Steve Daines

Mr. DAINES

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 Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. DAINES. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, as a fifth-generation Montanan and lifelong sportsman, I have a deep appreciation for our public lands. Hunting, fishing, and hiking on our public lands are important parts of many Montanan's way of life. These are traditions I have enjoyed in my life and traditions I have also enjoyed with my kids. It is important our State's outdoor heritage is protected for future generations. That is why protecting and increasing access to public lands is so important. The Land and Water Conservation Fund has been instrumental in increasing access to our public lands, growing opportunities for outdoor recreation and protecting wildlife. There is great potential for the program to be used to improve the management of our existing Federal lands. In fact, there is much improvement to be made to make Federal land management more effective. My amendment will express the sense of the Congress that the Land and Water Conservation Fund plays an important role in improving wildlife habitat and increasing outdoor recreation opportunities on Federal as well as State land. It will also convey that reauthorizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund should be a priority for Congress and should include improvements in the structure of the program to more effectively manage existing Federal land. Montana's outdoor heritage is of great importance to our State's economy and thousands of Montanans' way of life. We must work to improve programs such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund so it will work better for Montanans and all Americans. Supporting and improving the Land and Water Conservation Fund will help us ensure this legacy is continued for future generations. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment in order to call up amendment No. 246.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. DAINES. In Montana we understand our resource use must be done responsibly. We also know that Montanans who live and use the land every day understand how to best protect these resources. Unfortunately, the current administration, as well as past administrations, both Republican and Democratic--their efforts to stretch the intent of the Antiquities Act threatens Montanans' ability to manage our State's resources. It is a trend we are seeing in other States as well. Too often these unilateral designations ignore the needs of the local communities, of sportsmen, of farmers and ranchers, small business owners who are directly impacted by these new designations. The amendment I am offering simply expresses the sense of Congress that all future national monument designations should be subject to consultation with local governance and the approval of the Governor of that State and the legislature of that State in which the designation would occur. This amendment ensures the people affected most by these designations have a seat at the table and their voices are heard. I yield back my time.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the pending amendment be set aside to call up amendment No. 132.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I applaud, first of all, the Senator from North Dakota for his leadership on this most important issue and his commitment to making it a priority for this Senate, the first bill introduced into this Senate. I also applaud the Senator from West Virginia; one example of, as we sit in this Chamber today, Republicans and Democrats discussing and supporting the Keystone XL Pipeline. I reiterate many of the comments expressed by my colleagues and convey the importance of this pipeline, because as the Senator from North Dakota mentioned and showed on his map, the very first State the Keystone Pipeline enters as it comes from Canada is the State of Montana. Let me tell you something. It is not just a pipeline. This is also changing the way of life and economic stimulus for our great State. I spend a lot of time traveling around the State in my pickup. As I drive around Eastern Montana, where the Keystone Pipeline will travel, I recognize this is a lifeline for many of our rural communities. In fact, Circle, MT--Circle, MT, is a small town of around 600 people. It is located in McCone County. It is one of six Montana counties that the Keystone XL Pipeline will run through. Circle, similar to a lot of small communities in Montana, has experienced the same economic and population declines that other towns have faced in recent years. In fact, the county has significant infrastructure needs that have gone unresolved in the wake of a shrinking tax base. For towns such as Circle, the Keystone XL Pipeline is not just about energy. It represents economic opportunity and hope for the future. You see, McCone County alone would see $18 million in property tax revenue from the Keystone Pipeline construction. That is just in the pipeline's first year of operation. That is money for neighborhoods. It is money for roads, not to mention the influx of jobs for the area. Another $45 million would be distributed among five other Montana counties, and $16 million would go to Montana's schools and university systems. You see, the Keystone XL Pipeline means lower energy costs for Montana families, for our senior citizens, and for small businesses. In Glasgow, MT--I remember traveling in my pickup into Glasgow. I met with the NorVal Electric Co-op. They told me that if the Keystone Pipeline is approved, they will hold electric rates flat for their customers for the next 10 years. That is several thousand Montana families up in the northeast part of our State. The reason for that is because they will supply electricity to these pump stations on the Keystone Pipeline. If the Keystone Pipeline is not approved, those ratepayers will see an approximate 40-percent increase in their utility rates over the next 10 years. That is a potential increase of $480 per year for the average household in Montana. As the Senator from North Dakota mentioned, 100,000 barrels a day of the oil traveling through the Keystone Pipeline will be Montana and North Dakota oil. That supports the Bakken formation. With the revolution of hydraulic fracturing, what it is creating now is lower gas prices at the pump today. Montanans know this pipeline is not just a lofty idea or some kind of DC-based rhetoric. It is hope for the people of my State. It is a tangible result and a solution that Montanans deserve. I have to tell you, that is why it is so disappointing that once again we are seeing the President and some Senate Democrats playing political games and perpetuating the 6 years of gridlock that have held back this job- creating project. Rather than putting the American people first, the President has threatened to refuse the people of Montana their right to determine their economic future. It took the Canadians just 7 months to approve their end of the Keystone Pipeline. It has taken this President more than 6 years. That is 6 years without the hundreds of good-paying jobs that will be created in Montana and thousands more across the Nation. That is 6 years without millions of dollars in critical revenue for Montana schools, for infrastructure, for teachers. That is 6 years without the answers and actions that Montanans deserve. I think the pipeline checks every box of common sense. It is environmentally sound, it creates jobs, it is economic opportunity, and it is going to help us move toward North American energy independence. So the question is: Why are we still waiting? The people of Montana, the people of this country have said they have had enough. That is why we are here today speaking in support of this important project. I am proud the Senate is taking steps to move forward with the Keystone XL Pipeline. I know the House intends to do the same shortly. President Obama can continue to obstruct progress on American jobs and American energy independence, but the American people have sent a strong message that they are ready to remove any roadblocks that President Obama intends to put in the way. The time for partisanship, the time for political games is over. It is time the Congress and this government gets to work for the American people and starts getting results for this country. The polls are clear. Sixty-seven percent of the American people want the Keystone Pipeline approved. Seventy-five percent of Montanans want the Keystone Pipeline approved. Prior to serving in Congress, I spent 28 years in the private sector, where we were focused on getting results in the real world. It seems only in DC are we outside of the real world of doing something and getting results on behalf of the American people. That starts with approving the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. Speaker, last week, the House moved forward historic legislation that represents widespread Montana priorities. From protecting some of our State's greatest treasures, as well as access to our public lands, to developing Montana's energy resources and creating better certainty for our farmers and ranchers, this bill reflects the concerns of Montanans from across our entire State. But just as importantly, it represents the way we do things in Montana and the kind of change we need to see in Washington. In Montana, we know the importance of rolling up our sleeves and working together to get something done. By coming together, the Montana delegation and Montanans from all corners of our State were able to break gridlock in Washington and bring this most important legislation forward. I am proud that the House acted last week and passed this bill with strong bipartisan support. I call on the Senate to quickly do the same.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to illegal immigration, President Obama has long said that he has no legal authority to extend executive amnesty. Now, I don't say this very often, but you know what? I agree with him. His job as President is to enforce the laws that Congress has passed, but now, President Obama seems to have forgotten that he is not a king. President Obama's plan to extend executive amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants is an unacceptable abuse of power that goes against the will of the American people. As the President said himself, ``That's not how our democracy works. That's not how our Constitution is written.'' President Obama should abandon this planned executive overreach and work with Congress to secure our borders and strengthen enforcement of the existing immigration laws.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2, the American Energy Solutions for Lower Costs and More American Jobs Act. New technology has fueled a 21st century energy boom, but Americans are still paying way too much for everyday expenses like gas, groceries, and electricity. That is why the House has passed dozens of bills to lower energy costs and create jobs, like a bill that I introduced--and passed--called the Bureau of Reclamation Conduit Hydropower Development Equity and Jobs Act. It passed unanimously last year. This is commonsense legislation. It would expand hydropower production in a number of Western States. It creates jobs while lowering electric prices for thousands of families. Whether it is from approving the Keystone XL pipeline to stopping these out-of-touch regulations on our coal industry, the House is fighting to protect and grow American energy and the jobs it supports. In fact, in Montana alone, more than 5,000 jobs depend on coal, and thousands of middle class families rely on coal-fired power for an affordable source of energy. Fifty-one percent of the electric supply in Montana comes from coal. Construction of the Keystone pipeline will not only create thousands of good jobs, it is going to help keep energy prices low for Montana families. Let me tell you why. I was out traveling in eastern Montana in my pickup. I visited the NorVal Electric Co-op in Glasgow, Montana. It will provide power for a future Keystone pump station on the pipeline. If Keystone is built, NorVal will be able to keep their consumers' electric rates flat for the next 10 years, but, if it isn't, they expect that rates will grow upwards of 40 percent for those ratepayers over the course of the next decade. These are hardworking Montana families, many of them living paycheck to paycheck, many on fixed incomes, that we will help with the Keystone pipeline. Unfortunately, tomorrow marks the 6-year anniversary from the time the first permit to build the Keystone pipeline was filed. It took the Canadians 7 months to approve it. We are now at 6 years and waiting with this President. The American people have waited far too long. That is why the House has passed legislation to approve its construction, but the Senate refuses to act. It is time for the Senate and the President to join us in fighting for solutions to create jobs, lower energy costs, and protect middle class American families.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam Speaker, Montana is a State blessed with people who have a strong commitment to service. In fact, more than 100,000 military veterans call our State home, and our dedicated law enforcement officials perform critical services each and every day. On August 14, 2014, we lost a great Montanan when Cascade County sheriff deputy and Marine Corps combat veteran Joseph James Dunn the First was killed in the line of duty. Joe put faith and family at the center of his life, going on multiple mission trips. He was described as a ``bold ambassador for Christ.'' No one was more important to Joe than his family: his dear wife, Robynn; son, Joey; and daughter, Shiloh. Joe will be dearly missed by all who knew him. He personified service to his country, to his State, and to his community. Joe's life is an inspiration for all Montanans.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. Speaker, when the President was trying to sell ObamaCare to the people of Montana, we were promised that if we like our health insurance, we can keep it. But millions of Americans, including 38,000 Montanans, were forced out of their health care plans, and President Obama's promise was named the Lie of the Year by PolitiFact. The promise he made to Montanans should be honored. The Employee Health Care Protection Act, H.R. 3522, will protect the health care plans of 50 million Americans who get coverage through their employer and provide relief for workers who could see their out- of-pocket costs increase due to ObamaCare. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3522 and help ensure that no more Montanans see their health care costs rise or are forced out of plans that they like and that they chose.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. I want to thank the gentleman from Utah for putting together this Special Order. I also want to thank you, Congressman Stewart, for your service to our country. As a B-1 bomber pilot, you in fact hold the record for the fastest nonstop flight around the world. Thank you for your service to our country, Chris. As our closest ally, Israel's security is critical not only for the future of Israeli people, but also for the security of the United States. Both of our nations were founded by those seeking political and religious freedom. Israel is the beacon of democracy in the Middle East. Our continued support for Israel is crucial to bringing peace, stability, and security to this most important region of the world. Daily rocket fire from Gaza is one of the many threats facing the Israeli people. I was in Israel last year. As I stood at the border with Syria, I could hear mortar and rocket fire in the distance. Since its founding in 1948, Israel has faced a number of existential threats from all sides, including invasion by its neighbors and terrorism from radical groups operating within Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. This past March, representatives from Montana's Crow Tribe presented a formal resolution to Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer in my office here in Washington. The resolution from the Crow Legislature to the Israeli people affirmed their support of Israel's right to exist and recognized their shared challenges of maintaining political and territorial independence and a deep connection to their ancestral homelands. During this meeting in my office with Crow Tribal leaders and Israeli Ambassador Dermer, his cell phone went off. It wasn't a call. It wasn't a text message. It wasn't an email. It was an app he had on his phone that many Israelis have to warn them of impending rocket attacks. It was a sober realization that each time his phone made that noise, fearful Israeli families had seconds to scramble for their lives. As the Israeli people remain steadfast in confronting these threats, they deserve our unyielding support now and in the future. America's commitment to Israel must never waver. We must stand with Israel.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairman for his leadership on this important issue. I rise in support of the rule and H.R. 4315, the 21st Century Endangered Species Transparency Act. My home State of Montana is called the Treasure State, where we found settlers. In fact, my great-great-grandmother came out and homesteaded in Montana. They found productive ag lands. They found riches of minerals to sustain our industries among the many species that are important to our fishing and hunting heritage. When the Endangered Species Act became law, Congress committed to helping to sustain our unique ecosystems and our way of life. However, too often ESA decisions are not based on sound science and it is about political science, unfortunately, and the law results in encouraging habitual litigation. The result has been fewer jobs and deteriorating forest health. And, as Mr. Bishop mentioned, the species aren't actually recovering with a batting average of .008. Frankly, the Endangered Species Act is like a 40-year-old ranch pickup: it once served a useful purpose but is in bad need of repair. By increasing transparency--and this is about repairing the Endangered Species Act, bringing it forward to the 21st century so it actually delivers the outcomes we all desire, and that is recovering the species versus just listing them. H.R. 4315 begins an important process toward modernizing this well-intentioned but out-of-balance and out-of-date law. I urge the House and Senate to pass it.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. I know ObamaCare was over 2,000 pages.

Mr. DAINES. On the issue of the Keystone pipeline and the benefits, many of those ratepayers in Montana are hardworking families that live month to month. Many of them are seniors that are living on fixed incomes. And so this President, by stopping the Keystone pipeline and not approving that bill that is just slightly over 2 pages in length, in essence, he is declaring war on the middle class of America that is struggling to make ends meet month to month. Our daughter just graduated from Montana State University with a degree in elementary education. She is going to be a teacher. If we can approve the Keystone pipeline, we recognize these tax revenues in the State of Montana, and millions of dollars that will help fund our teachers, our schools, our infrastructure in Montana. These are other benefits of the Keystone pipeline that we need to talk about that affect more than just the jobs. It also the tax revenues, as we talked about, and keeping the electric rates flat for many, many Montanans that live on fixed incomes.

Mr. DAINES. Here is the H.R. 3, the act to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. It is very simple. In fact, it is two pages and about a third of a bottom of a third page, so call it 2-1/3 pages, and we can approve the Keystone pipeline.

Mr. DAINES. Will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. DAINES. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee for her leadership on this important issue of this do-nothing Senate. The President likes to refer to us as the do-nothing Congress. Well, tonight, we are presenting 332 reasons why it is actually the do- nothing Senate, as seen by the stack of the bills here on the gentlewoman's desk. This has made it the least productive Congress in history. 332 bills have passed the House and are sitting on Harry Reid's desk. These are not just Republican bills. 178 of these bills passed the House with no opposition at all. In fact, nearly 70 percent of these bills passed with two-thirds support or more. Fifty-five of these House bills were introduced by Democrats--still, Harry Reid refuses to bring these bills up for a vote. While House Republicans are focused on building up America's middle class, the Senate Democrats are content to let dust gather on hundreds of bills that would grow the economy, reduce the size and scope of an overbearing Federal Government and, importantly, help create jobs in America. Take the Keystone XL pipeline, for example. This is truly one of those shovel-ready projects that would create more than 42,000 direct and indirect jobs nationwide. Across the political spectrum, there is overwhelmingly support for this project, yet Harry Reid refuses to bring it up for a vote. I have got that bill right here. It is H.R. 3. This is a bill that we passed with bipartisan support, yet Harry Reid refuses to bring it up for a vote. The Keystone pipeline enters Montana. It is the first State that the pipeline enters after it comes to us from Canada. I was out in eastern Montana recently, and I was meeting with the NorVal Electric Co-Op. This is a small co-op in Montana that provides electricity to a few thousand Montana families. They told me that if the Keystone pipeline is approved, they will be able to keep electric rates for these Montana families flat for the next 10 years. If the Keystone pipeline is not approved, the electric rates for these Montana families will go up about 40 percent over the course of the next 10 years because this co-op supplies electricity to one of the pump stations on the Keystone pipeline, and that extra volume will lower the rates for all users. Sometimes, I wish the President would get out of the White House and come to a place like Montana and talk to those families and have him explain to them why he continues to block the Keystone pipeline. I would like Harry Reid to come out to Montana and explain to these Montana families why the Senate refuses to take up a vote and approve the Keystone pipeline. The House, we are going to continue enacting solutions to help create jobs and build a healthy economy because that leads to greater freedom and opportunity. We are not going to stop doing our job simply because Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid has stopped doing his. It is time for the Senate to get back to work. It is interesting, it has been quoted here tonight that Sheila Jackson Lee, the Democratic congresswoman, who we serve with here in the House, has had 18 rollcall votes on her amendments in the House in the past year. That is more than all the Republicans in the Senate combined. When asked about those amendments in a recent interview, she said, ``I want to thank the Republicans for their generosity.'' It is time for the Senate to act. The Obama recovery, economic recovery, is 5 years old, and what have we seen? We shared this week the share of adults who are working is back to 1984 levels. That is the year I graduated from Montana State University, with a degree in engineering. Far more adults have left the workforce than have found new jobs, and it has been said this is the worst recovery ever for long-term employed Americans. The House has passed dozens of bills to create good-paying jobs and build a healthy economy, bills like the America's Small Business Tax Relief Act, which would lower costs for small businesses to allow them to hire more workers; or the Veterans Economic Opportunity Act, which improves programs that promote economic opportunity and ensures our Nation's vets have the tools and resources they need to find jobs they deserve. Let me conclude by saying this: it is a shame that Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats won't take up more of these 40-plus bills of these over 300 bills that we have passed that will get our economy moving because it is clear that the President's policies aren't working. House Republicans have a plan to get America back to work and get our economy moving in the right direction once again. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, he doesn't have to agree with our ideas. That is the nature of democracy. That is the nature of having the Senate and the House. We are not expecting him to agree on our ideas, but he does owe them a simple up-or-down vote. If he doesn't owe it to us, he certainly owes it to the American people.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. Speaker, on April 10th, 1944, as many as 60 B-24 Liberators from the Fifth Air Force attacked enemy anti-aircraft targets and airfields on the northern coast of New Guinea. One of those heavy bombers, known as ``Hot Garter,'' was hit by flak and went down with its crew of 12. On board was First Lieutenant William D. Bernier from Augusta, Montana. The remains of nine of these brave Americans, including First Lieutenant Bernier were determined to be ``unrecoverable'' but due to technological advances, his remains were recently identified and will soon be at rest in Montana. It is the solemn duty of our nation to not leave any behind who have made the ultimate sacrifice. On behalf of the state of Montana, thank you to those who worked diligently to bring William home.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam Speaker, imagine telling the IRS you ``just lost'' your paperwork; or ``sorry, I accidentally deleted my tax forms, guess I won't be getting those to you.'' How do you think the IRS would respond? Not well. The IRS would find your actions ``inexcusable,'' paid back with a fine or criminal punishment, but when the IRS asks the same of us, we are expected to let them off the hook. Losing 2 years' worth of emails is not only unlikely, but it is unacceptable. The IRS would not accept that excuse from the people of Montana, and Montanans will not accept that excuse from the IRS. This double standard is abusive. It is irresponsible. The IRS holds a great deal of power over the individual lives of the American people, and the requirements they ask of us, we are asking of them. As representatives of the people the IRS is hurting, the House will hold the IRS to the standards that they hold the rest of America.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4508) to amend the East Bench Irrigation District Water Contract Extension Act to permit the Secretary of the Interior to extend the contract for certain water services.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4562) to authorize early repayment of obligations to the Bureau of Reclamation within the Northport Irrigation District in the State of Nebraska.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.