 14 years. Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Court chief judge, Winona Tanner, nominated Joan for the Outstanding Victim Advocate Award due to her leadership as program administrator for Montana's Project Passport, End of Life Registry, and Address Confidentiality Programs. Joan is currently piloting two national projects, including the Hope Card Project, which helps victims of protection order violations on the local, tribal, State, and Federal level. Matthew Dale, director of the Office of Consumer Protection and Victim Services, stated that Joan's work `` . . . is a national model of how Native Americans, the state and the federal government can work together to keep victims safe and hold offenders accountable.'' Joan is a true innovator and had dedicated her life to making positive and lasting changes for the victims of domestic violence. I am truly honored to be able to recognize Joan as ``Montanan of the Week'' for those efforts. Joan is married and the mother of two children and resides in Townsend, MT, in Broadwater County. Thank you, Joan, for your service, not only to the people of Montana, but our entire Nation. I look forward to hearing about the next innovative work you will lead on and the success of your current projects.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 572, submitted earlier today.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, Dr. Margaret Beeson is a generous and inspiring doctor, who inexhaustibly serves her profession, her community, and the world with compassion and integrity. She is a strong yet humble leader, whose healing presence has awakened and nurtured souls from all walks of life. She is a consummate professional, conducting every aspect of her life with dignity, decorum, and propriety. Her brilliance is not only found in her intellect, but in the dynamic legacy she has created. Her vision is manifest in the thousands of patients she has cared for, the myriad of doctors she has mentored, and is embodied throughout her very essence. Dr. Beeson is a loving mother and an enduring friend, generous of time, spirit, and compassion. She has served as a medic in the U.S. Navy and was selected to participate in an elite naval medical corps training program. This was a San Diego Naval Hospital based PA program. She trained for 6 months there and subsequently worked for a year in the outpatient clinic. She ran a chronic care clinic treating patients with high blood pressure and diabetes. She was a licensed vocational nurse, rotating through five hospitals, and traveled to India, the Netherlands, and England attaining her midwifery license. She became a naturopathic physician in 1989 and is associate clinic faculty at Bastyr University in Seattle. Dr. Beeson is the founder and medical director of the Yellowstone Naturopathic Clinic in Billings, MT. Her clinic in the heart of Billings is also an accredited residency program through the Naturopathic Education and Research Consortium, providing opportunities for graduates of Naturopathic medical schools in a primary care setting. She has worked diligently to create collaborative relationships between conventional and traditional medicine. Additionally, she is the president of the board of directors of the Paul Gardner Veterans Pain Relief Foundation, an organization dedicated to facilitate access to nonnarcotic pain treatments for veterans by providing financial resources for access to safe, effective treatments. Earlier this year, the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians named Dr. Beeson its ``2016 Physician of the Year.'' Dr. Beeson was selected for her strong leadership, authenticity, and great mentoring skills. The role of mentor is one she is particularly proud of, as her clinic runs a residency for oncology in collaboration with St. Vincent Healthcare's Frontier Cancer Center.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Environment and Public Works be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 5252 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 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 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 further ask that the Blumenthal amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Veterans' Affairs be discharged from further consideration of S. 3076 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. DAINES

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

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, September 21; that following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, and the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day; further, that following leader remarks, the Senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R. 5325, postcloture; finally, that all time during recess or adjournment of the Senate count postcloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 5325.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 586, H.R. 2615.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 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, today I wish to honor a Vietnam war veteran who became an incredible hometown advocate for other veterans. Sadly, Rodger McConnell passed away on July 21, 2016, in Great Falls, MT. Rodger served his country honorably during the Vietnam war, but like so many returning veterans, he struggled with PTSD and homelessness. Rodger was able to overcome these issues and went on to serve veterans in many ways. He helped create the Veterans Drug Treatment Court and acted as a mentor to the participants. He organized the annual homeless Veterans Stand Down. He also helped bring a replica of the Vietnam Memorial to Great Falls. Rodger was a selfless, caring individual who will be missed by the entire community. Because of his commitment to veterans, his presence will continue on through so many programs that he created. One that was very dear to him was ``On Point: Veterans Talk Radio,'' a radio program for veterans that he hosted on the local public radio station. Some of these interviews with wartime veterans will be submitted to the Veterans History Project through the Library of Congress. Rodger may not be with us any longer, but his talks with veterans will be preserved for all to hear.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 5937, which was received from the House.

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.