Jon Tester

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, it is unfortunate that we couldn't sustain this budget point of order because it truly is an emergency situation, particularly in the West. We have seen the number of fires we have had. Without the emergency designation, it does some bad things to our budget next year. With that, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw this amendment.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 3350.

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, Senator Udall of Colorado and I are offering this amendment to provide the Forest Service with sufficient resources to meet the demands of wildfire fighting this fiscal year. Our amendment to the Sandy supplemental would close the gap between the budget request and the actual expected need for wildfire management this year. Over the last 15 years, the cost of wildfire suppression has increased fivefold, but the Forest Service's budget certainly has not. The reason we have had wildfire suppression increasing by fivefold is because the frequency and severity of fires have both increased. The Forest Service, instead, has had to borrow money set aside for nonfire purposes, cutting into important programs such as timber production and watershed restoration. Borrowing against other accounts is occasionally unavoidable, but it is generally bad policy. We have a chance to avoid this situation by adopting my amendment No. 3350. The West experienced its worst fire season in decades this past year. Over 1 million acres burned in Montana and over 9 million acres burned across the country. Three States had major emergency disaster declarations due to fire. We cannot afford to get caught unprepared this coming summer. Nearly one-fifth of the West remains in extreme or exceptional drought, and over 60 percent of the High Plains remains in extreme or exceptional drought. Let's be prepared. Let's be responsible. I would urge a ``yes'' vote on this amendment tomorrow. With that, I yield the floor.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. I would like to talk about the FISA Amendments Act. I thank Senator Wyden for his leadership on this issue and for offering an amendment to this act that I have cosponsored and will speak on in just a minute. On our vote tomorrow, I will say that I will reluctantly plan to oppose the vote on the FISA Amendments Act when we get to final passage. There are many reasons for that. I am not naive. I do understand there are people out there who want to do harm to our Nation. I very much appreciate the folks in the intelligence community who do difficult behind-the-scenes work to keep us all safe. But at the same time, I believe our civil liberties and our right to privacy need to be protected. I do not believe they are sufficiently protected under the current law. So simply extending current law for 5 more years is irresponsible, and it is not a reflection of our values. There are a few ways this bill falls short. I am especially concerned about the practice of reverse-targeting. The deputy majority leader talked about it about an hour ago. The intelligence community does not need a warrant to conduct surveillance on someone located overseas. I think we can all agree there is no problem there. The problem comes when the intelligence community conducts surveillance on someone overseas where the real purpose is to gain information about someone right here in America. That can happen without a warrant, and we should not let that happen without a warrant. Our national security is not threatened if we require this information to be tagged and sequestered and subject to judicial review. It would merely ensure that the information intercepted overseas in the form of communications to or from an American citizen would have to be overseen by the courts. Current law is supposed to prohibit this practice, but there really is no way to enforce the prohibition. That leaves the door open for abuse. That is simply unacceptable. Unfortunately, neither Senator Wyden nor I are able to offer our amendments that would address this hole in our privacy rights. We can do better. We can also do better when it comes to transparency. The simplest amendment the Senate can approve today is the one I am proud to consponor. It is the Wyden amendment to require the Director of National Intelligence to report to Congress on the impact of FISA amendments on the privacy of American citizens. It is a commonsense amendment. The report could be classified but would no longer allow the intelligence community to ignore requests for information from Congress. Why in the world do we not require the intelligence community to be accountable to us for its actions? It is our responsibility in Congress to hold the entire executive branch accountable. If we do not ask these questions, we are simply not doing our job. That is true whether it is President Obama, President Bush, or some other President. I hope we can adopt the Wyden amendment to improve the reporting requirements of FISA. I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment. I yield the floor.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Yes, I understood that the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act and the Maine Implementing Act constitute statutory settlement documents. Therefore, our colleagues should understand that the current legislation respects the intent of the parties to Maine's historic and complex settlement and does not in any way disturb the settlement agreement or the statutory construct on which that settlement rests. The intent of this legislation is to improve communication, response times, and recovery of disasters in Indian Country while better respecting tribal sovereignty. I understand that tribes in Maine have a unique relationship with the State of Maine and nothing in this Act should be interpreted to change or degrade that relationship. This legislation, if enacted into law, would in no way change the relationship between the State of Maine and the tribes of Maine. That means that, even after the enactment of this legislation, if any of the tribes of Maine wished to obtain a declaration from the President that a major disaster existed, they would have to bring their request to the Governor of Maine, who would have to consider the request in accordance with existing standards and procedures but who would retain the discretion to deny that request.

Mr. TESTER. No. I understand that the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act not only recognized the uniqueness and significance of that jurisdictional arrangement but specifically provided that, following the enactment of the Settlement Act, no future congressional legislation would in any way alter or affect that arrangement unless Congress specifically so provided. This requirement is set forth in Title 25, Section 1735, of the United States Code.

Mr. TESTER. Yes. I understood that, given the requirement that Section 1735 imposed on Congress, this provision would not and should not apply within or to the State of Maine unless Congress specifically so provided. Knowing that Section 1735 operated to that effect, I did not include specific language making this legislation inapplicable to Maine, as such language was unnecessary. Our Senate colleagues should understand that this legislation in no way supersedes Section 1735.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota be added as a cosponsor to amendment No. 3350.

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I would like to make a few remarks on amendment No. 3350. This past summer was the third worst fire year in the history of this great country, with over 9.2 million acres burned. Over 1 million of those acres were in the State of Montana. The drought that drove this year's fire season persists and is projected to worsen in 2013, creating conditions for an equally or potentially greater fire season this upcoming year. This trend is not stopping. Conditions are changing on the ground. I think we are all seeing impacts. I am certainly seeing impacts on my family farms. We are seeing impacts across the forests of this country, and western Montana is no exception. My amendment with Senator Udall does two things: First, it provides funding for the difference between the current funding request to prepare for and suppress wildfire and the amount the 2013 fire season is expected to cost; second, it requires GAO to make recommendations on a better model to project the cost of wildfires in the future. Wildfires are continuing to burn, and burn hotter and faster, larger and earlier, and doing more damage than in past years. We need to assure the resources to address these catastrophic events are there this next year and with a study into the future. I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise today to offer condolences to the families and the communities of Newtown, CT, and to offer my condolences to the family of Daniel K. Inouye, the Senator from Hawaii. For nearly a week now, my thoughts and prayers have been with everyone in Connecticut and all those families whose lives have been changed by the murders in Newtown. Like so many Americans, Sharla and I continue to struggle with the news. We prayed for lives that were lost and grieved for their families and their loved ones. As a former teacher, but more importantly as a father and grandfather, I can't begin to make sense of the violence, especially against children--children, our future, the same age as my grandkids, exposed to the unthinkable actions of an assassin. No one can make sense out of it. I don't think we ever will. But we can offer hope. We can offer our solidarity as Americans who unify in tragedy to look ahead--shaken with grief but strengthened with courage. In the days and weeks ahead, we will work together to address the unspeakable violence that has hurt our Nation. As a Senator, it is my responsibility to address the growing issue of violence in America, particularly as it applies to schools and public places, and to stand to ensure the safety of our children. While we mourn the deaths of innocent children and their educators, we must bring ourselves together for an honest, real, national conversation about every aspect of this terrible attack. It will be a difficult conversation, but it is the responsible and necessary next step for the children of this country, for the children of Montana, and I look forward to rising to the challenge. Remembering Daniel K. Inouye Earlier today, I had the opportunity to sit in the Presiding Officer's chair, and I heard many Members of this body speak of Senator Inouye. Some spoke of him as a distinguished voice, a Senator's Senator, a great hero, a true patriot, a singularly iconic leader, an incredibly great man, a giant of the Senate, a mountain of Hawaii, and the list goes on and on and on. You know, they say the hardest thing to get in life is a friend, and the easiest thing to lose in life is a friend. Danny Inouye was a friend. I will never forget when one of my neighbors came out to visit me. Dan's office is right next door to mine in the Hart Building. Now, make no mistake about it, before I came to this body I knew of Dan Inouye's past as a war hero, as a part of the Watergate investigative committee. He truly was somebody I knew before I got here through the media. Well, so did my neighbor. After I had been here for a while I started to take Dan for granted. He was just one of us. So my neighbor was here, and we were standing in the anteroom of my office and Dan Inouye came walking out of his office. My neighbor's eyes almost rolled out of his head and fell on the floor. He wanted to meet Dan. Why? Because he was a great American and he knew it. He knew this was an opportunity he shouldn't pass up. I stopped into Dan Inouye's office today and passed along my condolences to the staff and had the opportunity to walk back into Dan's office. One of the things that was pointed out to me was a sugar contract that set right above his chair, right in front of him. It was what he looked at every day when he sat at that desk--a sugar contract his parents had. Why? So he didn't forget where he came from. And all the time Dan Inouye served in this body he was probably as grounded as anybody ever could be because he never forgot where he came from. When I first got here, I was trying to get on the Appropriations Committee. I went to visit Senator Inouye, and he said he would help, and he did. Dan Inouye was going to Cody, WY, and he flew into Billings, MT, and drove down to Cody for a veterans event. In doing so, he drove through forests that were brown and dead, and he came back and asked me: What is going on with the forests in Montana? I said: Dan, I have a bill called a forest jobs and recreation act that will help remedy that problem. Dan's response was: Sign me up as a cosponsor. He was always there to help. I remember one time in the cloakroom he was telling a war story about after he had gotten his arm blown off. They were laying on stretchers-- this was in the 1940s, and medicine has come a long way since then, remember. But they were laying on stretchers, and there were many folks there, many with limbs missing, and he said there was a man of the cloth giving last rights. They came to Dan and Dan said: No, I am not going anywhere. And he stayed with us, thank goodness, and came to the Congress and then to the Senate. What a man. What an incredible man he was. He always sat at our table at the caucus lunch, and when he came in he referred to me as ``Big One,'' and then proceeded to lecture me as to why I needed to lose weight if I was going to stick around here for a while. I always appreciated that. Another time we were in his office visiting about some legislation, and out of the blue he asked me how many men I had on staff. I was going down the list counting them when he said: You know how many I got? I said: No. He said: I got two because women are better. That was Dan Inouye. He also had a connection to probably every State in the Union, and Montana was no exception. He always spoke of Mike Mansfield with great passion. When I was in his office earlier today I noticed on the wall he had a picture of Ted Stevens, LBJ, Warren Rudman, and, of course, Mike Mansfield. On that picture, Mike Mansfield, then-majority leader, had written to my friend Senator Dan Inouye: ``With admiration, respect, and affection.'' I can't say it any better. Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to set aside the pending amendment and call up my amendment No. 3350.

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today I wish to honor of Col. Donald M. Singer, an airman who fought in Vietnam and a hero of America. Donald and his wife Elizabeth had four children. He was stationed as an Electronic Warfare Officer at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. This Nation called Donald Singer to service in Vietnam in April of 1966. After training in California and before his deployment overseas, Donald got to attend the confirmation of his oldest daughter, 10-year-old Susan. That was the last time Susan saw her dad. Maj. Donald Singer was selected to be part of an elite group of airmen known as the ``Wild Weasels.'' In August of 1966, on a mission north of Hanoi, North Vietnamese forces shot down his F-105 fighter jet. Both men on board ejected. Nobody knows exactly what happened after that. But reports indicate Donald's parachute never fully opened. And he was never heard from again. The U.S. Government considered Donald missing in action and despite his status, promoted him to the rank of colonel. Eleven years later, in 1977, the Singer family got a phone call. Donald's remains had been found. And at last, he was coming home to the United States. Today, Colonel Singer's remains rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Although Colonel Singer was a decorated airman, his family never received all the honors he earned in service to this Nation. It was my honor to present them to his daughter Susan, on her birthday, December 7, 2012. On behalf of a grateful nation, I presented Col. Donald Singer's Purple Heart, Air Force Commendation Medal, and his Presidential Unit Citation. It was also my honor to present the Bronze Service Star for the National Defense Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Ribbon, and the Bronze Service Star for the Vietnam Service Medal. These decorations are small tokens, but they are powerful symbols of true heroism, sacrifice, and dedication to service. They are presented on behalf of a nation that will never forget Donald Singer's heroism.

Mr. TESTER

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

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise to speak on the bill that is going to be dealt with here at the bottom of the hour, S. 3525, the sportsmen's package. This is a landmark bill. It includes ideas from members of both parties and from both Chambers. Over 50 national sports and conservation organizations support this bill, ranging from the Nature Conservancy to the NRA. Some 20 provisions included in this bill will help expand access to public lands, support additional habitat conservation, and preserve the hunting and fishing rights millions of Americans cherish. There has been much discussion about this bill, with many people weighing in. The fact is that this is a responsible bipartisan bill that will reduce the deficit by $5 million while expanding hunting and fishing opportunities for millions of Americans. I appreciate the perspective of the ranking member of the Budget Committee on the issue of whether to raise a point of order. I know he has to defend the Budget Act. However, the reality is this: This bill reduces the debt by $5 million over 10 years. Those aren't my figures; those are the figures of the Congressional Budget Office. Unfortunately, a vote to sustain the point of order made by Senator Sessions is a vote to kill this important bipartisan legislation. We have had plenty of partisanship already here today on the Senate floor. I think it is time to do something in a bipartisan fashion and do something that is good for some 90 million Americans who consider themselves hunters and anglers. I urge my colleagues to waive the budget point of order and then approve this important bill.

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I want to thank the ranking member of the Budget Committee for his comments. Look, folks, this is a bill about habitat. It is a bill about access. It is a bill about opportunity for people who enjoy our outdoors in this country. The outdoor economy is some $600 billion a year. I have heard many times spoken on the Senate floor, if we are going to get the deficit and the debt under control, we have to grow our economy. This is about growing our economy. How? By allowing hunters, fishermen, outdoor activists the opportunity to go out and utilize the great outdoors this country has to offer in Montana and throughout this country. We are losing habitat every day. We have lost access to habitat for hunting and fishing and hiking. This bill will fix that. I will go back to the point Senator Sessions made. When I go back home, folks talk to me about the debt. They talk to me about the deficit. They ask what we can do to fix it. Quite frankly, this is one of those things we can do to fix it. By increasing opportunities for our outdoorsmen and women in this country, we have the opportunity to increase our economy in a very positive way. Like I said, when we talk about the duck stamps, those dollars go in to be used for promoting opportunities in duck hunting. Those moneys will not be going into funding the war in Afghanistan. The money coming in basically goes out for a specific purpose. By the way, the folks who utilize the duck stamp want this money bumped up. That is why we give the Secretary this discretion. With that, I yield the floor back to the Senator from Alabama.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, pursuant to section 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the waiver provisions of applicable budget resolutions, I move to waive all applicable sections of that act and applicable budget resolutions for purposes of this pending amendment. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise today to urge support on the motion to proceed to my bipartisan Sportsmen's Act. Outdoor traditions are a deep and important part of our heritage in Montana and across our Nation. Two years ago, when I became chair of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, I made it my goal to do something significant, something historic, something responsible that will help this country's hunters and anglers. Mr. President, this week we have that opportunity. This Sportsmen's Act is the biggest package of sportsmen's bills in a generation. It combines nearly 20 different bills, all important to those who know we must never take our outdoors for granted. These bills increase access for recreational hunting and fishing. They support land and species conservation, and they protect our hunting and fishing rights. Most importantly, they take ideas from both sides of the political aisle. This bill isn't about Democrats and it isn't about Republicans or Independents. This bill is about Americans and the great outdoors we all share as a nation. This bipartisan bill is supported by nearly 50 different conservation wildlife groups ranging from the Nature Conservancy, the National Wildlife Federation, to the NRA. It earned their endorsement because it includes responsible provisions that are important to sportsmen and women across America. In my role as the chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, outdoorsmen and women constantly tell me about the importance of access to public lands. What good does it do to protect land for hunting, fishing, and hiking if folks are unable to get to it? Right now there are some 35 million acres of public land that sportsmen can't access. That is why this bill requires 1.5 percent of annual funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund that is set aside to increase public access to public lands, ensuring sportsmen access to some of the best places to hunt and fish in the country. Right now, the Congress delegates all power to determine land and water conservation priorities to the executive branch. We can add or subtract money from the President's budget request, but Congress cannot determine how that money gets spent. This provision ensures that this administration and the next one must authorize, must prioritize access to public lands. My bill also reauthorizes the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. This voluntary initiative provides matching grants to landowners who set aside critical habitat for migratory birds such as ducks. Over the past 20 years, volunteers across America have completed more than 2,000 conservation projects. They protected more than 26 million acres of habitat under this successful initiative. The North American Wetlands Conservation Act is a smart investment in both our lands and our wildlife, and it needs to be reauthorized. This widely supported bill also reauthorizes the Secretary of the Interior to reevaluate the price of duck stamps to keep up with inflation. Revenue from duck stamps has been used to purchase and release more than 6 million acres of wetlands, preserving a viable waterfowl population. It funds new shooting ranges while encouraging Federal land agencies to cooperate with State and local authorities to maintain existing ranges. This is a responsible bill. It takes into account the needs of the entire sportsmen's community. Why is this important? It is important because hunting and fishing and hiking is a way of life in places such as Montana. One in three Montanans hunt big game and more than half of us fish. An outdoor recreation economy across this country contributes some $646 billion in direct spending to this U.S. economy. Fishing and hunting is not just recreation, it is a critical part of our economy. In Montana, hunting and fishing alone brings $1 billion a year to our economy, nearly as much as the State's cattle industry. It drives and sustains jobs. With hunting season in full swing and thousands of Montanans headed out to hunt in Montana's back country over Thanksgiving weekend, this bill is as timely as ever. The Sportsmen's Act of 2012 is balanced, it is bipartisan, and it is widely supported. It is also fiscally responsible. The bill has no cost. Before the Senate went out of session, we voted to move forward with this bill by a vote of 84 to 7--84 to 7. It was a resounding approval to conserve some of our most productive habitat to pass on our hunting and fishing tradition to future generations and to entrust them with the land and water we share. Now it is time to get this bill across the finish line, to approve a bill with widespread support that preserves our outdoor economy and secures our outdoor heritage for our kids and our grandkids. We need to take some good Democratic ideas and some good Republican ideas and pass them. We need to do something for the more than 90 million sportsmen and sportswomen in this country and for our economy. The time is now. I urge all Members to support this bill. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today I wish to honor John V. Klobofski, a veteran of World War II. It is my honor to share the story of John's military service because no story of heroism should ever fall through the cracks. John was born in Cleveland, MT, in 1919. After graduating from Chinook High School, he enlisted in the National Guard, where he served for 3 years. He then attended classes at Northern Montana College and worked for the Weather Bureau in Havre. John reenlisted in 1940 and was assigned to the 41st Infantry Division, made up of guardsmen from across the West. As a member of the 163rd Infantry Regiment, John was a part of the campaign to capture New Guinea, which was then under Japanese control. Dubbed Operation Persecution, his unit landed ashore at Aitape on April 22, 1944. Within a number of days, the unit had captured and secured two airfields, and supplies were being delivered to the island. Because of how quickly they were able to seize these airfields, John's unit was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. But fighting continued in the region for several days and many men, including John, were killed. SSG John Klobofski died on April 30, 1944. On October 16, 2012, in the presence of his family, it was my great honor to finally present to John's family his Bronze Star Medal, a Purple Heart, and a Presidential Unit Citation. It was also my honor to present an American Defense Service Medal, an Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Two Bronze Stars, a World War II Victory Medal, and a Combat Infantryman Badge First Award. These decorations are small tokens, but they are powerful symbols of true heroism. Sacrifice. And dedication to service. These medals are presented on behalf of a grateful nation. Mr. President, today I also wish to honor Alan R. Shennum, a veteran of the Vietnam war. It is my honor to share the story of Alan's military service because no story of heroism should ever fall through the cracks. Alan was born in Helena, MT, in 1946. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Army and trained at Fort Wolters in Texas before attending flight school at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia. Alan was sent to Vietnam in September of 1968, where he flew helicopters as part of the Fourth Army Division. In October of 1968, Alan was wounded while flying a combat operation. Because his injuries were not severe, he returned to duty and flew over 30 missions in all. Warrant Officer Alan Shennum retired from service in 1971 but never received his medals. On October 17, 2012, in the presence of his family, it was my great honor to finally present to Alan the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Aviator Badge, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Vietnam Service Medal. It was also my honor to present an Air Medal with 32 Oak Leaf Clusters, a Vietnam Campaign Medal, and two Overseas Service Bars. These decorations are small tokens, but they are powerful symbols of true heroism. Sacrifice. And dedication to service. These medals are presented on behalf of a grateful nation.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate recess until 11:30 p.m. today.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, as the majority leader pointed out, this Sportsmen's Act is a compilation of 19 bills. Hunting season has already started. This bill benefits 90 million Americans who hunt, fish, and watch wildlife, supported by 56 groups from the Nature Conservancy to the NRA. It reduces our deficit by some $7 million due to net gain over 10 years. This is an economic driver of outdoor industry, some $646 billion in direct spending to our economy. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the motion to proceed and since it is 20 after 1, I would like to have a voice vote on it.

Mr. TESTER

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

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise to discuss the Sportsmen's Act. The Sportsmen's Act is a good piece of legislation. It is a piece of legislation where, quite frankly, it would be one of the few times in this body Democrats and Republicans could come together and actually do something that is good for this country and not play politics with it. The outdoor traditions in this country are deep and are an important part of our heritage. That is why 2 years ago, when I became chair of the Sportsmen's Caucus, I made it a goal to do something, something significant, that would help this country's hunters and anglers. This week we have an opportunity to play politics as usual or to get something done. This Sportsmen's Act is the biggest package of sportsmen's bills in a generation. It combines, as the majority leader said, nearly 20 different bills--all important to the sportsmen community. These bills increase access for recreational hunting and fishing. They support land and species conservation. They protect our hunting and fishing rights. Most important, they take ideas from both sides of the political aisle. It is not about Democrats. This bill isn't about Republicans or Independents. This bill is about Americans and the great outdoors we all share as a nation. This bipartisan bill is supported by 56 different conservation and wildlife groups, ranging from the Nature Conservancy and the National Wildlife Federation to the NRA. It earned their endorsement because it includes a wide range of responsible provisions that are important to sportsmen and women across America. In my role as chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, sportsmen continually tell me about the importance of access to public lands. Right now there are 35 million acres of public land that sportsmen cannot access. That is why this bill requires 1.5 percent of the annual funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund set-asides to increase public land access, ensuring sportsmen across the country access to some of the best places to hunt and fish in this country. This bill also reauthorizes the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. This voluntary initiative provides matching grants to landowners who set aside critical habitat for migratory birds such as ducks. Over the last 20 years, volunteers across America have completed more than 2,000 conservation projects and protected more than 26 million acres of habitat under this successful initiative. The North American Wetlands Conservation Act is a smart investment in both our lands and our wildlife, and it needs to be reauthorized, as this bill does. My widely supported bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to reevaluate the price of duck stamps to keep up with inflation. Revenue from these duck stamps has been used to purchase or lease more than 6 million acres of wetlands and preserve a viable waterfowl population. This bill also funds new shooting ranges while encouraging Federal land agencies to cooperate with State and local authorities to maintain existing ranges. This is a responsible bill that takes into account the needs of the entire sportsmen community. Some folks around Washington are asking: Why is this important? But hunting and fishing is a way of life in places such as Montana. One in three Montanans hunt big game, and over 50 percent of Montanans fish. Outdoor recreation contributed $646 billion in direct spending to the economy in this country just last year. Hunting and fishing is not just recreation, it is a critical part of our economy. In Montana, hunting and fishing brings $1 billion a year to our economy, nearly as much as our State's cattle industry. It is big business. It drives and sustains jobs. With bow hunting season open and rifle hunting season opening in just a few days, this bill is as timely as ever. The Sportsmen's Act of 2012 is balanced, it is bipartisan, and it is widely supported. It is also fiscally responsible. The bill has no cost. I have been chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus for 2 years. In that time I have had folks from all over the country telling me why they love to hunt and fish. They have also told me how outdoor activities support our economy and create new jobs while sustaining old ones. But they have also told me about how much their outdoor heritage means to their families and about how concerned they are about losing those traditions. Frankly, they have told me about how frustrated they are with Washington and how too many good ideas--ideas from both parties--get left behind because of political gridlock right here. By approving this sportsmen's package, we will conserve some of our most productive habitat, pass on our hunting and fishing traditions to future generations, and entrust the lands and water we share to them. Sportsmen from across the West have been waiting for a bill such as this for a generation--a bill with widespread support that preserves our outdoor economy and secures our outdoor heritage for our children and grandchildren. I know it is getting close to election season, but we have time left. The time we are working on is the taxpayers' dime, and I think we ought to get something done. Let's take some good Democratic ideas and some good Republican ideas and pass them. Let's actually do something for the 90 million sportsmen and women who reside in this country and build our economy. Now is the time. We have an opportunity to take a bill that does good things for this country across the board that, quite frankly, if a vote was held on this bill today, I am confident would pass with a large bipartisan majority. But as long as we are going to play political games and as long as we are going to hold up legislation, we will never get to the point where we can do what is right by the American people. I urge we get to work and get it done. I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. So if we combine that with the safety net, if we don't do a farm bill, as the House wants to do, and just have an extension, what will happen to that $23 billion in taxpayer savings?