Steve Daines

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. I now ask for a second reading and, in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I object to my own request.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. I ask unanimous consent that the substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed, the title amendment be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10 a.m., Wednesday, November 18; 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; that following leader remarks, the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, until 11 a.m.; further, that the cloture motion with respect to the motion to proceed to H.R. 2577 be withdrawn; finally, that at a time to be determined by the majority leader, in concurrence with the Democratic leader, the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.R. 2577.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order, following the remarks of Senator Durbin for up to 15 minutes.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, small businesses are the backbone of America. They generate more than half of the country's private GDP and support millions of families. In Montana, thanks to technology, geography is no longer a constraint and entrepreneurs have been able to build world-class companies without leaving the state. Access to the global marketplace is largely dependent on access to the Internet. Large incumbent carriers often do not have enough of an incentive to serve rural America so States like Montana really depend on small businesses to fill in the gaps and connect our communities. Without small broadband providers, many Montanans would remain unserved. This is why it is so important to support our small businesses and allow them to continue to provide jobs and economic growth in their communities. Burdensome regulations like the FCC's net neutrality rules are strangling our small businesses and preventing growth and investment. The enhanced transparency requirements in particular require small businesses to disclose an excess amount of information including network packet loss, network performance by geographic area, network performance during peak usage, network practices concerning a particular group of users, triggers that activate network practices, and the list goes on. Small companies like Grizzly Internet in West Yellowstone, MO, operate with only three employees and do not have a team of attorneys dedicated to regulatory compliance. Small businesses simply do not have the bandwidth to take on additional regulatory burdens. That is why I am proud to introduce the Small Business Broadband Deployment Act of 2015 with my colleague Senator Risch. The bill makes permanent the FCC's temporary small business exception to the net neutrality enhanced transparency requirements. There is broad support in the record for a small business exception, including support from the American Cable Association, Rural Wireless Association, Competitive Carriers Association, Wireless Internet Service Providers Association, CTIA--The Wireless Association, Rural Broadband Provider Coalition, WTA--Advocates for Rural Broadband. Additionally, the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy filed comments with the FCC stating, ``Advocacy has concerns that compliance with the enhanced transparency requirements under the 2015 Open Internet Order is not feasible for small broadband providers, particularly small rural providers, and may ultimately degrade the quality of service that consumers receive from small providers.'' Providing relief from over 300 pages of net neutrality rules will allow small businesses to focus on deploying infrastructure and serving their customers rather than spending time on regulatory compliance. 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, small businesses are the backbone of America. They generate more than half of the country's private GDP and support millions of families. In Montana, thanks to technology, geography is no longer a constraint and entrepreneurs have been able to build world-class companies without leaving the state. Access to the global marketplace is largely dependent on access to the Internet. Large incumbent carriers often do not have enough of an incentive to serve rural America so States like Montana really depend on small businesses to fill in the gaps and connect our communities. Without small broadband providers, many Montanans would remain unserved. This is why it is so important to support our small businesses and allow them to continue to provide jobs and economic growth in their communities. Burdensome regulations like the FCC's net neutrality rules are strangling our small businesses and preventing growth and investment. The enhanced transparency requirements in particular require small businesses to disclose an excess amount of information including network packet loss, network performance by geographic area, network performance during peak usage, network practices concerning a particular group of users, triggers that activate network practices, and the list goes on. Small companies like Grizzly Internet in West Yellowstone, MO, operate with only three employees and do not have a team of attorneys dedicated to regulatory compliance. Small businesses simply do not have the bandwidth to take on additional regulatory burdens. That is why I am proud to introduce the Small Business Broadband Deployment Act of 2015 with my colleague Senator Risch. The bill makes permanent the FCC's temporary small business exception to the net neutrality enhanced transparency requirements. There is broad support in the record for a small business exception, including support from the American Cable Association, Rural Wireless Association, Competitive Carriers Association, Wireless Internet Service Providers Association, CTIA--The Wireless Association, Rural Broadband Provider Coalition, WTA--Advocates for Rural Broadband. Additionally, the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy filed comments with the FCC stating, ``Advocacy has concerns that compliance with the enhanced transparency requirements under the 2015 Open Internet Order is not feasible for small broadband providers, particularly small rural providers, and may ultimately degrade the quality of service that consumers receive from small providers.'' Providing relief from over 300 pages of net neutrality rules will allow small businesses to focus on deploying infrastructure and serving their customers rather than spending time on regulatory compliance. 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. Madam President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I rise today along with my colleagues Senators Fischer, Booker, and Peters to introduce the Securing America's Future Energy: Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety, SAFE PIPES, Act, reauthorizing the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration, PHMSA. Safe and secure pipeline infrastructure is critical to our nation, and is especially important to Montanans--for economic opportunity and environmental protection. We had a great bipartisan group of Senators working on this legislation. I would like to thank Senator Fischer for traveling to Billings, Montana to chair the first in a series of hearings on pipeline safety and coordinating efforts to write this important legislation. Additionally, I thank Senators Booker and Peters for their work drafting this legislation. In Montana, we have some of the country's most pristine wild spaces along with an abundance on natural resources. Montana produces approximately 30 million barrels of crude oil, 63 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and 42 million short tons of coal annually. We export 60 percent of this energy. The oil and gas industries support the employment of over 43,000 Montanans. Likewise, Montana's unspoiled mountains and streams is the main motivator for many visiting Montana. The tourism industry supports the employment of over 53,000 Montanans. It is needless to say, but it is imperative that both jobs are protected. This legislation does just that, by improving pipeline inspection report turnaround times, increasing focus on pipeline river crossings, helping fill vacant inspector positions, facilitating communications between PHMSA and State agencies, and enabling PHMSA to conduct safety research with industry experts. I look forward to continue my work, along with my colleagues, on enhancing pipeline safety, protecting our economic and environmental resources, and shepherding this legislation across the finish line.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I rise today along with my colleagues Senators Fischer, Booker, and Peters to introduce the Securing America's Future Energy: Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety, SAFE PIPES, Act, reauthorizing the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration, PHMSA. Safe and secure pipeline infrastructure is critical to our nation, and is especially important to Montanans--for economic opportunity and environmental protection. We had a great bipartisan group of Senators working on this legislation. I would like to thank Senator Fischer for traveling to Billings, Montana to chair the first in a series of hearings on pipeline safety and coordinating efforts to write this important legislation. Additionally, I thank Senators Booker and Peters for their work drafting this legislation. In Montana, we have some of the country's most pristine wild spaces along with an abundance on natural resources. Montana produces approximately 30 million barrels of crude oil, 63 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and 42 million short tons of coal annually. We export 60 percent of this energy. The oil and gas industries support the employment of over 43,000 Montanans. Likewise, Montana's unspoiled mountains and streams is the main motivator for many visiting Montana. The tourism industry supports the employment of over 53,000 Montanans. It is needless to say, but it is imperative that both jobs are protected. This legislation does just that, by improving pipeline inspection report turnaround times, increasing focus on pipeline river crossings, helping fill vacant inspector positions, facilitating communications between PHMSA and State agencies, and enabling PHMSA to conduct safety research with industry experts. I look forward to continue my work, along with my colleagues, on enhancing pipeline safety, protecting our economic and environmental resources, and shepherding this legislation across the finish line.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Tess Brady, a lifelong resident of Stanford, MT. Montanans pride themselves in their care and deep respect for all aspects of our communities, and Tess Brady's commitment to bettering Stanford is no exception. Tess is the founder of Stanford Beautification, a nonprofit effort that continuously provides service to improve the appearance of Main Street in Stanford. Tess does an amazing job multitasking the various ongoing projects she directs. While her many loyal and generous helpers are critical to these efforts, she is the real fireball behind the projects. One ongoing project Tess devotes herself to is the planting and upkeep of flower displays along Main Street and at the Stanford courthouse. She takes a water tank on the back of an ATV every day during the summer and waters the flowers--a loving gesture that takes her most of the day. When fall comes around, you can find Tess working and delegating tasks for the Scarecrow Festival--a seasonal event that began as a competition among businesses and townspeople to decorate Main Street. In winter, Tess devotes her time to maintaining Christmas decorations throughout the season, despite Montana's snowy winters. It makes me incredibly proud to see a Montanan so devoted and loyal to her town. Tess truly represents the fundamental Montana values of hard work and service, and I am grateful for the work she does for the Stanford community.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, for months, we have called for Senate Democrats to stand and support our troops and pass the Defense appropriations legislation. In fact, this is the first time--the first time since 2009--that all 12 appropriations bills were reported out of committee, and most with strong bipartisan support. I serve on the Appropriations Committee. In fact, I serve on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. But today we are once again considering opening debate on the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2016, a bill that passed out of the Appropriations Committee on June 11 with a very strong bipartisan vote of 27 to 3. As we approach Veterans Day next week, today could mark the third time that Democrats have blocked this critical legislation to fund our troops. This comes at a time when our troops are actively engaged in multiple theaters abroad and they need the critical support of our Nation's growing mission overseas. But rather than passing this vital funding bill, my Democratic colleagues would rather play politics and perpetuate the obstruction that plagues their party. The minority leader's constituents in Nevada deserve more. They deserve better. Montanans deserve more. The American people deserve more. So here we are debating, for the third time, simply to proceed on Defense appropriations legislation and to open it up for debate. Let's be clear. The way the process works is we have to have first a vote to bring the bill to the floor to begin deliberation. This, the greatest deliberative body in the world, can't even deliberate on the Defense appropriations bill because our friends across the aisle are blocking it. It is time to open it up for debate, open it up for amendments. This is the process of the Senate. The American people and the troops deserve more. It appears that the Democratic leader and his Democratic colleagues would rather huddle in back rooms somewhere and concoct yet another deal behind closed doors versus in full daylight in transparency on the Senate floor because they would rather negotiate in private than engage in an open and honest debate in front of the American people. Unfortunately, today the Senate Democrats will put partisan politics ahead of funding the troops. The senior Senator from New York, the likely next Democratic leader, has already foretold that Democrats would rather throw together another massive spending package than to allow open consideration of each part of the Nation's budget. No wonder we are $19 trillion dollars in debt. Senator Schumer said: We could pass a defense bill and then they could say, ``Well, we'll do a [continuing resolution] on the rest of it,'' violating the 50-50 deal. We need to negotiate an omnibus all at once and all together. I reject that. Montanans know firsthand the importance of supporting our men and women in uniform. The passage of this legislation is critical to carrying out our missions in an increasingly dangerous world, and it is important regarding missions we support in Montana. This Defense appropriations bill protects the Montana Air National Guard C-130 mission by moving forward with the Avionics Modernization Program, or AMP Increments 1 and 2, which are improvements from the original costly AMP program. This will ensure the C-130s at the Montana National Guard will be certified to continue flying by 2020 and provide a pathway for a full-scale avionics upgrade that addresses outdated components. It also funds key engine modifications for those C-130s. The Senate Democrats would prefer to once again obstruct regular order in the same fashion they did during the past few years, which became the hallmark--it became the trademark of a failed Democrat-led Senate majority. So as the Senate heads home for the weekend, I challenge my Democratic colleagues to look at their veterans, to look their active duty troops and military families in the eye and ask themselves: Did I serve these selfless men and women or the Washington establishment? I think we know which one they will choose. I encourage my Senate Democratic colleagues to change course. We have a chance to change course on this upcoming vote. Vote yes on moving this critical defense legislation forward. 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.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that all time in a quorum call before the 11 a.m. vote today be charged equally against each side.

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

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

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to recognize Pete Gardzina. Pete is the transition assistance adviser for the Montana National Guard and an honorable representation of the passion and service we honor in Montana. Pete aids in the readjustment of our veterans after they return from their deployment. This form of outreach not only touches the lives of Montana's service men and women, but the families they are returning to. He works alongside the Veterans' Affairs Committee and community organizations to build a network of support for returned veterans. This network offers continued support for those who fought for us and the freedoms we take for granted every day. Pete has helped improve the lives of multiple veterans by ensuring that, when they return, they are well taken care of, are quickly connected to the right people, and are supported throughout their adjustment back into civilian life. I am so grateful to have someone in our community with such passion for serving Montana's servicemembers and veterans. On behalf of the many veterans Pete has helped and their families, it is my honor to recognize his service. I am truly grateful to have someone in Montana fighting for those who fought for us.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today the Senate came a few votes shy of passing legislation to protect our farmers, ranchers, and small business owners from major new costs and regulatory burdens. I appreciate the bipartisan support demonstrated today by four key Senate Democrats. I have to say, I am disappointed that others chose instead to put loyalty to President Obama before the concerns of the constituents, the concerns of those people they represent. Montanans know that this power grab has more to do with controlling Montanans' land-use decisions than ensuring access to clean water as the Clean Water Act intended. This is an ill-conceived rule that provides the EPA unprecedented power to regulate virtually any spot across Montana that is occasionally wet. This could have a devastating impact on Montana jobs, on Montana's natural resources and ag industries, and on Montanans' property rights. Don't just take my word for it. POLITICO recently described it as having the potential to ``give bureaucrats carte blanche to swoop in and penalize landowners every time a cow walks through a ditch.'' The EPA's own estimates show this rule will cost Americans between $158 million and $465 million a year. The New York Times describes how harrowing this situation is for Montana farmers: ``Farmers fear that the rule could impose major new costs and burdens, requiring them to pay fees for environmental assessments and obtain permits just to till the soil near gullies, ditches, or dry streambeds where water flows only when it rains.'' In Montana, this rule has received a severe rebuke from our farmers, our ranchers, and our small businesses who simply can't afford this overreach. The Montana chamber president and CEO, Webb Brown, said: If this rule stands, there will be tremendous cost to our states, our economies, and our employers, and their employees' families. Under this unprecedented extension of federal power, land and water use decisions will be made in Washington, D.C., far from the affected local communities. Here is what Gene Curry of Valier, MT, from the Montana Stockgrowers Association says: ``This rule is an unwise and unwarranted expansion of EPA's regulatory authority over Montana's waters, and would have a significant detrimental impact on Montana's ranchers.'' Listen to Charlie Bumgarner, president of the Montana Grain Growers. I met with Charlie a week ago in Montana. Charlie says this: ``If implemented, the final WOTUS rule would have a devastating impact on grain growers across the state.'' Listen to Dustin Stewart with the Montana Homebuilders Association. I grew up in the home building industry. My dad is a home builder. Here is what Dustin had to say: ``The EPA's waters of the U.S. regulation is an incurably flawed rule. . . . '' Dave Galt, the executive director of the Montana Petroleum Association, said: The EPA's new water rule is an unnecessary expansion of jurisdiction for the Federal Government. The EPA's rule will negatively impact all land-use industries including agriculture and energy production. Yet, despite this broad opposition, President Obama is moving forward with yet another out-of-touch Washington, DC, regulation. But already two Federal courts have issued a stay on this misguided rule, demonstrating the questionable legal ground this regulation stands on. This is a rule issued by the same Federal Agency that has continued to perpetuate a war on American energy. In fact, earlier this year we saw the Supreme Court issue a severe rebuke of the EPA's mercury and air toxic standards which would have a direct and lasting impact on our economy in Montana. This MATS rule, just like WOTUS, is just one of the new, burdensome regulations cooked up by the Obama administration and has the potential to eliminate good-paying jobs and devastate the livelihoods of hard-working Montana families and hard-working American families. Throughout my home State of Montana, we have tremendous opportunities to develop our State's natural resources and create new jobs, and that is a good thing. Rather than hitting pause on our energy production, we need to encourage it. But the Obama administration is doing exactly the opposite. President Obama's full assault on American energy independence has most recently resulted in TransCanada's decision to suspend its application to build the commonsense Keystone XL Pipeline, which, by the way, first enters Montana from Canada. This pipeline would have created new opportunities for good-paying jobs, helped advance American energy independence, and lowered American energy prices. Well, the suspension on Keystone is bad news, but it is not the end of the line. We are going to keep fighting for this job-creating project that has the overwhelming bipartisan approval of Congress as well as the support of the American people because America can and America should power the world. But the Obama administration's relentless attacks on affordable energy and good-paying union jobs, as well as tribal jobs, through this so-called Clean Power Plan continue to hinder innovation. Under the final so-called Clean Power Plan, the Colstrip powerplant in Montana will likely be shuttered, putting thousands of jobs at risk. Our farmers, ranchers, and local business owners should be empowered to drive local land use decisions, not a bunch of Washington, DC, bureaucrats who can't even find Montana on a map. We can only do it if the Obama administration steps back from its extreme overreach and allows American innovation to thrive once again. I look forward to casting my vote tomorrow to permanently stop this misguided waters of the United States rule. It is time to ditch this rule.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, prior to being elected to the U.S. Senate, I spent 28 years in business. When you are in business, you know you can't keep spending more money than you are taking in or you go broke, you go out of business. I was elected to help get our country back on track and get the reckless spending and record debt of Washington, DC, under control. In fact, the very first bill I introduced in the U.S. Senate was the Balanced Budget Accountability Act. It is pretty simple. It requires that the Members of Congress pass a balanced budget or they don't get paid. The people of Montana deserve real solutions to address the failures of Washington, DC, not more budget gimmicks and backroom deals. In fact, Montana's farmers will suffer because of this budget deal. The crop insurance program was gutted as a way to make this deal work. Where was the voice of Montana? Where was the voice of rural America as this backroom deal was cut? This deal takes our Nation in the wrong direction, and that is why I am voting no. This budget deal would increase our spending by $117 billion over the next 2 years and raise the debt limit through 2017. How big are these numbers? We are currently at about $18.1 trillion of debt. By the end of this 2-year agreement, sometime in 2017, we will be above $19 trillion. How big is 1 trillion? Do you know how long it takes to count to 1 million? If we were to count to 1 million 1 digit per second, 24 by 7, it takes less than 30 days to count to 1 million. How long does it take to count to 1 billion? To count to 1 billion would take 32 years. Then the question is, How long would it take to count to 1 trillion? We are throwing around these numbers without much sense of how big they truly are when we are talking about $18 trillion--and soon to be $19 trillion--worth of debt. How long would it take to count to $1 trillion? It would take 32,000 years. It is irresponsible for Washington to increase the limit on the Nation's credit card while at the same time busting the budget and increasing government spending with the false promise of far-off savings and new revenues that will never materialize. It is time that Washington, DC, takes a page out of Montana's playbook and stops spending more than we are taking in. It is time for commonsense solutions that protect the taxpayer and make elected officials accountable for delivering results to the people they serve because Americans deserve a thoughtful and open discussion, not one with backroom deals, about how to best support the Nation's priorities while also cutting wasteful spending and reining in this national debt. The current budget fails to provide a more secure future for the next generation of Montanans. I thank the Presiding Officer and yield back my time.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Today I rise to honor Montana World War II veteran Charlie DeCrane, a member of the Crow Tribe, who passed away earlier this week in Billings, MT. Charlie was an incredible person. He was hard-working and dedicated to serving his country as well as his tribe. He was a quiet and gentle spirit, and that was apparent to anyone who came into contact with him. Charlie was a man of principle and honor. I had the privilege of spending time with Charlie in Washington, DC, when he accompanied me as my one special guest to the State of the Union Address. I was able to witness firsthand truly what an amazing man he was. Our walk from my office to the House Chamber is one I will never forget. To personally know a man who fought so courageously in World War II was a great honor. Many freedoms we have today stem from the sacrifices made by Charlie and men and women like him. His accomplishments in life will continue to live on. It is my hope that through Charlie's life we will remember how important our veterans are and how much respect and care they deserve. His passing is one that will affect many, and not just his close family and friends. Cindy and I will be keeping Charlie's family and the entire Crow community in our thoughts and prayers in this most difficult time. I thank my colleague from Alabama for allowing me to speak. I yield back to Senator Sessions.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the incredible service of Alex Collie from Mackenzie, MT. Mr. Collie is the recipient of the National Weather Service's General Albert J. Myer award for completing 65 years of service as a cooperative weather observer. The cooperative weather observers consists of 11,000 nationwide volunteers who record official weather observations across the country. Mr. Collie joins an elite group of cooperative weather observers and is currently the longest serving observer in Montana's history. Nationally, only 16 others have served in Mr. Collie's capacity or 65 years or longer. His services are critical to Montana--from supporting our farmers and ranchers by providing accurate forecasts and helping our truck drivers complete their routes safely and on schedule. This prestigious award was established in honor of General Myer, who was an observer at Eagle Pass, TX, and became the chief of the Signal Service. In 1870, by a joint resolution of Congress and signed by President Ulysses S. Grant, General Myer was appointed to establish and direct the Division of Telegrams and Reports for the Benefit of Commerce, now known as the National Weather Service. Mr. Collie is truly following in tremendous footsteps. Mr. Collie has provided a valuable service not only to his neighbors, but the entire State of Montana. Thank you, Mr. Collie, and I look forward to seeing your work continue in the years to come.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Thank you, Mr. President. This administration is shutting down coal-fired powerplants in the United States. I thank the Senator from West Virginia, Mrs. Capito, the other Senator from West Virginia, Mr. Manchin, and we have Senator Heitkamp here. We had Democrats and Republicans in colloquy talking about what is going on with coal-fired plants and the Clean Power Plan of this administration. This is what is happening. It is killing good-paying jobs for union workers, for pipefitters, for boilermakers, and tribal members in my State with these so-called Clean Power Plan regulations. At the same time, it is stifling investment that could lead to innovation to make coal cleaner in the United States. As I travel across Montana, I have heard Montanans describe the EPA as--a rancher once told me it stands for ``Eliminate Production Agriculture.'' A union member recently told me it stands for the ``Employment Prevention Agency.'' President Obama and his ``Employment Prevention Agency'' continues to wage war on American energy, American families, and on American jobs. This so-called Clean Power Plan is an all-out frontal assault on affordable energy and good-paying union jobs as well as tribal jobs. This will leave President Obama directly responsible for skyrocketing energy bills, a loss of tax revenue for our schools, teachers and our roads and the unemployment of thousands of hard-working Americans. The President ignores the fact that more than half of Montana's electricity comes from coal, as do thousands of jobs and $120 million in tax revenue every year. In fact, 40 percent of our Nation's energy comes from coal. When a young person plugs their iPhone or their smartphone into the wall and charges it, most likely it is being charged by coal. In my hometown of Bozeman, we have a Tesla charging station at one of our hotels. Elon Musk at Tesla did an amazing, innovative job creating electric vehicles, but when they plug those Tesla vehicles into those chargers, those Tesla vehicles in Montana are likely powered by coal. The facts are that coal production in the United States is much safer and less carbon intensive than coal from other nations. As had been mentioned, this is a global challenge we must think about and address. The Powder River Basin in Southeast Montana has coal that is among the cleanest in the world. It has lower sulfur content and cleaner than Indonesian coal. Shutting down U.S. coal will have a negligible impact on global coal demand and global emissions. However, it will ultimately make it more likely that less technologically advanced coal production techniques will be used around the world. This is the way to think about it. The United States consumes about 10 percent of the world's coal. Said another way, 90 percent of the coal consumption in the world occurs outside the United States, and the global demand for coal-fired energy will not disappear even if the United States were to shut down every last coal mine and every last coal-fired plant. Again, individuals are entitled to their own opinions but not to their own facts. Here are the facts. Coal use around the world has grown about four times faster than renewables. There are 1,200 coal plants planned across 59 countries. About three-quarters of them will be in China and India. China consumes 4 billion tons of coal per year versus the United States at 1 billion tons. China is building a new coal-fired plant every 10 days, and that is projected to last for the next 10 years. In Japan--I used to have an office in Tokyo. My degree was in chemical engineering, and I was part of a software company with offices around the world. I remember the big earthquake that struck Japan--the 9.0 quake. The Fukushima nuclear reactors were disabled. How is Japan dealing with that? They are building 43 coal-fired powerplants. By 2020, India may outbuild 2\1/2\ times more coal capacity as the United States is about to use. So it is shortsighted and misguided to move forward on an agenda that is going to devastate significant parts of the economy. It is going to raise energy prices and destroy union jobs and tribal jobs. We are seeing that already in Montana. Earlier this month, in the month of October, a customer of the Crow Tribe, the Sherco Coal plant in Minnesota announced it needs to shut down two units. This cuts off a significant portion of the customer base for Crow coal. Because the Crow Tribe relies on coal-fired Midwest utilities for most of its non- Federal revenue and for good-paying private jobs at the Absaloka Mine, the unemployment rate on the Crow reservation today is in the high 40 percent. Without these coal mining jobs, that unemployment rate will go to 80 to 85 percent. Ironically, some of the first impacted by the Obama administration's new regulations are those who can least afford it. You have heard it from Senators on both sides of the aisle today. Under the final rule, the Colstrip powerplant in Montana will likely be shuttered, putting thousands of jobs at risk. We must take action. We need to stop these senseless rules. This past weekend I joined the Montana attorney general, Tim Fox, in Helena to announce that Montana, along with 23 other States, has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government because of Obama's recent decision. There are currently 26 States--the majority of the States in this United States--through three different lawsuits that have requested an initial stay on the rule. As Leader McConnell mentioned in 2010, a Democratic-controlled Congress could not pass these regulations. The people's House stopped it, but now President Obama and the EPA are moving forward without the people's consent. I am thankful to partner with a bipartisan group of my colleagues, Leader McConnell, Senator Capito, Senator Inhofe, Senator Manchin, and Senator Heitkamp, who are speaking out and working to stop this harmful rule. I am proud to stand and join them as a cosponsor of two bipartisan resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act that would stop the EPA from imposing the anti-coal regulation. Coal keeps the lights on, it charges our iPhones, and it will continue to power the world for decades to come. Rather than dismissing this reality, the United States should be on the cutting edge of technological advancements in energy development. We should be leading the way in using clean, affordable American energy. America can and should power the world. We can only do it if the Obama administration steps back from the out-of-touch regulations and allows American innovation to thrive once again. In summary, we need more innovation, not more regulations. Thank you, and I yield back my time.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I would like to wish happy birthday to the last Crow war chief, Joseph Medicine Crow, who is celebrating his 102nd birthday today. He has served proudly as the Crow Tribe's historian and storyteller, is a decorated World War II veteran, and was the first in his tribe to attain a master's degree. Medicine Crow has lived a life filled with numerous accomplishments. He is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The White House identified him as both ``a warrior and living legend'' when he received the Medal of Freedom in 2009. In 2006, his personal memoir, ``Counting Coup,'' was published by National Geographic. He is considered one of the most celebrated Native American soldiers due to his selfless service in World War II. With his great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, and uncle all living past 100 years of age, Medicine Crow credits his long life to his strong family roots. Medicine Crow's secret advice to living such a long and full life? He advises going to sleep early, sleeping 8 hours, eating breakfast, keeping busy at work, and eating healthy and generously. He also touched on the positive influences of his wife, who urged him to maintain good habits. His positive, endearing spirit and sense of humor truly keeps him young. Medicine Crow's spirit, humility, kind disposition, and many incredible life achievements are a model for all Montanans. Happy Birthday, Chief Medicine Crow. I look forward to celebrating many more.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the loyal service of A.T. ``Rusty'' Stafne, chairman of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes. Stafne ended his term yesterday and will not be running for reelection as chairman. I am proud to honor and to congratulate him on his service and successes. As chairman, Stafne has worked diligently for the Assiniboine and Sioux people on the Fort Peck Reservation and has held firm in his priorities. He has worked to honor veterans, specifically those who served in World War II, and has worked tirelessly to protect wildlife in Montana and on the Fort Peck Reservation. We thank Chairman Stafne for his involvement in the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. He has been a tireless advocate for rural water projects and other challenges facing the tribes. He has traveled to Washington, DC, to testify in front of Congress and has broadened the eyes of many--giving new and better insight into the life of tribal men and women, so that we can work together to better serve and protect our tribal nations. I am thankful for Chairman Stafne's work on behalf of the tribe. His loyalty, priorities, and hard work set an amazing example to the rest of Montana and our great Nation as a whole.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the important role of the forest products industry as we celebrate National Forest Products Week. Montana's forests are a treasured part of our State's heritage which many of us hold so dear--not only are Montana's forests where we hunt, fish, explore, and live, but our forest products industry provides thousands of jobs for Montana families and a boost to our State's economy. Sadly, many forest products jobs in Montana have been lost this year in large part due to an insufficient supply of logs from Federal lands. I'm fighting for commonsense reforms to restore active management across Montana so we can get more Montanans back to work, improve forest health, increase access to public lands, and provide much-needed sustainable revenues to our forested counties. These reforms must give the Forest Service the tools and resources it needs to increase responsible timber harvests and protect their work from obstructionist tactics that continue to encumber a substantial portion of the timber volume from Montana's national forests. Congress should enact these reforms swiftly. Further, as we seek to improve the performance of our buildings, we should encourage the use of wood in the construction of Federal and other commercial buildings. Montana is home to approximately 5 engineered and panel products facilities and 12 sawmills, millwork, and treatment facilities that employ several thousand people across the State. These facilities are working to advance innovative new technologies, for example, cross laminated timber. I am proud to have SmartLam, Inc., the very first and only manufacturer of cross laminated timber, CLT, products in the U.S. located in the great State of Montana. CLT products are creating opportunities in the U.S. to build taller wood buildings. Advancements in new technology utilizing engineered ``mass timber'' panels are creating new possibilities for wood. This concept is gaining momentum in the U.S. as many successful demonstration projects have been built and proven to be a safe and cost-effective solution in urban dense settings. With more than 17 tall wood buildings of seven stories or more having been built around the world serving as demonstration projects, building officials, designers, contractors, and consumers are increasingly confident in the safety of these buildings. I want to thank the individuals in the forest products industry for their important contributions to my home State and for their efforts to expand tall wood building projects across the Nation.