Steve Daines

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES.--to join me in voting for this amendment.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, there is funding in this bill for a complex program that would lead to very few actual forest projects, and I fear it will only function as a shell for programs like the Climate Conservation Corps. And to be good stewards of our forests, we need to be good stewards of our limited resources. This amendment does that by redirecting these funds to higher priority accounts, like Good Neighbor Authority and post-fire treatment. Good Neighbor Authority has routinely enjoyed very bipartisan support in this body and has proven to be one of the most effective forestry tools. Given recent past and present wildfire seasons, redirecting funds to post-fire treatment just makes sense. It is early August, and Montana is on fire. There are nearly 300,000 acres burning across our State. We need to manage our forests before they manage us. And in order to do so, we need to invest in higher priority accounts, and my amendment would do just that.

Mr. DAINES. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Bud Olson of Teton County as Montanan of the Month for his service to our country during World War II. Bud was a member of the 82nd Airborne's 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, which participated in Operation Overlord, better known as D- Day. During that fateful operation, the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment sustained many crash landings, including Bud's glider. Bud was the sole survivor after his glider crash landed. Following this tragic event, Bud went on to help secure the bridge in Sainte- Mere-Eglise, which was the first village in France to be liberated by the Allies. Bud continued his service in campaigns throughout France, Holland, and Belgium and took part in the liberation of the Wobbelin concentration camp. Military service has always had an influence on Bud. He is a 60-year member of the Choteau American Legion. For many years, Bud had ``D Day 44'' on the license plate of his car. After the war, Bud returned to Teton County where he and his wife, Vi, worked the family's ranch outside of Choteau and has been an active member of his community. He served as a Teton County commissioner for 15 years, from 1965 to 1980. Bud has been an avid supporter of Choteau School District's athletics program, attending games in town and even traveling to cheer on his beloved Bulldogs. Bud celebrated his 100th birthday on July 29, 2021. In celebration, Choteau Mayor Chris Hindoein declared it ``Bud Olson Day.'' Residents were encouraged to fly flags in honor of Bud and to wear maroon and gold acknowledging his support of the Bulldogs. Bud epitomizes the heart of a veteran--a Montana hero--whose selfless service will not be forgotten. On behalf of a grateful nation, I want to thank Bud for his service to our country, and I wish him a very happy 100th birthday.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Darrell Hueth of Valley County as Montanan of the Month for his devotion to the Glasgow community and passion for Montana agriculture and education. Darrell has been a staple in Glasgow since his high school football and basketball days. He went on to become a star athlete for the Montana State University Bobcats from 1956-1959--``Go Cats!'' During his time at MSU, Darrell studied agriculture economics. Darrell brought his athletic experience and agriculture knowledge back to Glasgow a a teacher and coach. Under his leadership, the Scotties' football team went undefeated for 2 years and won three State championships. Darrell also led the Scotties' wrestling team to three state championships. When he wasn't on the field or in the gym, Darrell taught consumer economic accounting and bookkeeping, a course that is crucial for the next generation of Montana ag leaders. Teachers serve an important role as they shape the minds of young Montanans and have the opportunity to influence the next generation and help prepare them for future careers. Montana has a rich legacy of agriculture, and it is our No. 1 economic driver. There is no doubt that Darrell's passion for teaching about agriculture helped encourage young Montanans to pursue careers in this important field. His educational impact extends beyond the great State of Montana. As professor emeritus at the University of Maryland's Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Darrell has had many academic articles, working papers and books published throughout his professional career. It is my honor to recognize Darrell for dedicating his life to education and making a positive impact on young Montanans through athletics and agricultural studies. Keep up the great work, Darrell.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to use a prop for my remarks.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, President Biden's nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management, Tracy Stone-Manning, may not have personally spiked trees--that is what the facts have shown as we have investigated--but she covered up a terrifying tree-spiking crime until she faced possible prosecution. For many who are watching, what is tree spiking? I think it is very important to know that these are these large spikes that ecoterrorists put into trees for the purposes of injuring loggers or sawmill operators. When the blade goes through it, when the blade strikes these large spikes, the blade explodes like a grenade, causing serious injury to sawmill operators or loggers. For 4 years, she refused to tell Federal investigators who the perpetrators were--the time from 1989 to 1993--even though she knew and had every opportunity to tell it. This happened in my home State. The actual spiking was in Idaho, but when the Feds were doing the investigation, this was in Missoula, MT. She was covering this up until she faced probable prosecution. She has never apologized for this crime, for covering it up. I think the coverup is as serious, in many ways, as anything else. For this reason and some others, I oppose her confirmation and believe that Montana and our Nation deserve better. One week ago today, I stood here and laid out the new and very damning information we had learned just over the last 47 days about Ms. Stone-Manning and her obstruction of a Federal investigation into an ecoterrorist tree-spiking crime. In fact, just last week, in a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee meeting on Ms. Stone- Manning, my Republican colleagues and I urged committee Democrats to listen to the new information, to listen to the alarming new facts that we have learned about her knowledge of the crime and the relationship she had with the perpetrators. In coming from Montana and having spoken with several Montana State legislators, I want to make sure my colleagues understand that the story that was told for years is much different than what we now know to be true. Up until 47 days ago, Montanans, the Montana State Legislature, the Montana media, and I were led to believe that, in the tree-spiking crime that happened in 1989, Ms. Stone-Manning was a hero, that she helped put bad people in jail. As I shared last week, that is unequivocally false. Here is the truth: Ms. Stone-Manning obstructed the Federal investigation for 4 years. Rather than bring criminals to justice--we are talking about very bad people who went on to commit even more violence--Ms. Stone-Manning assisted and helped them evade justice for years--for years. Now, last week, during the committee meeting and the debate we had over Ms. Stone-Manning's nomination, there was discussion, discussion as to whether or not she was part of the investigation at all or whether she was a target of the investigation. What we know now is that Ms. Stone-Manning only came forward after she was caught. What happened is, 4 years later, suddenly, an insider to the crime came forward with new information to the FBI. So she came forward after she was caught. She knew she was likely headed to prison. She didn't come forward because she wanted to help put bad people in jail, primarily. She didn't come on her own volition. She knew she had to get some kind of a deal or she was on her way to prison. She didn't come forward when she was subpoenaed, when she was questioned about the crime, when she was asked by the FBI for her hair, handwriting, and fingerprint samples. In fact, she was described by the investigator as the ``nastiest of the suspects.'' She was described as being vulgar, antagonistic, and extremely anti-government. You see, Ms. Stone-Manning only came forward after she received a target letter from the grand jury, meaning that she was going to be indicted on criminal charges. She struck an immunity deal several years later for her involvement. I am not sure how one can argue that she was not part of an investigation. That is how she answered, by the way, when she was questioned by the committee if she were part of an investigation. She said no. Now, you tell me how you are not part of an investigation when I have laid out these facts. Ms. Stone-Manning bad-mouthed law enforcement for investigating her involvement despite the fact that she knew all of the details of the crime--all of them. She stonewalled the Federal investigation. For 4 years, from 1989 to 1993, she remained silent, but she had all of the information. While she was withholding this information, tragically, one of the perpetrators went on to commit a terrible act of domestic violence I want to talk for a moment about that letter that Ms. Stone-Manning typed and mailed. Remember, this was not available to us until just 47 days ago. Ms. Stone-Manning stated that she simply mailed this anonymous letter and that she got it from a rather ``frightening man''--her words. Well, we have learned since that, based on new information, that the frightening man was her roommate. We also learned that this letter had not only been collaboratively composed but that, after waiting for a few days, she went and typed it and sent it. She went and rented a typewriter to type this letter up when she sent it, which, according to her own testimony, was because she wanted to avoid having it on her own computer and avoid having any fingerprints that could be traced back to her. The words that Ms. Stone-Manning typed and mailed are explicit and not what you send and what you type when you want to protect people. They are what you say when you want to frighten people. That is the whole idea of terrorism. Ms. Stone-Manning typed: ``You bastards go in there anyway, and a lot of people could get hurt.'' She also typed on this rented typewriter: ``I would be more than willing to pay you a dollar for the sale, but you would have to find me first, and that could be your WORST''--that was all typed in caps; it is publicly available--``nightmare.'' The text of this letter was made public for the first time just 47 days ago. You see, Montana has never had the opportunity to read what Stone-Manning retyped on a rented typewriter and mailed until 47 days ago. I find the most disturbing piece of this story to be that Stone- Manning has never shown contrition or remorse for her handling of the situation. She has never apologized for her role or for misleading Montanans. We have yet to see a public statement from her in response to this new information. I believe healthy debate is important in this institution, and I believe it is important at the committee level when discussing and advancing nominees who will potentially lead a major Agency, including Stone-Manning and the Bureau of Land Management's--critical to the West--10,000 employees who are overseeing 245 million acres of land. In fact, last week, one of my colleagues across the aisle explained how it was a shame that Ms. Stone-Manning was not there to defend herself from this new information we have learned over the last few weeks. I agree with that. I agreed with her comment then, and I agree with it now, because in light of this new information and the fact we have yet to see a statement in response from the nominee, I think Ms. Stone-Manning should come before the committee before we move forward, further explain her involvement, and have the opportunity to speak to the new information we have learned about her involvement in a tree- spiking crime. That is why I am urging my colleagues to take this step here to not discharge her nomination from the committee today. Now, by the way, for those who are watching, why is it we are going to discharge a nominee from the committee? What does that mean? Well, that means there was no bipartisan support for the nominee because we are in a 50-50 Senate. So it takes a special action here to bring a purely partisan kind of vote out of a committee for floor action. In fact, the only bipartisanship we have seen is her opposition, those who are opposed to her leading the Bureau of Land Management. In fact, we now have two Obama officials who have raised concerns about Ms. Stone-Manning and what her confirmation would mean for the Agency. In fact, President Obama's former Director of the Bureau of Land Management, Bob Abbey, said that her involvement in the tree- spiking crime would cause needless controversy and that it ``should disqualify'' her. We just learned yesterday that a second Obama official, Steve Ellis, who was the Deputy Director for the Agency under President Obama, said that this isn't a Republican or Democratic issue; it is about the letter she sent. He went on to say: The administration's got some great initiatives and their agenda for public lands is good, but you need the career employees to implement your agenda successfully across the West. Your leader has got to be respected by career employees and across the landscape, in both blue and red states.'' We know, sadly, this isn't the case. I am here today to urge my colleagues to wait to move forward with this nomination of Ms. Stone-Manning and allow debate to continue at the committee level. We had very spirited debate last week. One important note that I want to make here before wrapping is that this is not just an issue for the West. Ms. Stone-Manning's conduct should cause alarm to not only Senators who represent Bureau of Land Management States but every State with a logging industry. Stone-Manning's refusal to come forward for 4 years placed the safety of loggers in jeopardy, which is offensive to loggers across our country, from the loggers in Maine, which is the most forested State in the Nation; to loggers in State likes New Hampshire, Georgia; to the forestry, wildlife, and logging groups like Meadow River Hardwood Lumber Company, the Houston Safari Club, the Idaho Logging Council, who withdrew their support or have come out in opposition. Ms. Stone-Manning's actions matter and should not be accepted by any Senator. Montanans and all Americans deserve to hear directly from her, from Ms. Stone-Manning, about why she obstructed a Federal investigation for 4 years and why she has yet to show any remorse. I think it is also important for my colleagues across the aisle who admitted they don't know anything about the nominee--we heard that in the committee hearing last week--or haven't spoken with her to have the opportunity to learn more as well. I yield the floor.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today, I rise to bring attention to new revelations about President Biden's nominee to head the Bureau of Land Management, Tracy Stone-Manning's involvement in a tree-spiking incident in Idaho, and to share why I oppose her confirmation. I would have welcomed having a nominee with such strong ties to Montana to be the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, and, until recently, I believed, as did most Montanans, based on her testimony before the Montana State Legislature, back in 2013, that her role in the tree-spiking crime was minimal, her actions were helpful, and she helped bring criminals to justice. Unfortunately, new information has revealed that this simply was not the case. In fact, rather than bringing criminals to justice, Ms. Stone-Manning assisted in helping them evade justice for years--for years. I am going to lay this out because I think it is important that the facts are shared before this body. First, it reveals that she withheld the truth from investigators for several years. Second, it reveals that she harshly criticized Federal law enforcement at the very same time she was refusing to tell them the truth. And, third, it reveals that she has not taken responsibility or expressed remorse for not speaking the truth much, much sooner. I know many of my colleagues are probably just tuning into Ms. Stone- Manning's involvement in a tree-spiking crime committed in 1989 while she was a member of an ecoterrorist group called Earth First! The picture that she and her advocates have painted about her involvement in this crime is that she was the innocent hero who helped put bad people in jail. Well, in recent weeks, we have learned there is a lot more to this story. It is very alarming. It is very disturbing on many levels. Ms. Stone-Manning stated to the Montana State Legislature that a rather frightening man approached her with a letter while she was on campus. Come to find out, that man wasn't a stranger. It was her roommate and someone whom she described to the court during the 1993 trial as someone who was in her main circle of friends. Ms. Stone-Manning stated that she simply mailed the anonymous letter--that she simply mailed it. But in reality, and as we have since found out and as we have explored court records in Idaho, this information had not come out, except in the last 45 days. The investigation later revealed that this letter had not only been collaboratively composed, but after waiting for a few days, it was typed by Ms. Stone-Manning on a rented typewriter, which, according to her very own testimony, was because she wanted to avoid having it on her own computer and avoid having any fingerprints that could be traced back to her. The words that Ms. Stone-Manning typed and mailed are explicit. It is not what you type and send to protect people. They are what you say to frighten people. I am going to read this letter--it is not very long--that Ms. Stone- Manning typed on a rented typewriter and personally mailed. It says: To Whom It May Concern: This letter is being sent to notify you that the Post Office Sale-- If I can add, the Post Office Sale was a timber sale. They labeled it the ``Post Office Sale.''-- in Idaho has been spiked heavily. The reasoning for this action is that this piece of land is very special to the earth. It is home to the Elk, Deer, Mountain Lions, Birds, and especially the Trees. The project required that eleven of us spend nine days in God awful weather conditions spiking trees. We unloaded a total of five hundred pounds of spikes measuring 8 to 10 inches in length. The sales were marked so that no workers will be injured and so that you assholes know that they are spiked. The majority of trees were spiked within the first ten feet, but many, many others were spiked as high as a hundred and fifty feet. I would be more than willing to pay you a dollar for the sale, but you would have to find me first and that could be your WORST nightmare. Sincerely, George Hayduke P.S. You bastards go in there anyway and a lot of people could get hurt. The text of that letter was never made public until very recently, just in the last 45 days. Montanans never had the opportunity to read what Ms. Stone-Manning typed on the rented typewriter and sent until just a few weeks ago. The letter is chilling and it makes you think that, if Ms. Stone- Manning was really concerned about the tree spiking, she could have gone to the authorities immediately in 1989, when this occurred. We also now know she had firsthand knowledge about the perpetrators. She knew who did it. She knew all of the details about the crime. She knew who spiked the trees. By the way, why do you spike trees? Why do you put these great big spikes in the trees? That is because, if a logger comes in with a saw and their blade hits it, they could be severely injured. If one of these logs comes through a sawmill, the sawmill operator can be severely injured, as has actually happened. We have had some severely injured individuals because of the tree spiking. This was the ecoterrorism going on several years ago. But she withheld this information from law enforcement in 1989, even after she was subpoenaed by a grand jury for her hair, her handwriting, and fingerprint samples. She didn't report it to law enforcement in 1990, not in 1991, not in 1992. In fact, she condemned the FBI for investigating her in the first place, despite the fact that she knew all the details of the crime. In fact, she claimed being investigated by the FBI was ``degrading'' and that the ``government does do bad things.'' She compared her treatment to how the Government of Panama would treat someone. Ms. Stone-Manning said all of these things and played the victim, despite knowing all the details and players of the crime, despite having had the opportunity for 4 years to put bad people behind bars. What Ms. Stone-Manning did was actively obstruct an investigation. At no time, by the way, did Ms. Stone-Manning ever come forward from her own volition. Now, she only came forward after there was a break in the investigation. This is now in 1993, after another suspect identified her involvement and after her attorney struck an immunity deal, not before she was caught. In fact, one of the men she had the opportunity to put behind bars during the time she remained silent went on to commit an act of--this man that she remained silent on went on to commit an act of domestic violence. Her cooperation with law enforcement could have prevented this. None of her actions show any kind of remorse. They didn't then and they still don't now. Ms. Stone-Manning has not expressed regret for her false and disparaging characterization of Federal investigators. This deception and misrepresentation of her involvement, coupled with her clear violation of Senate Ethics rules while she served as a U.S. Senate staffer, leave the public with no reason to trust her judgment, her leadership capabilities, or her ability to remain pragmatic when making decisions on behalf of the Bureau of Land Management. Ms. Stone-Manning has lost her credibility, and to move forward with her nomination would cause more controversy and distrust for the leadership at the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Senate, and the Biden administration. You see, there are 10,000 employees at the Bureau of Land Management who report to the Director and they need to have that trust, as well. President Obama's former Director of the Bureau of Land Management, Bob Abbey, has concluded that Stone-Manning's ``questionable past'' brings what he said ``needless controversy'' to the Agency. Obama's very own Director of the Bureau of Land Management said that her involvement in the tree-spiking crime should disqualify Stone-Manning and the Biden administration needs a new nominee. I agree with Mr. Abbey because, in Montana and the West and all America, we need a Director of the Bureau of Land Management who can garner public trust, bring folks together, and lead with integrity. Throughout the confirmation process, I have given Ms. Stone-Manning a fair shake, an opportunity to answer questions about important policies that impact our Montana way of life. However, over the course of the last few weeks, this new information has come to light and has led me to now actively and publicly oppose her nomination. The controversy surrounding this nomination is not and should not be about party-line politics. Montanans care about trusting those in public service, about integrity. The public trust surrounding Ms. Stone-Manning has been wrecked. Her ability to be the Director that the Bureau of Land Management needs has been compromised beyond repair. As this nomination draws more attention and some continue to contend that her actions were commendable, I hope all my colleagues will give full consideration to the facts laid out here today. I urge my colleagues, especially those who represent western States, to join me opposing this nomination. I would urge the Biden administration to pull Ms. Stone-Manning's nomination. Nominate someone to lead the Agency who can garner the public trust and one who can lead the Agency without the significant controversy I yield the floor.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I want to thank my friend and colleague Senator Braun for leading this important discussion on protecting Second Amendment rights for Montanans and for all Americans. Today, President Biden and Chuck Schumer are propping up yet another very controversial nominee, one who far from unites us as Americans-- rather, another nominee who divides us further. Sadly, we are witnessing a complete disregard for our Constitution. The Constitution could not be clearer. Now, I know my Democratic colleagues may want to say it otherwise, but it is clear--it is very clear when it says--and I have my pocket Constitution here. It says, ``the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.'' It is very strong and very clear language. Montanans and the American people are guaranteed this right, as protected in our Constitution. Despite this, we have seen President Biden and far-left Democrats abandon this right to fit their own gun-grabbing agenda. Their latest attack on the Second Amendment is the nomination of a registered anti-gun lobbyist, who has called for the ban of certain firearms, to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. This is the very agency that oversees firearms. It is unbelievable. Putting David Chipman in charge of the ATF is like putting an arsonist in charge of the fire department. He has a very hostile record toward the Second Amendment, and this hostile record against law-abiding gun owners speaks loud and clear. It is interesting to look at the 2020 data that is coming in. Forty percent of the firearms sold in our country last year were to first- time buyers of a firearm--40 percent. Why? The American people want to be able to defend themselves. As we are seeing the far left push to defund law enforcement, defund the police, and we see the anarchy going on across the cities of America, the lawlessness, the high murder rates, the violence, it is no wonder that more Americans now say: I want to own a firearm myself to protect myself. If confirmed, Mr. Chipman would help the Democrats push their gun- grabbing agenda. We can't allow the left to continue this attack on our precious constitutional rights. David Chipman would be a disaster to the Second Amendment rights of Montanans and all Americans. The Senate must oppose Mr. Chipman's nomination for the sake of protecting our Second Amendment rights. We must also pass some commonsense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, like what Senator Braun of Indiana is trying to do with his ATF Accountability Act. I support him in his efforts to pass this commonsense legislation. I urge all my colleagues to join me in opposing Mr. Chipman's nomination to lead the ATF and encourage my colleagues to pass and support Senator Braun's ATF Accountability Act. I yield back my time to the Senator from Indiana.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Undersheriff George Skuletich of Butte-Silver Bow County as Montanan of the Month for his steadfast service to the Butte community for more than 40 years. George started as a detention officer at the Butte jail on June 5, 1981, and later was appointed as a Butte police officer in June of 1985. Since that time, he has served as a patrol officer, patrol sergeant, patrol lieutenant, DARE officer, school resource officer, SWAT officer, and patrol captain. He was instrumental in the design and building of the Law Enforcement Center as well as the Butte-Silver Bow Detention Center. George has served as Butte-Silver undersheriff since January of 2013. George embodies the heart of a Montanan and the public service and dedication of a Montana law enforcement officer. Butte-Silver Bow Sheriff Ed Lester has said if he had to go through a door, not knowing what was on the other side, he would take George with him because he would never leave a fellow officer behind, no matter how bad things got. There is no higher compliment. George has responded to nearly any type of incident you can think of, from aircraft crashes to bomb threats, and his calm and respectful demeanor has proven him to be a valuable leader. George truly cares about the Montanans he has served. On behalf of a grateful Butte community, I want to thank George for his service to the great State of Montana, and I wish him a peaceful and relaxing retirement.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, today I have the honor of recognizing ``Piano Pat'' Sponheim, an iconic entertainer and a Montana treasure. Pat passed away peacefully at the age of 85 on May 4, 2021. Piano Pat was a Great Falls staple. She had been singing, playing the piano, and lighting up the room at the world-renowned Sip 'N Dip Lounge since 1963. Montanans and tourists from every corner of the world would swarm the Great Falls Tiki Bar to hear Pat belt out her rendition of some of the greatest classics. Her vast repertoire of songs would always amaze people as they made requests that soon became her next tune. Her performances brought joy to everyone who listened. For over five decades, Piano Pat entertained folks of all ages and backgrounds. Pat was not only a Montana celebrity; she was also a strong follower of Christ. Her faith was a guiding force in her life, and she was known for her love and compassion for others. As a single mom, Pat worked hard to raise her three children. She continued her dedication to her family by caring for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her passion for music and her love of life was infectious. Pat was a Montana legend who will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and fans from Montana and around the world. She has joined her heavenly choir now.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Kathie Bailey. Kathie passed away on May 14, 2021, in Lewistown, MT. Kathie was an amazing woman. She and her husband, Rod, were married for 43 years and had two sons, C.J. and Justin. She was active in supporting them in rodeo, 4-H, and FFA events. Kathie was a caring wife, mother, and grandmother. Kathie also was active in public service. She served on many State boards, as well as the administrator of the City of Colstrip for 7 years and a Fergus County commissioner for 5 years. She served as a 4-H Extension staff member for several years and was on the national board for 6 years. Kathie was the driving force for the creation and development of the Snowy Mountain Development Center, SMDC. This organization has been the impetus for business development, homeownership, and health services in the area. Her staff lovingly called her ``Barracuda Bailey'' and the ``Tasmanian Devil'' when describing her intensity and dedication to projects that were important to her and her community. Kathie left an endowment to ensure the long-term viability of SMDC, which she founded in 2001 and initially operated from the trunk of her car. As a result of her efforts, she built SMDC into a multimillion-dollar organization, recently recognized as an EnVision Center, a State-sanctioned Certified Regional Development Corporation, and helped establish a federally designated Economic Development District. She had a highly proficient team of professional women that she hand-picked, trained, coached, mentored, and trusted to carry forth her legacy. Central Montana's community and economic landscape reflects the thousands of hours and dollars she invested passionately, selflessly, and honorably in her community and with the people she loved so deeply. But most importantly, Kathie's life was shaped by God. She knew that God was guiding her to something new and even more rewarding and was eagerly awaiting God's calling. She was secure in knowing where she would spend eternity. We lost an accomplished person when Kathie passed. Her life was indicative of the true Montana spirit of selfless giving and dedication to making the world a better place. She will be missed.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, today I have the honor of recognizing the life of a great man, William ``Billy'' Jordan Jarrell. Billy passed away on May 11, 2021, after suffering from juvenile diabetes since he was 12. Billy was part of a large, loving family. He was a beloved brother, son, cousin, and uncle. Growing up, Billy could often be found on the baseball field, where he excelled and was even inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in a section dedicated to Little League. He was also an avid Alabama football fan. Former teammates, classmates, and coworkers all miss him greatly. I am thankful for the passion that Billy showed for public service and grateful for the time that he dedicated to advocating for a range of issues including energy and Native American issues. It is my honor to pay tribute to Billy, who was loved by many. I pray that his friends and family find peace in this hard time.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this amendment is called the Protecting IP Act. It is a bipartisan amendment that will help increase enforcement of the United States and China phase one trade deal. This deal put in place important protections for America's intellectual property, the research inventions, copyrights, and more. China has been a notorious and serial abuser of American intellectual property for decades, and that is why the phase one deal put in place a number of important safeguards. Unfortunately, China has not lived up to their end of the deal. It is critical that we hold China accountable for its commitments. As we debate increasing investment in advanced research, we cannot look the other way and allow China to continue to steal American intellectual property. That is why I introduced this bipartisan Protecting IP amendment with Senator Cortez Masto, to ensure the President and the USTR uses all available tools to enforce the phase one agreement. We are in a race against China and must remain globally competitive. That is why I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense and bipartisan agreement.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President. Today I have the distinct honor of recognizing A. Ed Maierle of Cascade County as Montanan of the Month for his service to our country during World War II. Ed is also celebrating his 100th birthday on June 6, 2021, which is the 77th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in France. Ed enlisted in the U.S. Navy after Pearl Harbor was bombed. He was sent to Hawaii and became an ``Avenger,'' a member of a torpedo bomber squadron stationed at Pearl Harbor. Ed also manned a 50-caliber machine gun on a PBY, a WWII seaplane. He later was stationed for 2 years as propeller specialist with a B-24 squadron on Esperitu Santo New Heberde Island. As part of this squadron, he flew daily missions, scouting for the dreaded A6M Zero Japanese fighter planes. After the war, Ed was stationed for 1 year at Whidbey Island, WA, before returning to Montana. For two summers, Ed and his wife, Mary Alice, became the first couple in the United States to man a U.S. Forest Service fire watch lookout tower. Following this adventure, Ed embarked on a very successful career in the insurance business. He and Mary Alice were very active in community service. They both shared a strong faith in the Lord and were recognized for their 24 years of service in the Helena area nursing home ministry. Ed epitomizes the heart of a veteran--a Montana hero--whose selfless service must not be forgotten. On behalf of a grateful nation, I want to thank Ed for his service to our country, and I wish you a very happy birthday celebration with your family.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this week I have the honor of recognizing Rod Ostermiller of Yellowstone County for nearly 30 years of service in law enforcement in Montana. Rod first entered law enforcement in 1991 at the age of 21 and moved up the ranks swiftly. In 2004, he became Chief Deputy Marshal and later served as acting U.S. Marshal when his predecessor retired. In 2018, I had the distinct honor of nominating Rod to become the U.S. Marshal for Montana, which received unanimous approval in the U.S. Senate. He was then officially appointed by President Trump. Rod is a Montana native from the south side of Billings. He later attended Montana State University to earn his bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Since his retirement from law enforcement, Rod went on to become the executive director of the Mental Health Center in Billings, where he continues to help combat the meth crisis we have in Montana in a different capacity. He exemplifies what it means to make one's community better. It is my honor to recognize Rod for his decades of service to Montana's law enforcement and for his continued efforts to make Montana a safer and better place for all.

Mr. DAINES

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

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, it wasn't enough for Democrats like Stacey Abrams and President Biden to lie about the new Georgia voting law. Now, today, Chuck Schumer is sending his lawyers to swarm Montana courtrooms and has taken to the Senate floor with more distortion. This time, it is about Montana's new voting laws. I have a message for Leader Schumer and the Democrats who are trying to distort the facts and the will of Montana voters: Please get your facts straight. In Montana we are putting in place some commonsense reforms that enjoy the strong support of Montanans. Why is the leader so determined to strike down commonsense efforts to provide integrity and transparency to our elections? Let's talk about voter ID. A majority of Americans support needing a photo ID to cast a ballot. According to the Honest Elections Project, 77 percent of Americans support needing a photo ID to vote--77 percent. Why? Because it is common sense and because you need a photo ID to do many tasks, some quite mundane. You need a photo ID to get a hunting or fishing license. You need a photo ID to rent a hotel room, to drive a car, to rent a car, to get on an airplane, to pick up tickets at will call. If these simple tasks require a valid ID, shouldn't protecting the integrity of America's election process require at least the same? This isn't the first time Leader Schumer and the Democrats have tried to stick their nose into Montana's business and tried to overturn the will of Montana voters. In fact, this past election, dark money groups backed by Chuck Schumer pushed to loosen election standards, such as ballot harvesting, in Montana, and they won. This is despite the fact that nearly two-thirds of Montana voters passed a law to prohibit ballot harvesting. How is this listening to Montanans? It is not. Montanans want election integrity. They want to trust their elections. Yet Leader Schumer continues to undermine their direct appeal to put commonsense practices in place. In Montana we want everyone legally allowed to vote to be able to, and we want there to be zero doubt that those votes should count. All Montanans--Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Libertarians--should have faith in our elections. Montana's legislature, Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen, and Montana Governor Greg Gianforte wanted to strengthen this trust, and that is what they did with these commonsense bills. The distortion by Democrats in this country is eroding this trust. This must stop. I yield the floor.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this week I have the honor of recognizing Anne Stordahl of Pondera County for her commitment to supporting Montana small businesses. Anne has been a small business owner in Conrad, Montana for 15 years. When the local candy shop closed in her community, Anne decided to help boost community morale by taking on a new project and business. She opened the 2B Sweet Candy shop right next to her hair salon, giving her customers a chance to grab some candy while waiting for their next haircut. Anne enlisted the help of her three children to open a new candy store that could bring some joy back to their community, especially in a time of uncertainty when many small businesses were closing their doors. Her son handled the behind the scenes work of taking inventory and balancing the books while her daughters handled a variety of tasks like designing candy bouquets and serving customers. Anne grew up on a farm and was able to use this experience to teach her children what a strong Montana work ethic looks like and the importance of family operations to our communities. At the beginning, she hoped the store would bring her family closer, and looking back, she would say this was a sweet success. It is my honor to recognize Anne and her children for taking the initiative to successfully launch the 2B Sweet Candy Shop. It is now a proud part of the Conrad community.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this week, I have the honor of recognizing Celea Poitra and Gahge Whitemanrunshim of Big Horn County for courageously stepping up to help others in the face of danger. They exhibit strong Montana values, and their dedication to helping others is admirable. Celea and Gahge were in their grandmother's pickup truck heading to a dental appointment on Saturday, February 27, 2021, when they witnessed devastating 30-vehicle pileup on the Yellowstone River Bridge outside Billings, MT. Dozens of vehicles crashed into each other on the icy interstate highway bridge. After their truck came to a stop, Celea and Gahge saw a vehicle with a mother and two kids hanging partially off the guardrail of the bridge. Celea and Gahge did not hesitate to step in and help. However, the impact from other vehicles hitting the pile- up knocked both of them off of the bridge, and they fell to the ground about 60 feet below. They sustained serious injuries when they fell and are recovering in Billings' hospital. Celea was treated for a broken back, lacerated kidney, and other injuries. She was in an intensive care unit and is expected to need multiple surgeries. Gahge suffered a fractured neck, punctured lung, and other injuries. Their grandmother and guardian, Joan, stated that it is very much in her children's nature to go out of their way to help someone. It is my distinct honor to recognize Celea and Gahge for demonstrating such bravery to help others in need and I pray for their swift recovery. Their selflessness serves as an inspiration to all Montanans.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, I rise to share my objections to the nomination of Xavier Becerra to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. With $1.3 trillion of spending in Health and Human Services, that Department has the largest budget of the entire executive branch. In fact, if we were to compare the budget--the budget of HHS to other nation's GDPs--HHS, in fact, would rank among the top 10 in the world. The size of this Department is significant, and the responsibility is even greater. Whoever oversees this Department has a big impact on our country, our economy, and the lives of all Americans, including those of the unborn. This is exactly why I am deeply concerned with President Biden's pick of Attorney General Xavier Becerra to lead HHS. Mr. Becerra has spent his career propagating far-left ideology and supporting divisive policies that don't resonate with the majority of Americans. The Secretary of HHS has massive authority to steer the future of healthcare in our country, and someone who has made a career out of defending the abortion industry and promoting other liberal policies, like free healthcare for illegal immigrants, should not be at the helm of this Department. I am concerned that Attorney General Becerra will use the power of this Agency to overstep and impose his radical liberal agenda on millions of Americans. This administration decidedly, intentionally, chose a nominee who has repeatedly attacked the religious freedoms of so many Americans, a nominee who has aggressively pushed a very pro- abortion agenda, a nominee who supports a complete takeover by the government of our healthcare, a nominee who advocates for illegal immigrants to receive taxpayer-funded healthcare. How do these qualities make Attorney General Becerra the right person to head Health and Human Services? It just doesn't make sense to so many in our country. It is just another sign that this, unfortunately, is a far-left administration that is outside the mainstream. Especially now, during a pandemic, it is critical that all Americans can trust whoever holds this position. It is critical that the leader of this massive Department will operate as a good steward of Federal health programs and not use his post to impose a government takeover of healthcare and to eradicate job-based coverage for millions of Americans. Xavier Becerra is, unfortunately, not that person. He has built his career defending some of the very most extreme stances in our society, and we can expect that he will only take things further at HHS. When it comes to abortion, Attorney General Becerra doesn't believe there should be any restrictions--not one. In fact, I had the chance to ask Mr. Becerra some questions a couple of weeks ago at a hearing. I asked if he would support a ban on the lethal discrimination of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome, or, perhaps, what about banning sex- selective abortions, or, at least, a ban on partial birth abortions. His refusal to answer spoke volumes. His inability to name even one restriction that he might think about putting on abortion is chilling. Mr. Becerra's views on abortion even go a step further. He has repeatedly bullied and harassed Americans who respect the sanctity of life, like the Little Sisters of the Poor. This order of nuns has dedicated their lives to serving the less fortunate, and under their Catholic faith, they do not believe in providing abortions or contraceptives. Attorney General Becerra litigated against these nuns in court and attempted to revoke an exemption that protects religious groups from providing contraceptives, and that goes against their religious beliefs. He has literally sued to impose crippling fines on Catholic nuns for remaining true to their religious believes--crippling fines on nuns--a horrendous attack on Americans' constitutional right to religious freedom. He has stated that crossing the border illegally should be decriminalized. Let me say that again. He has stated that crossing the border illegally should be decriminalized. No wonder we are seeing a crisis on our southern border. He has repeatedly pushed for illegal immigrants to receive health benefits on the taxpayers' dime. As we are seeing Biden's border crisis play out, it is even more alarming that one of his nominees would seek to incentivize illegal border crossings even more. I guess you could say this is all part of Biden's ``America Last'' agenda, but as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra would have the massive ability to impose a pro-abortion, anti-religious freedom, socialist healthcare agenda. His nomination highlights just how extreme--sadly, how extreme--the Biden administration really is. These views fail to represent the majority of Americans and have no place at the head of the largest Department of our executive branch. I urge my colleagues to consider the impact that Mr. Becerra would have as the head of Health and Human Services and to vote against his confirmation. Rather, we must stand up for life, for religious freedom, an ``America First'' agenda and against Mr. Becerra's nomination. I yield the floor.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, Montana has a rich outdoor heritage. It is something we are known for not just across the country but even around the world and something, as Montanans, we are very proud of. In fact, for generations, Montana families have enjoyed hunting, fishing, recreating on public lands. I myself am an avid outdoorsman. In fact, some of my fondest memories growing up in Montana are spending time with my family, my dad, my mom, my grandpa hunting, fishing, backpacking in our State. And, thankfully, I have had a chance to pass it on to our own four children--something we still enjoy doing today, my wife and I, as we are now empty nesters. Recreation on public lands is part of our Montana way of life. It is how we raise our families in Montana. And just as we cherish our access to our public lands, we also value the conservation of our lands, as well as the stewardship of our vast natural resources. Energy development flourishes in Montana. It provides over 16,000 hard-working men and women with good-paying jobs to support their families, while funding conservation and protecting our landscapes and wildlife. Montana is still a State where hard-working moms and dads who work hard during the week are thankful for many jobs provided by the natural resources in our State. They work hard during the week, but on the weekends, they go down to Walmart, Bob Ward's Sports' warehouse, and Ace Sporting Goods store and buy an elk tag over the counter, a fishing license, and get into our public lands within 30 minutes of buying that license. That is uniquely part of our Montana experience. These jobs that we have in the natural resource industry, these energy jobs, are part of who we are as Montanans because we are a State full of diverse interests, competing priorities, sometimes opposing philosophies. But time and again, stakeholders have come together to find balance and achieve our most lasting conservation wins. That is a word that is missing in Washington, DC, as we are seeing a new administration come to power; it is the word ``balance.'' You see, as Montanans, we are proud stewards of our beautiful landscapes, our rivers, our natural resources, and our wildlife. We take pride in following the science and listening to our local experts on the ground to do what is best for our environment and our public lands, as well as our rural communities. And this legacy of balance is intertwined within the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior oversees much of America's lands, our water, wildlife, energy resources, and in many ways oversees our Montana way of life. Over the past few years, we have seen Secretaries of the Interior with a range of views--some I agree with, some I haven't. But one thing was consistent, they were consensus builders. They were able to listen to the needs of diverse stakeholders, bring folks together, come up with a solution that worked for almost everybody. I would use the word ``balance'' again. Unfortunately, Representative Haaland has a very well-documented and hostile record toward made-in-America energy, toward natural resource development, toward wildlife management, and sportsmen. Throughout her tenure as a Congresswoman, Representative Haaland championed the Green New Deal. She advocated for the most extreme positions, including banning all fossil fuels. She cosponsored legislation to provide Federal protections for grizzly bears forever without considering the science that is very clear that supports delisting that species and returning it back to the States, just like we did with wolves back in 2011. She has been enthusiastic in her calls to stop not just the Keystone Pipeline but all pipelines, calling for a ban for all pipelines. She even protested the Dakota Access Pipeline herself. She has stated that trapping shouldn't be allowed on public lands. And as noted by several sportsmen groups, Representative Haaland would not even commit to maintaining current access on our public lands during the hearing. I can tell you, these are not mainstream views held by most Montanans. I am not opposed to Representative Haaland's confirmation because she is a Democrat or because she was nominated by President Biden. In fact, I have supported many of the President's nominees. This is about her record, her very far-left, divisive positions that will fail to represent the West, to be in the mainstream of common sense and balance. And I fear she will harm the Montana way of life as we know it. This is about protecting our Montana way of life, the ability to have a good-paying job during the week and enjoying our public lands on the weekends because if you kill the energy jobs, you kill all the pipelines, you kill our natural resources, Montana is left to be simply a playground for the rich and famous. We have to stand up for our hard- working Montanans and protect their way of life. This is about maintaining a commonsense balance. We can develop our natural resources and protect our public lands at the same time. We can do both, and we must do both. So I urge my colleagues, especially those from Western States that hold many of these same values, to really think about what Representative Haaland would bring to the Department of the Interior as leader of that organization. I urge my colleagues to consider the impact this will have and to vote against Representative Haaland's nomination for Secretary of the Interior. I yield back my time. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Madam President, this week I have the honor of recognizing Dennis Davies of Lewis and Clark County for his compassion and dedication to his community during the pandemic. While schools were closed to in-person instruction, Dennis saw that students needed a place to do their work at home. He rose to the occasion and began building desks for young Montanans enrolled in virtual school. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Dennis was inspired by a TV segment that profiled a teacher from Iowa who made desks for students and thought he could do the same for Montana's students. At first, he paid desk supply expenses out of his own pocket. After the community recognized the service he was providing, donations began rolling in. Now, with the assistance of donated supplies and funds, he is able to expand his operation and build even more desks for kids. Dennis works alongside many Montanans who volunteer their time to help him build and deliver desks, and he hopes to provide 2,000 desks to students across the State. Though that amount may be daunting, he is excited to help do his part to help Montana families get through the pandemic. It is my distinct honor to recognize Dennis for his compassion and dedication to the people of Lewis and Clark County in this trying time. His kindness and charitable approach to work serves as an inspiration to all Montanans.

Mr. DAINES

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I have a motion to commit at the desk.

Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this motion to commit will send this bill back to the Foreign Relations Committee to include authorization of the Keystone XL Pipeline in the final bill. In fact, as we saw earlier this morning, the Keystone XL Pipeline has bipartisan support. Here is the difference. This morning's amendment vote was a 60-vote threshold. This is a simple majority. This is good for union jobs. It is great for our rural communities. It reduces emissions. It is time to get this done. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this motion.