Steve Daines

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I would like to acknowledge an exceptional Montanan, Colter Scully. Colter is a rising senior at Powell County High School and is preparing for his board of reviews to complete his Eagle Scout application. Three years ago, Colter was inspired to create a frisbee-golf course in his community. Thanks to his leadership and perseverance, the course was opened on May 31, 2016. Colter's scoutmaster, Tom Burkhart, describes Colter as a natural outdoorsman and leader, who leads quietly and kindly but has earned the following and respect of his peers. Tom says, ``What sets Colter apart is once he sets his mind to something he's going to do all that he needs to do to see it through.'' Eagle Scouts applicants must present a community project that requires planning, coordination, and future thinking. Colter sought out the Deer Lodge Parks Board and a local youth club against corporate tobacco, reACT, to coordinate the creation of his frisbee-golf course. Colter created a dynamic team of individuals who came together to provide the communities of Deer Lodge and Powell with a tobacco-free and entertaining activity. The Eagle Scout is one of the highest performance-based achievements a young man can earn. In fact, only 5 percent of scouts attain this ranking. Colter had to secure 21 merit badges ranging from first-aid and camping to environmental science and family life, while holding leadership positions. Colter has humbly served Troop 239 as quartermaster, patrol leader, and senior patrol leader. He embodies the boy scout oath to do his best, to serve God and his country, and to help others at all times in all areas of his life. At Powell County High School, Colter is an honor student who puts forth his best work, earning a 4.0 GPA, while juggling three sports: football, basketball, and track. I have no doubt this young man's hard work and dedication will be rewarded. As an Eagle Scout, he will be joining the ranks of impressive individuals such as Neil Armstrong and Gerald Ford. I hope you will join me in wishing Colter the best of luck as he prepares for his Eagle Scout board of review.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I rise to speak on amendment No. 4251. I have filed the amendment; I have not yet requested it to be made pending. I would like to see this amendment move through. It seeks to remove the President's authority to deny troops their mandated pay raise. The issue of paying our troops should not be a partisan issue any longer. We have fought this battle for too many years on the Senate floor. This year I put forth a bipartisan solution with my colleague from Montana, Jon Tester, and with Senators Rubio, Portman, and Boozman. It is a long-term solution. Since 2004, the President has been required by law to give troops a pay raise matching the Employment Cost Index, also called the ECI, but when we mandated that the President raise troop pay with the ECI, we gave the ability for an exemption; that is, when the country is facing serious economic conditions or for matters of national security. Now, citing economic conditions, the President has used this exemption the past 3 years and he used it again this year--all while citing a growing economy. What happens is our troops are not getting the pay raise that Congress says they should, matching the ECI. When we are facing economic uncertainty, that is when our troops need it the most. The amendment is very clear cut. It removes the President's authority and future Presidents' authority to cite economic concerns when sending over a Presidential budget request without the mandated pay raise. It is clear that this exemption is being abused. For example, in 2016, in his State of the Union Address, President Obama said that ``anyone claiming that America's economy is in decline is peddling fiction.'' But just 1 month later, in his fiscal year 2017 budget request he sent to Congress, President Obama cited ``economic concerns affecting the general welfare'' and only asked for a 1.6-percent pay raise for our troops, despite the ECI being 2.1 percent. As we continue to debate this bill and call up amendments, I urge my colleagues to support amendment 4251. Again, we have good bipartisan support on it. This is a long-term solution. This is not just about the current President, this is about future Presidents as well and the problems we continue to face; that is, our troops have not seen a pay raise over 2 percent in the past 6 years. As our Nation continues to find itself threatened abroad, we rely on our troops now more than ever. They deserve better. It is time to act. I thank Senator Tester, Senator Rubio, Senator Portman, and Senator Boozman for their support. I yield the floor.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I speak on amendment No. 4260 to the National Defense Authorization Act, which would elevate U.S. Cyber Command to a combatant command. In 1986, Congress passed a law elevating and establishing U.S. Special Operations Command to address the rapidly growing need for special operators and to unify our forces. Think about that. Today they are now leading the effort against ISIS. There is another force quietly leading a battle against ISIS, and it is on a completely new battlefield. U.S. Cyber Command is one of our most important elements in the fight against terrorism today and tomorrow. I stand today with eight bipartisan cosponsors to my amendment, including the chairman of the Armed Services Committee. I thank them for their support. This includes Senators Warner, Bennet, Murkowski, Cardin, and Blumenthal, as well as Senators Gardner and Ernst. The Commander of Cyber Command recently testified before the Armed Services Committee, stating that an elevation to a combatant command ``would allow them to be faster, generating better mission outcomes.'' At a time when ISIS is rapidly recruiting online and developing technology like self-driving cars packed full of explosives, the United States needs to ensure that cyber and technology warfare is at the top of our priorities. U.S. Cyber Command needs to be able to react quickly and to engage the enemy effectively. Our troops need to be as effective online as they are in the air, in the land or at sea. To do all of that, we need to elevate them to a combatant command, where they will be reporting directly to the President of the United States through the Secretary of Defense. I have provided for a plan in this year's Defense appropriations bill to fund this in the future, and I am committed to ensuring the elevation of Cyber Command is successful. In the long run, we need to ensure that they have increased access to training, to top equipment, and to ensure their other commands are able to integrate the forces successfully. Right now as we debate the National Defense Authorization Act, we need to ensure that we give them the authority to defeat our adversaries, and that means elevation to a combatant command. The threat of a cyber attack is one of the fastest growing threats facing our Nation, and we cannot stand by as the Department of Defense delays to act on this urgent need. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment No. 4260, which will elevate U.S. Cyber Command to a combatant command.

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: Whereas, Colonel Erickson served in the United States Air Force for twenty-five years and is retiring from his current position as the Air National Guard Advisor to the Commander, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio--Randolph, Texas; and, Whereas, he is husband to Colonel Megan Erickson and father to Margaret Jean and John William; and, Whereas, he ascended Montana mountain peaks in his youth with his cousin Steve Daines, current United States Senator for Montana; and, Whereas, Colonel Erickson graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1991 as a Cadet Wing Commander and with a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science with a minor in Russian Language; and, Whereas, Colonel Erickson has logged more than 3,100 flight hours since he first earned his wings in April 1993 and has subsequently served in various flying assignments, including instructor pilot and flight commander; and, Whereas, his call sign was Leif, in honor of his Norwegian grandfather Harold Erickson; Whereas, from July 1999 to July 2002 he served as Assistant Director of Operations and Flight Commander, Instructor Pilot and Evaluation Pilot in the 12th and 44th Fighter Squadrons out of Kadena Air Base, Japan; and, Whereas, upon Colonel Erickson's return from Japan in 2002, he joined the Oregon Air National Guard at Kingsley Field, Klamath Falls, Oregon. During his time there, he served as an Instructor Pilot, Evaluation Pilot, Assistant Weapons Officer, Chief of Academics, Chief of Scheduling, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, Director of Operations, and Squadron Commander of the 114th Fighter Squadron; and, Whereas, Colonel Erickson summited Mount Rainier with three combat injured veterans in 2009--Ryan Job, former Navy SEAL; Chad Jukes, Army reservist; and Jose Martinez, former Marine; and, Whereas, in March 2011 Colonel Erickson was selected as the Director of Operations (A3) for the Oregon Air National Guard and served in that position for six months. In September 2011, he then served for the next three years as the Air National Guard Advisor to the Director of Intelligence, Operations and Nuclear Integration at Air Education and Training Command in Joint Base San Antonio--Randolph, Texas; and, Whereas, his incredible hard work, leadership and dedication to the Air Force has earned him sixteen major awards and decorations, some of which are the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Air Force Longevity Service with four oak leaf clusters. Now, Therefore, be it Resolved, this twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortieth, we honor Colonel Robert Erickson.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, in honor of National Military Appreciation Month, I wish to recognize Bob Newman of Musselshell County, a U.S. Army veteran. After leaving the Army, he went into law enforcement and served his community in the Musselshell County Sheriff's Department. Newman has dedicated his life to serving God, his country, and his community by giving countless hours of his time to military service, as well as helping fellow veterans in a countless number of ways. Since leaving the Army, Newman has participated in hundreds of services aimed towards veterans. Two great examples of his dedication are his work with the Patriot Guard of Montana and with Big Sky Honor Flights. The Patriot Guard of Montana was founded in 2005, and Newman was one of its original members; he now serves as a ride captain. This grassroots organization consists of motorcycle riders who want to show respect for fallen American soldiers by escorting funeral processions for fallen heroes and protecting mourning family and friends from any potential disturbances caused by protestors. Newman also partakes in Big Sky Honor Flights, an organization whose mission is ``to recognize Montana World War II Veterans for their sacrifices and achievements by flying them to Washington, D.C., to see their memorial at no cost.'' Upon one flight's return in 2013, he was a part of the celebrating crowd that welcomed the veterans back at the Billings Logan International Airport with loud cheering and waving of American flags. Newman said, ``It's an honor to be able to stand for them and give them the recognition they deserve.'' Other services Newman has been involved in are the Missing in America Project, assisting families of our fallen heroes in various capacities, helping disabled veterans and homeless veterans in addition to an endless amount of other projects for those in need. Montana has a rich legacy of military service, and Bob is a true Montana hero and role model for us all. It takes a devoted and courageous person to sacrifice their life to protect the lives and freedom that we hold so dear. I am deeply grateful for the many sacrifices Bob has made for our Nation and State.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to recognize Jennifer Waites, a 911 emergency dispatcher from Helena, MT, who was named the 2016 911 Dispatcher of the Year by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Waites has been with Helena's 911 center for the past 7 years, working the 3 a.m. to 11 p.m. shift as the ``first, first responder'' for the medical emergencies in Helena. Many refer to Waites as a ``silent hero,'' going about her work day- in and day-out performing a wide variety of tasks that are largely completed under the radar. Whether it is responding to multiple calls at once or relaying information to responding units as efficiently as possible, she knows that serving the people who call in is her top priority and is what motivates her to carry out all tasks with timeliness and care. Waites is humble enough to admit that her job could not be made possible without the joint efforts from the rest of her team. Waites said, ``Just knowing that you're here and you can make someone else's day a little bit better and get the help that they need is really beneficial for everyone involved.'' It is my honor to recognize Jennifer Waites today. And I thank you on behalf of Montana for your exceptional service and responsibility you have undertaken to the people in our great State.

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 recognize a Hinsdale High School senior, Delaney Biel. Delaney is described by her EMT instructor, Dorothy Jensen, as ``a determined team player, who is committed to her community. She consistently exceeds expectations . . . I'd trust her with my life.'' Delaney is already a nationally certified emergency medical technician and will soon be receiving her State certification any moment now. The loss of three classmates in recent years inspired Delaney to enroll in an EMT course offered at her own high school. Initially, an aspiring businesswoman, she has said, ``the class absolutely changed what I wanted to do as a career. As a kid I was afraid of hospitals, but with the ambulance I get to make decisions in a fast-paced environment and I can get down to business without getting flustered.'' So far she has responded to women in labor and individuals with cardiac and diabetic emergencies. Last year, Delaney gave up basketball, volleyball, and most of her free time in the service of her community. As a fifth generation Montana rancher, making the switch from farming equipment to an ambulance was simple. Both working her family's ranch and participating in Hinsdale athletics prepared her for the collaboration essential to high quality urgent care. Delaney has said, ``This is a team sport; it's not about you, it's about everyone using their strengths to make the team work.'' Delaney likes to keep a full schedule. Since April of last year, she has completed 500 hours of community service, administering bimonthly blood pressure screenings at the local senior center. She is also a member of FFA, president of student council, a member of the music department, and a member of the National Honor Society. This fall, at Montana State University-Northern, Delaney will continue on her path to becoming a medical professional by pursuing a bachelor's degree in nursing. After college, she intends to gain hands- on experience in the emergency rooms of Billings and Great Falls before applying to medical school. Her long term goal is to raise a family in Hinsdale and spend a few days each week where she got started, with the volunteer ambulance. This young woman's dedication is inspiring. It is our small-town family values that makes Montana so special. Her example encourages each of us to reach beyond expectations we have set for ourselves and do our part to strengthen our communities. Delaney, I wish you the best in college, and thank you for your service to our great State. Keep making us proud.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I wish to honor the elementary students of Chester-Joplin-Inverness, CJI. These students took part in Chester's annual Harvest 4 Hunger Campaign. All together, they gathered 2136.5 pounds of nonperishable food. CJI is a combination of three towns up on what we call the Highline in Montana. The towns are Chester, Joplin, and Inverness. These three town have come together to make one great school to serve the students of the area. There are 108 elementary students at CJI, and they did such a wonderful thing for families in the area. Harvest 4 Hunger is a campaign operated by CHS to gather nonperishable food items and money donations to give to local charities to feed families in need. Now I hear the students had a little motivation for bringing food in. The winning classes at the end of each week were rewarded with a pizza party. There is no better motivation than a pizza party. I read a lot quotes from the kids, and it sounds like they had a great time collecting the food, and they were happy to get the chance to help people in need. One student told their teacher Miss Manion, That is what Hawks do. It makes me so proud to see young Montanans helping out their communities. These students did such a wonderful thing. Great job, and God bless.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I would like to honor Wyatt Zylawy, of Superior, MT, for his outstanding achievements in his recent Coast Guard training and for his noble commitment to serving our country. Wyatt is the youngest of three brothers who seem to do almost everything together--from playing the same sports, to playing in a band together, to eventually all joining the U.S. Coast Guard. Wyatt graduated from basic training on January 22, 2016, and won 3 out of 7 awards that were given out amongst the other 57 members in his unit. He received recognition for his high levels of academic and athletic abilities. To make this ceremony even more special, one of Wyatt's brothers, Roman, Junior, presented Wyatt with his awards. Currently Wyatt is attending a school in Yorktown, VA, where he is training to be an electrician's mate and will graduate on July 1, 2016. He has been named as the class leader and is responsible for overseeing his fellow officers' marching formations, ensuring their timeliness, and making sure they are keeping up with their physical training. His father, Roman Zylawy, describes Wyatt as always being a hard worker, highly motivated, and taking the initiative with his schoolwork, as well as any sports teams he played on. ``Whenever he set his mind on something, he did it and he did it well,'' Mr. Zylawy remarks. ``Wyatt has a high ability to excel and to consistently be on top of his game.'' Wyatt hopes to be stationed somewhere in the Pacific Northwest after graduation so he will be close to home. Good luck in all your endeavors, Wyatt, and I thank you for your current and future service to our State and to our Nation. You are a true representation of the brave, honorable, and exceptional type of young person who is the future of our State and country, and to that end, I am immensely grateful.

Mr. DAINES

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

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today we will take steps to secure our Montana heritage and ``Made in Montana'' jobs. We will stand up for the Montana way of life. Today we will pass a bill that for the first time would permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, an important piece of legislation ensuring that Montanans have access to public lands. As a fifth generation Montanan and avid sportsman, I recognize how valuable public lands are and the importance of ensuring access for generations to come. In fact, during the summer recesses, when many Senators are traveling around the world, there is no better place that I like to be than the back country of Montana, like I was last summer with my wife, my son, and our dog Ruby in the Beartooth Wilderness. In Montana and throughout the country, the Land and Water Conservation Fund plays a critical role in achieving the goal of increased access and by helping to preserve and protect Montanans' opportunities to enjoy hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation. LWCF keeps lands, like family ranches, in the family and working. It keeps forests in productive use through the Forest Legacy Program, such as in the Haskill Basin, where my good friend Chuck Roady of Stoltze Land and Lumber works. Today will be a victory for them--like Eric Grove of Great Divide Cyclery in Helena, MT, who has built his mountain bike business around the South Hills Trail System outside of Helena, facilitated by LWCF. There are many other small businesses like Eric's in Montana that depend on our thriving outdoor economy. This bill will also streamline the permitting for the export of liquefied natural gas, allowing more American energy to power the world. Montana is the fifth largest producer of hydropower in the Nation, and we have 23 hydroelectric dams. This bill strengthens our Nation's hydropower development by defining hydro as a renewable fuel. Only in Washington, DC, would hydro not be defined as a renewable source of energy. I am glad to see we will get that cleared up with this bill today. This is great news for Montana, and it is well overdue. This energy bill will establish a pilot project to streamline drilling permits if less than 25 percent of the minerals within the spacing unit are Federal minerals. That is of particular importance to Montana, given the patchwork of land and mineral ownership in the Bakken. This bill will improve Federal permitting of critical and strategic mineral production, which supports thousands of good-paying Montana jobs and is essential to our national security and international competitiveness. The absence of just one critical mineral or metal could disrupt entire technologies, entire industries, and create a ripple effect throughout our entire economy. For example, Stillwater mines in Montana is one of the only sources of palladium and platinum in the world. Currently, the United States has one of the longest and most arduous permitting processes for critical minerals in the world. This bill helps address those concerns. Metal and nonmetal mining also has directly created more than 16,000 good-paying Montana jobs. In fact, mining overall helps support more than 22,000 jobs across Montana. In Montana, energy supports thousands of good-paying jobs for union workers, for tribal members. Access to our State's one-of-a-kind public lands is critical to our State's tourism economy and our way of life. We in Montana say we work, but we also like to play, striking the right balance towards responsible natural resource development as well as protecting our public lands. With today's passage of the energy bill, we will help unleash Montana's and our country's energy potential and uphold our country's commitment to conservation. I urge adoption of the bill and commend Chairman Murkowski for her leadership. Thank you, Mr. President. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, I wish to recognize Greg Thayer, CEO of Montana Milling, Inc., who was named the 2016 Montana Small Business Administration's Small Business Person of the Year. Montana Milling is a family-owned business that specializes in providing quality agricultural products to its customers. They are the No. 1 buyer of organic grains produced in Montana. The cleaning system and the milling process that they employ ensures that their products meet the highest quality standards. Montana Milling under Greg's leadership epitomizes the Montana way of doing business, which is evident by their motto ``Quality and service is our commitment . . . We guarantee it.'' I believe it is this dedication to customer service that led to Greg's selection as being chosen as Small Business Person for the Year. This award is a great testament to Greg's commitment to provide the best possible service to not only his producers, but for over 200 customers throughout the United States and Canada. It is truly an honor to recognize Greg for this achievement.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, today I wish to recognize the owners of a great candy shop in the eastern part of Montana. Shirley Beck and Dale Siegford have own and operated the Sweet Palace located in Philipsburg, MT, since 1998, contributing to many Montanans' sweet tooth. Shirley, a wife of a rancher, mother of three, and a former special education teacher, started selling Montana jewelry at the Gem Mountain Shop in 1988. Shirley had a great aptitude for assisting the customers in their search for the perfect piece of sapphire jewelry. Dale, a Missoula, MT, native, began digging for Montana sapphires on Gem Mountain in 1987. Dale became an expert in the art of heat treatment, enhancing the colors of the Montana sapphires, especially pink and yellow. Together at Gem Mountain, they became a great team and moved on to opening their own shop, the Sapphire Gallery, in 1992. The Sapphire Gallery became a flourishing business and inspired the duo to open the Sweet Palace right next door, the start of a great business partnership, prompting Shirley and Dale to open another store. It is impressive that two people can go from making jewelry to making candy in our great State. Philipsburg is a beautiful town near the Sapphire Mountains, and through their businesses, they make it even greater. Thank you, Shirley and Dale, for helping keep Montana alive.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize Paul Kanning of Daniels County, a fourth-generation Montana farmer. This week, Paul testified before the Senate Committee on Appropriations about the importance of assisting veterans find employment opportunities in agriculture. Paul is the current owner and operator of 103-year-old TomTilda farm, where he produces small grains, pulses, and oilseed crops through no- till, continuous cropping practices. He began his farm career in 2013 following his retirement as an Air Force lieutenant colonel after 20 years of Active-Duty service. During the hearing, I heard Paul speak about his experiences as a veteran starting a career in the agriculture industry and how programs like those offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture helped provide the training and education he needed on the farm. Throughout his career, he has displayed incredible leadership both in our agriculture community and in our Armed Forces. He is a living success story of a man who has combined his leadership, dedication, and discipline for both defending our country and providing food security for Montanans and our Nation. It was truly an honor to hear Paul testify this week, and I am proud to honor his terrific testimony and hard work for Montana.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I am happy to acknowledge a very special little girl from Montana who was named Montana's 2016 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Champion Child. Five-year-old Zeesy Bruk is a very courageous little girl who battles GLUT-1 deficiency, which I have learned is a rare genetic metabolic disorder. Zeesy is a fellow Bozemanite and lives there with her parents--Rabbi Chaim and Chavie Bruk, who are codirectors of Chabad-Lubavitch of Montana and leaders in Montana's Jewish community, and her brother and sister. Zeesy has been bravely battling this disease all her life, but it took some time--and a lot of determination from her family--to find the right diagnosis. Now, thanks to a dedicated team at Shodair Children's Hospital in Helena, MT, I hear that Zeesy is doing wonderful and facing her diagnosis head on. During her time as a Champion Child, Zeesy and her parents will travel across the country--serving as an ambassador for the Treasure State and bringing awareness to the various medical challenges facing many young people across our country today. Thank you to Zeesy and the Bruk family for what you will do as ambassadors for this great State and for what you do every day for Montana's Jewish community. Zeesy, I look forward to following your year as a Champion Child--safe travels and God bless.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, today I wish to recognize Walter Evans, a 14-year-old native Montanan and member of the Boy Scouts of America, troop 214, for his service to his community. Walter's Court of Honor is scheduled for April 12, 2016, where he will earn the Eagle Scout Award. His Eagle Scout project was a trail building project for the Prickly Pear Land Trust in the South Hills of Helena. Walter's project alone involved 230 volunteer hours and provided for the creation of a beautiful new trail used by mountain bikers, hikers, and dog walkers. Walter is an excellent leader and always keeps a great attitude. Doug Wheeler, scoutmaster to Troop 214 stated, ``Walter is a great example of a Boy Scout in his character attributes. Of particular note are his compassion, enthusiasm to serve others, and polite manner. These attributes, as well as his other traits, will help him do great things in his life.'' Walter, thank you for your service to Montana at such an early age. We look forward to seeing your future successes.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, today I wish to honor Gilbert Horn, Sr., an Assiniboine Tribal member and Montanan who exemplified leadership throughout his life. He passed away on March 27, at the age of 92. Gilbert Horn was born May 23, 1923, on the Fort Belknap Indian reservation in Montana. He was an Assiniboine chief, decorated war hero, WWII combat veteran, and code talker. In 1940 he entered the U.S. Army at the young age of 17. He was a member of the 163rd Infantry Battalion. Chief Horn received training in communication and encryption. He then volunteered to be a code talker using his native Assiniboine Tribe language to disguise U.S. military communications against the Japanese. He volunteered for the Merrill's Marauders, a deep penetration unit commanded by MG Frank Merrill. They spent 5 months of field operations in Burma and western China and completed an 800-mile journey across the Himalaya Mountains in order to cut Japanese communications and supply lines. Chief Horn survived the journey with chest, back, and jaw wounds. He was honorably discharged, having received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. After returning to the Fort Belknap Indian reservation he served as chairman and council member of the Fort Belknap Community Council. He was awarded an honorary doctorate in humanitarian services from MSU Northern in 2013. Then in 2014 he had the honor of being named the honorary chief of the Fort Belknap Assiniboine Tribe, a title that had not been awarded since the 1890s. I extend my condolences to his family and to the entire Fort Belknap Indian community. We have lost a true American and a great Montanan.

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, yesterday Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow passed away after a long life at the age of 102. Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow leaves an unmatched legacy as the Crow Tribe's historian and storyteller, a decorated World War II veteran, and the first member of the Crow Tribe to ever obtain a master's degree. Medicine Crow lived a life filled with numerous accomplishments. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and joined the 103rd Infantry Division. As a proud member of the Crow Tribe, he never went into battle without his war paint beneath his uniform and a sacred Eagle feather beneath his helmet. In fact, during World War II he achieved the war deeds to be declared chief. In 2006 his personal memoir, ``Counting Coup'' was published by National Geographic. When he earned the Medal of Freedom in 2009, our Nation's highest civilian honor, the White House identified him as both ``a warrior and a living legend.'' He is considered one of the most celebrated Native American soldiers due to his selfless service in World War II. Medicine Crow's spirit, his humility, and his life achievements leave a lasting imprint on Montana's history. I personally will never forget the time I got to shake his hand and greet him and thank him for his service to our country. I wish to express my deepest condolences to Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow's family and all of the Crow Nation.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to speak about Russ Ritter. This past week longtime Helena mayor and dedicated public servant Russ Ritter passed away at the age of 83. Russ was one of those guys who really made a notable difference in Montana, especially in our State capital of Helena. He was a true inspiration for Montanans seeking public office, and he was the first person to inspire others to run for mayor, including our current mayor, Jim Smith. Russ was instrumental in the construction of a 10-mile water treatment plant. That was a big-ticket expenditure on the part of the city, and all bonds are now paid off and the plant is up and running. I might suggest that Washington, DC, could take a few lessons from Russ Ritter. During Russ's time, Helena transformed the solid waste system, and he also helped automate the system. He provided true management of the city and improved it for generations to come by helping prevent the spread of diseases and creating a healthier Helena. Russ also had a soft spot in his heart for the USS Helena, the nuclear powered submarine. He went to the christening of the launch in 1986 and spent 9 days on the USS Helena underwater. Another great story about Russ was reported recently in the Helena Independent Record: Russ met President Ronald Reagan in Billings on August 11, 1982. But this meeting, one for which their father had planned and prepared his remarks, the children said, did not go as envisioned. Russ greeted the President by saying, ``Hello, mister mayor, I'm the President of Helena,'' to which Reagan responded, ``No, I think you've got that wrong,'' Mike said. ``This left their father a bit flustered,'' Mike continued, adding that Russ made his living talking to people and always knew the right thing to say. On behalf of Montanans and the people of Helena, we thank Russ for his selfless service and will never forget his legacy on the history of our State. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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