Tim Sheehy

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Madam President, it is my honor today to recognize a true Montana manufacturing and industry innovator: Lattice Materials. From their beginnings in Bozeman, MT, to a globally recognized, U.S.- based manufacturer of silicon and germanium parts, Lattice Materials is a trusted go-to partner for the most difficult and high-risk projects. Lattice Materials serves mission-critical supply chains by manufacturing components used in infrared optics, thermal imaging, laser systems, semiconductors, and military defense technologies. Lattice Materials also continues to invest in Montana. Their new 80,000-square-foot facility in Bozeman will create 50 new jobs over the next 3 years and provide the necessary infrastructure to respond to increased demand for critical optical components while supporting a stronger, more secure U.S. supply chain. Without question, Lattice Materials is helping transform Montana into a national hub for advanced manufacturing and photonics. As Lattice Materials continues to invest in Montana, fortify our critical minerals supply chain, and ensure U.S. military readiness, I am proud to take this opportunity to recognize their innovation and contributions to Montana and the country. Lattice Materials' innovation and commitment to Montana manufacturing deserve our recognition.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Madam President, as the school year gets underway, it is my honor to pay tribute to all our Montana educators. As we gather in the Senate today, Montana teachers are standing in front of classrooms of all sizes, from high school auditoriums in Billings to one-room schools serving our most rural communities. They show up every day with a profound commitment to their students acting as mentors, advisors, and friends who build character and confidence from a young age. From Sidney to Hamilton, our educators ensure every Montana child receives a quality education. A teacher's true success is not measured by headlines; it is found in everyday breakthroughs. It happens when a struggling student is convinced to stay in school, or when an adult believes in a child for the very first time. These victories may often go unseen, but they quietly shape the trajectory of a student's life. With so much asked of our schools today, it is worth taking a moment to honor the educators leading Montana's classrooms. Through every instruction, kind word, and life lesson, they shape the future leaders of our state and country, and they truly deserve our recognition and thanks.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Madam President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Maxwell Leray for his hard work as an intern in my Great Falls office this summer. Maxwell is a native of Great Falls, MT. He recently graduated from Grand Canyon University, where he obtained a degree in political science. Maxwell has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and his efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana here in our Nation's Capital. I want to thank Maxwell for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having him as part of our team this summer, and I wish him all the best as he continues to build a bright future for himself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Madam President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Morgan Sites for his hard work as an intern in my Bozeman office this summer. Morgan is a native of Livingston, MT. He attends Hillsdale College, where he is studying to obtain a degree in political science and theology. Morgan has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and his efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana here in our Nation's Capital. I want to thank Morgan for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having him as part of our team this summer, and I wish him all the best as he continues to build a bright future for himself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Madam President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Isabella Rosa for her hard work as an intern in my Bozeman office this summer. Jane is a native of Bozeman, MT. She attends University of Greenwich, where she is studying to obtain a degree in politics and international relations. Isabella has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and her efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana here in our Nation's Capital. I want to thank Isabella for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having her as part of our team this summer, and I wish her all the best as she continues to build a bright future for herself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Madam President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Kira Renne for her hard work as an intern in my Helena office this summer. Jane is a native of Pony, MT. She attends Virginia Military Institute, where she is studying to obtain a degree in mechanical engineering. Kira has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and her efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana here in our Nation's Capital. I want to thank Kira for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having her as part of our team this summer, and I wish her all the best as she continues to build a bright future for herself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Madam President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Brynn Notbohm for her hard work as an intern in my Billings office this summer. Jane is a native of Miles City, MT. She attends Carrol College, where she is studying to obtain a degree in political science. Brynn has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and her efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana here in our Nation's Capital. I want to thank Brynn for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having her as part of our team this summer, and I wish her all the best as she continues to build a bright future for herself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Madam President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Chloe McCulloch for her hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office this summer. Chloe is a native of Missoula, MT. She attends Vanderbilt University, where she is studying to obtain a degree in medicine, health, and society (MHS) and law, history, and society (LHS). Chloe has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and her efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana here in our Nation's Capital. I want to thank Chloe for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having her as part of our team this summer, and I wish her all the best as she continues to build a bright future for herself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Madam President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Gaige Homer for his hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office this summer. Gaige is a native of Truckee, CA. He attends Montana State University, where he is studying to obtain a degree in political science. Gaige has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and his efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana here in our Nation's Capital. I want to thank Gaige for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having him as part of our team this summer, and I wish him all the best as he continues to build a bright future for himself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Madam President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Derek Fyksen for his hard work as a fellow in my Washington, DC, office this summer. Derek is a native of Minneapolis, MN. He attends Harvard University and the Kennedy School, where he is studying to obtain a degree in foreign relations and public policy. Derek has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and his efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana here in our Nation's Capital. I want to thank Derek for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having him as part of our team this summer, and I wish him all the best as he continues to build a bright future for himself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Madam President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Sean Franke for his hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office this summer. Sean is a native of Baltimore, MD. He attends the University of Delaware, where he is studying to obtain a degree in political science. Sean has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and his efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana here in our Nation's Capital. I want to thank Sean for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having him as part of our team this summer, and I wish him all the best as he continues to build a bright future for himself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Madam President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Kellen Edward for his hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office this summer. Kellen is a native of Billings, MT. He will be attending the University of Chicago in the fall, where he will be studying to obtain a degree in global studies and public policy. Kellen has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and his efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana here in our Nation's Capital. I want to thank Kellen for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having him as part of our team this summer, and I wish him all the best as he continues to build a bright future for himself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, as our nation reaches the height of another fire season, it is my honor to pay tribute to our wildland and aerial firefighters. As we gather in the Senate today, wildland fire crews are working long days in difficult conditions across the country to protect resources, property, and their fellow Americans. As first responders, they don't get to choose when and where they are needed. One phone call can send them hundreds of miles from home for days or even weeks. Operating on the ground and by air, this profession demands endurance, quick thinking, and extraordinary precision to get the job done. More often than not, success in getting the job done is measured by what never happens: a neighborhood that doesn't burn, a family that doesn't lose everything, a highway that remains open, a town that gets another chance. Those victories rarely make the evening news, but they matter just the same. With catastrophic wildfires burning in our Nation today, It's worth taking a moment to honor the brave men and women leading our Nation's wildland fire response. They are neighbors, parents, sons, daughters, veterans, and friends. They are ordinary people doing extraordinary work under extraordinary circumstances, and they deserve our recognition and thanks.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, as we celebrate the 250th year of our country, it is my honor to recognize Molly Kruckenberg and the talented staff at the Montana Historical Society for their dedicated work to showcase Montana history at the state-of-the-art Montana Heritage Center in Helena, MT. History is more than a subject taught in school; it is a practical guide for leadership and decision making. The successes and failures of the generations that came before us offer valuable lessons to those willing to understand them. I carry that perspective into public service every day, and it is why the Montana Heritage Center was a project our family was proud to support. More than a decade in the making, the new Montana Heritage Center is an investment in preserving Montana's story and ensuring future generations understand the people, values, and events that shaped Montana. This world-class center reminds us that good policy is strengthened by historical perspective and an appreciation for the enduring principles that guide our Nation and Montana. The opening of the Montana Heritage Center would not have been possible without Molly and her staff, and they deserve every recognition for their efforts.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, yesterday, we saw the President of the United States and many others at Dover Air Force Base presiding over a ceremony that is very sacred to those of us who served, and that is a dignified return of remains from the war zone. And that process happens beginning in the war zone, through Dover, to the hometown of our fallen heroes. I have participated in many of those ceremonies myself, to include carrying friends of mine off the plane. One of those is on this bracelet. He was cut in half by an Iranian BFD. This regime that we are fighting does not care about our partisan politics. They don't care who you voted for, who you pray to, or where you live. They want to kill all of us. They don't just say it; they actually do it. And they have been doing it for 47 years. This is a war of choice; the Democrats are correct. It is a war of choice that was begun by a radical, lunatic band of terrorists that took over a beautiful nation 47 years ago--took it over with brutality, force, and savagery. And the second they took it over, they didn't free their people, they didn't unleash the largest oil reserves in the world to build schools and bridges. They took it over to murder their own people and to spread their disgusting ideology across the world, and that is exactly what they have been doing. They don't just say it and talk about it. You don't have to believe what they say. You can simply watch what they have done. They have attacked families, women, children, innocent people. They don't just attack them and kill them. They rape them. They skin them alive, on camera. They celebrate it. They honor those people who do disgusting things that we would put in jail for the rest of their lives in this country, and they do it for fun. And they pay them money to do it, and they are heroes for that nation. They have done it to friends of mine. They have done it to families who have been in this Chamber. The fact that we sit here and listen to elected officials of this country defend these lunatics who want us all dead--they want all of you dead. They want all of us dead. They don't want us to disappear with the snap of a finger; they want us to be raped, burned alive, and cut into pieces. Watch the video from October 7. That is what they want to happen, from Maine to San Diego, from Seattle to Miami. They want this country turned into a burning husk of its former self. And you don't have to theorize that. That is what they do--from the 1983 barracks bombing where 280 marines were vaporized in the morning; from the USS Cole to the Achille Lauro; to every terrorist attack from the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas. These are not humanitarian freedom organizations; they are death-dealing cults, and they want all of us to die brutal deaths. William Buckley was abducted in 1985, an American military officer. He was skinned alive on camera by the Iranians. American prisoners of war who were captured--they were never called prisoners of war because they were captured by lunatic terrorists, so they were not subject to the Geneva Convention. They were captured and murdered--power drills through their brains. This is in Iran. These are families that have dealt with this, and they have never gotten a single dime. These families have never gotten restitution. And not a single President has ever stood up to them. Love Donald Trump or hate him, love his policies, hate ICE, love ICE--whatever. There has never been a single President who has stood up to Iran and hit back. For 47 years, our troops and our families have been absorbing attack after attack after attack, all over the world. And their radical ideology does not stop at the Persian Gulf. It doesn't stop at Tel-Aviv. They want to do this everywhere. It is a global radical ideology, and we have been fighting it for half a century. We didn't start this war. We did not. But we will finish it. And forever wars are not popular with anybody these days. Both sides love to attack our forever wars. I can promise you, being someone overseas wearing the uniform, when you are fighting for your country, you don't care what party is in office, but you are fighting to defend your country. When you turn on the news and see your elected officials stabbing you in the back, telling you that you are failing, that you have failed every goal of the war is what I just heard--the last time I checked, we have wiped these bastards out. An occasional missile strike and boats in the strait--that is not military strength. Those are the flailings of a failing empire. Those are the flailings of a nation in collapse because they deserve it. So I encourage our colleagues on both sides of the aisle--whatever is politically convenient, whatever plays well on Twitter or Facebook--to think about the people who are deployed right now, standing on that wall with a loaded weapon, who have volunteered to defend our country and our way of life, because they are there defending us in a just war--because we did not start the war with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. They started it with us 47 years ago, and their attacks have gone unanswered for half a century. It is time to fix this problem and make sure another generation of Americans does not have to fight this murderous, savage adversary.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, as we look back on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Month, it is my honor to pay tribute to the memory of nearly 150 peace officers who have given their lives in the line of duty in service to Montana since 1878. These officers put on the badge each morning with service, sacrifice, and duty at the heart of the mission. Day after day, no matter the conditions, they rose to the occasion, ran towards the danger, and embodied the best of our State and Nation. Their sacrifice is a solemn reminder that the peace and safety we enjoy in Montana would not be possible without those who hold the line. As we remember and honor our fallen peace officers, we also pay tribute and pledge our support to their families for all they have given to community and country. May God bless them, and may we ensure the legacies of their loved ones never fade. To Montana's peace officers wearing the badge today: Thank you for answering the call and boldly serving, protecting, and defending every day. I have your back 100 percent and always will.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, we saw last weekend a terrible event and, yet again, a product which is of a self-governing society, which is sometimes--we get mad at each other, and sometimes that anger expresses itself at our elected leaders in tragic ways--in a third assassination attempt against our President at a venue that we also saw President Reagan, over 40 years ago, also was attacked at this venue. Unfortunately, that attempt was almost successful. Thank God it wasn't. Presidents of both parties have been subject to violence throughout the course of our Republic, and that is part of what comes with being a self-governing nation--is that things can get messy. And, unfortunately, that is a reality of democracy and of living in a Republic. But we don't have to make it easy, and we should be able to host--as the most powerful Nation in the history of the world, we should be able to have events in our Nation's Capital anchored by our President of either party, of Cabinet Members. We should be able to host heads of state without the expectation that gunfire will erupt at our places of gathering, that our Nation can host other nations here without them having to worry about being gunned down at an event that is hosting the President of the United States. Our State Department issues travel advisories for other countries for exactly these reasons, and yet it happens right here in Washington, DC. So it is incumbent upon us to make sure we can protect not just our own people, but also members of our government who are protecting and leading the greatest Nation in the history of the world. The President has the statutory authority to make modifications, to make additions to Federal facilities, particularly the White House. And the ballroom project has long been considered by Presidents of both parties throughout the years. And the White House has been modified by Democrat and Republican Presidents alike, to make sure that our residence for the head of state can be safe, can be efficient, and can be a place of honor to host foreign heads of state, as well as our very own citizens. Unfortunately, recently the district court decided in a partisan ruling that the President did not have the authority to do this. This is incorrect. The President does have the authority. And the events of last weekend reminded us why both parties need to be able to have a head of state, an elected President of the United States, that can host events in a safe, secure location; that can host an appropriate number of people and not have to worry about violence erupting. The ballroom project, as proposed by President Trump, would create a safe and secure location entirely funded by private donations. No taxpayer dollars are being spent. At a time when we are worried about our national debt, our ballooning debt, and we are trying to explain to Americans how we are going to make their lives more affordable, we should not be spending their money on a project like this, and we are not. This is private donations. And, today, I am proposing the unanimous consent of a bill that would enshrine the already existing right of this White House--of any administration, of any President of either party--to make modifications to the Presidential residence. And in this case, modifications that are for the express purpose of a safe, secure venue, paid for by private donations, not taxpayer dollars. And this legislation specifically includes language to ensure no donor can receive favorable treatment from any administration or any legislative body in exchange for these. These are donations from companies who have benefitted from the greatest economy in the history of mankind. These are companies who recognize they are lucky to be American companies doing business in our Nation, and they are giving back to this great Nation by helping ensure our head of state can host functions in a safe, secure, and world-class venue. I ask for support for this bill. I ask for support for the American President to be able to host world-class events because we all deserve to be safe and secure, and this facility never has been so needed than the events last weekend illustrated, but now is the time to do this. I hope this passes. I hope my colleagues allow this to pass so we can green-light this project to move forward. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of my bill, which is at the desk; I further ask that the bill be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid be upon the table.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Gaige Homer for his hard work as an intern in my Bozeman, MT, office this spring. Gaige is a native of Truckee, CA. He currently attends Montana State University, where he is studying to obtain a degree in political science. Gaige has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and his efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana. I want to thank Gaige for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having him as part of our team this spring, and I look forward to having him join us in our Washington, DC, office for an internship this summer.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Joe McDonnell for his hard work as an intern in my Washington, DC, office this spring. Joe is a native of Ridgewood, NJ. He attends Wake Forest University, where he is studying to obtain degrees in anthropology and classical languages. Joe has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and his efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana here in our Nation's Capital. I want to thank Joe for the dedication he has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having him as part of our team this spring, and I wish him all the best as he continues to build a bright future for himself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Ava Northrup for her hard work as an intern in my Bozeman, MT, office this spring. Ava is a native of Leavenworth, WA. She currently works as a wildland firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service and obtained a degree in political science from Montana State University. Ava has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and her efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana. I want to thank Ava for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having her as part of our team this spring, and I wish her all the best as she continues to build a bright future for herself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Madison Spear for her hard work as an intern in my Missoula, MT, office this spring. Madison is a native of Missoula, MT. She currently owns her own photography and bookkeeping businesses. She attended University of Montana where she obtained her associate of arts degree. Madison has demonstrated a strong work ethic, and her efforts have been key to our mission to serve the people of Montana. I want to thank Madison for the dedication she has shown while working for me and my staff. It has been a pleasure having her as part of our team this spring, and I wish her all the best as she continues to build a bright future for herself.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, it is my honor to recognize Norma Ashby Smith for her contributions to the city of Great Falls and the State of Montana over her decades-long career in local news. Born to Raymond Wesley Beatty and Ella May Lamb in 1935, Norma began her path in journalism as editor for The Nugget, Helena High School's student newspaper. In this role, Norma landed her first big interview of Western actors Susan Cabot and Audie Murphy, who were visiting Montana for a film premiere. After graduation, Norma attended the University of Montana's School of Journalism, spending her summers covering local news in her hometown for Helena's Independent Record. She went on to secure a photo editor position with LIFE magazine in New York City, spending 4 years there. Returning home to Montana with her family, Norma soon began the role that would define her career and make her a familiar figure in homes across central Montana: hostess of KRTV's ``Today in Montana'' show. For nearly three decades, Norma delivered timely, local news to Montanans, interviewing more than 26,000 guests, including First Lady of the United States Pat Nixon and Johnny Cash. Norma also produced nearly two dozen television documentaries. For her contributions to journalism and our State, Norma was named TV Broadcaster of the Year and Great Falls' Most Influential Woman, and was the first living woman inducted into the Montana Broadcasters Hall of Fame. She has also made enduring contributions outside of her journalism career, cohosting the Montana Children's Miracle Network Telethon, serving on the board of the Greater Montana Foundation, and playing an instrumental role in founding the C.M. Russell Art Auction, which recently marked its 56th year. The recently announced Norma Ashby Smith Fund at the Montana Community Foundation will continue Norma's commitment to the arts and history through its support of the C.M. Russell Museum, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, and the History Museum in Great Falls. May Norma continue her extraordinary impact in her 91st year.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the scheduled recess begin immediately.

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, I have seven requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority Leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the following committees are authorized to meet during today's session of the Senate:

Mr. SHEEHY

Mr. SHEEHY. Mr. President, without question, one of America's greatest superpowers is our ability to grow and raise the food to feed our Nation and the world. This hasn't happened by chance, but is the direct result of the hard-working men and women in our agricultural industry. Today, we honor one facet of America's agricultural juggernaut, the Montana cattle rancher. For generations, Montana cattle ranchers have risen before dawn, worked through bitter cold and blazing heat, and committed themselves to a life that demands strength, patience, and humility. They have learned to live with the land, not against it, preserving the open spaces that define this State, while raising the cattle that reaches tables around the world. Many challenges have tried the cattle rancher, from the devastating winter of 1886, to collapsing cattle prices during the Great Depression, to the farm crisis of the 1980s, and periods of drought, harsh winters, disease, market shock, and wildfire. Still, multigenerational cattle ranching families remain in Montana as a testament to industry's strength and the grit of those within it. For today's ranching families, lowering input costs and fighting consolidation in the industry are key priorities. For too long, foreign-owned meat packers have controlled our food supply. We must break that monopoly, offer American alternatives to increase our national food security, and advocate for a path forward that ensures American ranchers and cattle are placed at the center of our livestock policy framework. Empowering hardworking ranchers who feed America and ensuring affordable beef prices for American families at the grocery store are not mutually exclusive. Both can be accomplished by lowering input costs and providing a reliable, pro-growth environment for producers so ranchers can grow their operation, capture more of the value they create, and feed the Nation with affordable, healthy, high-quality beef. Food security is national security. We all talk about AI, data centers, and processing chips; let's talk about feeding our Nation. I am grateful to Montana's cattle ranching families for doing just that.