Steve Daines

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I would like to highlight an incredibly courageous Montanan and a man very dear to my staff and me: Chase Dellwo. Chase is a strong example of the courage, bravery, and quick thinking that sets Montanans apart. Chase Dellwo, like myself and many other Montanans, is a hunter. In recent weeks, however, Chase showed resolve that many could never achieve. While bow hunting with his brother recently, Chase climbed up a narrow creek expecting to drive a herd of elk toward his waiting brother. Having been focused on the elk, Chase did not notice the sleeping grizzly bear 3 feet from where he stood. Startling the now awake animal, Chase soon found himself head to head with this 400-pound bear. Chase recounts later that there was no time for him to draw his weapon back before he had been knocked off his feet and bit on the top and back of his head. With his eye swollen shut, part of his scalp hanging over his eye, and blood pouring from his wounds, he suffered through the animal's repeated assaults. This attack in normal circumstances would have been the end of a hunter's life, but not in the case of Chase Dellwo. Mid- attack, Chase remembered an article his grandmother had sent him about large animals having terrible gag reflexes. This quick thinking led him to plunge his arm down the animal's throat, enacting the bear's gag reflex, and subsequently scaring the animal away. Despite incredible disorientation, he found his way to his brother and was in turn rushed to the nearest hospital. After undergoing multiple hours of surgery to fix his many lacerations, Chase sat with his wife, defending the bear, saying that it had been just as startled as he had. His many injuries led to multiple stitches, staples, and a hospital stay, but this 26-year-old remains alive and has encouraged Montana residents to be more aware of the animals that share their land. I commend Chase on his courage and smarts that saved his life and wish him luck on both his recovery and the upcoming hunting season.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to recognize SGT Michaela Boushey and SSG Shayne Boushey as Montanans of the Week. These two soldiers represent not only the best that Montana has to offer, but the best this country has to offer. SGT Michaela Boushey served in the Montana Army National Guard for 8 years. For 4 years, she served in the 112th Security and Support Detachment Aviation Unit whose mission is to protect our borders, collect and transmit intelligence, and to provide support for the Department of Justice. Michaela's commitments and service to our country has never faltered, and we are so grateful for her service, sacrifice, and loyalty to our great Nation. Her husband, SSG Shayne Boushey, was deployed with both the infantry battalion and the military police company. During his deployment to Afghanistan, Shayne and his team were targeted by Taliban forces. When a suicide bomber detonated himself, 6 were killed and 13 were seriously wounded. Shayne's fast thinking, bravery, and resolve in this life- threatening situation saved the lives of many in his team. We owe our freedom to these soldiers and the thousands of American servicemembers like them. It is with the humblest gratitude that I thank them for their courage and unwavering loyalty.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to recognize Ethel La Rock and Andrew Kim, two Montana veterans who are also the first two individuals set to be interviewed as part of our office's participation in the Veterans History Project. The Veterans History Project's mission is to collect, preserve, and make accessible the personal accounts of American wartime veterans, resulting in an incredible resource for researchers, educators, and future generations to hear directly from veterans and to better understand the realities of past wars. Ethel La Rock retired from the United States Army as a lieutenant colonel in 1976 after 24 years of service. She served as a nurse in Korea and Vietnam. She was awarded the Bronze Star Medal in 1967 for meritorious service in Vietnam, which I had the honor to present to her in August. Andrew Kim retired from the United States Navy after 25 years of service in 1969 as a chief boatswain's mate. As a 15-year-old, he watched the bombing of Pearl Harbor and then enlisted as soon as he turned 17. His tours of duty included WWII, the Korean conflict, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam war. Thank you to Ethel and Andy for their service to our Nation and for sharing their stories with the people of Montana.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, as a fifth generation Montanan, I have seen firsthand the struggles rural America faces when it comes to broadband connectivity. I worked in the cloud computing industry for 13 years, so I also know the opportunities created by technology and connectivity. Not only does access to broadband connect rural Americans and tribal communities to the rest of the world, but there are many farming applications that will enable farmers in Montana to be more efficient and equip them to feed the growing population. Despite the importance of connecting these communities, Montana remains ranked among the worst States for broadband connectivity and there are too many instances where the Federal Government stands in the way of broadband infrastructure deployment. This is especially important for States like Montana where 29 percent of the State is federally owned. Every Federal agency has their own set of requirements for siting infrastructure on Federal lands, and the process can take up to 10 years in some cases. This burdensome, bureaucratic process is driving industry away from serving rural America and tribal lands. That is why I am proud to introduce the bipartisan Streamlining and Investing in Broadband Infrastructure act with my colleagues Senator Klobuchar and Senator Gardner. The bill implements a dig once policy that incorporates broadband conduit installation into new highway projects. It also directs the Federal Government to further consolidate and streamline siting on Federal lands by establishing a fee schedule for the grant of property interests and by developing a master application form for communications construction on all Federal lands. Making effective use of existing resources and streamlining these processes are essential to continue broadband deployment in rural America. By making it easier for providers to lay the groundwork for broadband, we take an important step toward connecting our unserved communities.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, as a fifth generation Montanan, I have seen firsthand the struggles rural America faces when it comes to broadband connectivity. I worked in the cloud computing industry for 13 years, so I also know the opportunities created by technology and connectivity. Not only does access to broadband connect rural Americans and tribal communities to the rest of the world, but there are many farming applications that will enable farmers in Montana to be more efficient and equip them to feed the growing population. Despite the importance of connecting these communities, Montana remains ranked among the worst States for broadband connectivity and there are too many instances where the Federal Government stands in the way of broadband infrastructure deployment. This is especially important for States like Montana where 29 percent of the State is federally owned. Every Federal agency has their own set of requirements for siting infrastructure on Federal lands, and the process can take up to 10 years in some cases. This burdensome, bureaucratic process is driving industry away from serving rural America and tribal lands. That is why I am proud to introduce the bipartisan Streamlining and Investing in Broadband Infrastructure act with my colleagues Senator Klobuchar and Senator Gardner. The bill implements a dig once policy that incorporates broadband conduit installation into new highway projects. It also directs the Federal Government to further consolidate and streamline siting on Federal lands by establishing a fee schedule for the grant of property interests and by developing a master application form for communications construction on all Federal lands. Making effective use of existing resources and streamlining these processes are essential to continue broadband deployment in rural America. By making it easier for providers to lay the groundwork for broadband, we take an important step toward connecting our unserved communities.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the achievement of three local Montana breweries. Montana Brewing Company in Billings, Madison River Brewing Company in Belgrade, and KettleHouse Brewing Company in Missoula received medals for their excellent beer this year at the Great American Beer Festival, one of the largest beer festivals in the Nation. Out of more than 6,000 entries, these three great breweries were recognized as having the best beer in a certain category. Madison River Brewing Company received a gold medal in Scottish-style ale for their Cold Smoke, and KettleHouse Brewing Company followed with a silver medal in the same category for their Copper John Scotch Ale. Montana Brewing Company received a bronze medal in Irish-style red ale for their Hooligan's Irish Red Ale. I would also like to recognize that Montana Brewing Company has received 16 medals since 1998, and KettleHouse Brewing Company has received 3 medals since 2009 at the Great American Beer Festival. The dedication and excellence of all three breweries are an example of Montana as a whole. I applaud their achievements.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to recognize Jessica Anderson, an outstanding educator at Powell County High School in Deer Lodge, MT. Ms. Anderson is the epitome of ``leading by example.'' With experience in teaching both prekindergarten through eighth grade and now high school, she has developed a unique teaching style that has inspired countless students. Her technology-based teaching style has led to her classroom's collaboration with students on opposite sides of the world. She is also a cofounder of #MTedChat on Twitter, where educators can come together to share, collaborate, and challenge each other to improve. Ms. Anderson's instruction of students both in the classroom and online through the Montana Digital Academy has truly underscored the importance of universal education in our increasingly digital age. Not only am I proud to recognize her today, but also congratulate her on recently being awarded the title of 2016 Montana Teacher of the Year. I thank her for promoting the educational ideals that Montanans hold so dear and look forward to watching the continual positive influence she will have on Montana's future leaders.

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, October 7; 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 resume consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 1735, with the time until 1 p.m. equally divided between the two leaders or their designees; that the time from 1 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. be controlled by the Democratic manager or his designee, and that the time from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. be controlled by the chairman or his designee; further, that notwithstanding the provisions of rule XXII, all postcloture time on the conference report to accompany H.R. 1735 be deemed expired at 2 p.m.

Mr. DAINES

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

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Con. Res. 22.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 279, submitted earlier today.

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

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Thune amendment at the desk be agreed to; that the committee-reported amendment, as amended, be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 237, H.R. 34.

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 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 ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, Montana has a rich legacy of service to our country. From maintaining our Nation's peace-through-strength strategy at Montana's Malmstrom Air Force Base, where we oversee one- third of our Nation's intercontinental ballistic missiles, to our Army and Air National Guard members' work to support our communities in times of emergency and respond to calls for deployment overseas, Montana is playing a critical role in meeting our Nation's security and military needs. Montanans know firsthand the importance of supporting our men and women in uniform. The National Defense Authorization Act is critical to ensuring servicemembers have the funding and support they need to fulfill their missions. The NDAA prioritizes the needs of our servicemembers, while protecting the important role that Montana holds in our national defense. The passage of this legislation is critical to carrying out our missions in an increasingly dangerous world. In fact, earlier this year former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee. He described the perilous state of our global security: ``The United States has not faced a more diverse and complex array of crises since the end of the Second World War.'' The threats we face from Syria, Russia, China, and ISIS are too serious for our troops to lack the resources they need to protect and defend our Nation from foreign threats. Yet the leader of our troops, our Commander in Chief, has threatened to veto the bipartisan NDAA, which would fund our military priorities at the levels he requested. This is the same foreign policy agenda that has become the hallmark of President Obama's now famous ``lead from behind'' strategy. Even former Democratic President Jimmy Carter agrees. In fact, earlier this summer, President Carter was asked whether he thought President Obama's foreign policy was a success or failure on the world stage. Here is what President Carter replied: ``I can't think of many nations in the world where we have a better relationship now than we did when he took over.'' President Carter then continued: ``I would say that the United States' influence and prestige and respect in the world is probably lower now than it was 6 or 7 years ago.'' This weekend the Washington Post's editorial board criticized President Obama for holding our troops ransom for his domestic policy agenda. That editorial said this: American Presidents rarely veto national defense authorization bills, since they are, well, vital to national security. . . . Refusing to sign this bill would make history, but not in a good way. It is a mistake for President Obama to use our troops for leverage. Our troops deserve better. The NDAA seeks to provide our troops with the support they deserve. It fully authorizes spending on defense programs at the President's budget request level of $612 billion for fiscal year 2016. It authorizes $75 million for the Southern Border Security Initiative to help address challenges facing the U.S.-Mexican border. It supports servicemembers beyond their years of sacrifice to our Nation by extending retirement benefits to the vast majority of servicemembers left out of the current system. It includes a provision that mirrors my legislation, which I introduced, called the Securing Military Personnel Response Firearm Initiative Act, or SEMPER FI Act, which empowers a member of the Armed Forces to carry appropriate firearms, including personal firearms, at DOD installations, reserve centers, and recruiting centers. Additionally, this bill provides much-needed support for Montana's military missions. There is $19.7 million for the Tactical Response Force Alert Facility at Malmstrom Air Force Base. There is $4.26 million for an energy conservation project at Malmstrom. It authorizes funding for Avionics Modernization Program Increments 1 and 2 to ensure that our C-130s can stay in the air. It authorizes funding for C-130 engine modifications. It expresses the sense of Congress that the nuclear triad plays a critical role in ensuring our national security and that it is the policy of the United States to operate, sustain, and modernize or replace the triad and to operate and modernize or replace a capability to forward-deploy nuclear weapons and dual-capable fighter bomber aircraft. The heroes of our Nation serve our country selflessly day in and day out, and they don't deserve partisan politics. It is unfortunate that critical appropriations for our military and veterans were blocked in recent weeks. Today's vote shows there is overwhelming bipartisan support to fund our troops. Given this, it is senseless that partisan politics continue to block funding for our troops. I urge our Democratic Senators to put politics aside. Let's do what is right. Join me in supporting the Department of Defense appropriations bill. Our heroes deserve our utmost respect and the security to carry out their missions without threats--without threats from our Commander in Chief. Congress has a constitutional duty to provide for the funding of our troops. This body needs to uphold that responsibility. Let's do what is right. Let's pass the National Defense Authorization Act. I yield back my time. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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 there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Sasse amendment 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.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 3116 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of and the Senate now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 272.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I rise today in recognition of Sally Aschim, who is retiring after 38 years of dedicated teaching. Not only has Sally aided in the achievements and successes of Montana's youth, but she also has spearheaded multiple community outreach projects aimed at helping those in her community. She took her passion for helping Montana's youth outside of the classroom as well and helped design and build a playground in Sunburst, Montana. In Montana, we know how important it is to give back to our communities and help one another, and Sally is a perfect example of this. Sally started the Christmas Stroll in Sunburst over a decade ago, which has enhanced the holiday for hundreds of community members. Sally has a selfless heart and does everything with a giving spirit. The State of Montana is sad to see her teaching career come to an end, but her incredible legacy will continue to live on.