Jon Tester

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. One more point. If this farm bill goes away in 17 days, the farmers out there who need help from the bank to get an operating loan to continue on the next year, what will happen to those folks?

Mr. TESTER. Once again I wish to thank the chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee for such a great job passing a responsible bill out of committee and getting it through the Senate itself. The only thing I would like to say is, to my knowledge, the House works on majority rule. I doubt it would even take 1 day. If they want to roll up their sleeves and get after this, they could get the Senate farm bill passed there. Remember, this farm bill saves $23 billion, it provides a safety net for agriculture, has a great disaster component to it, and provides the kind of certainty for people to know, when they go to the bank, which is most farmers, and get that operating loan, they have a backstop that the bankers can depend on to offer that loan. So I thank the Senator for her great work. Veterans Jobs Corps Act Mr. President, I rise today to call on the Senate to pass the Veterans Jobs Corps Act. Veterans and their families make great sacrifices so we can live freely in the greatest Nation in the world. Too many of our veterans return home and struggle to find good jobs. Our veterans deserve better. They earn our everlasting respect with their service and our best efforts to help them get good jobs when their service ends--jobs that will improve the communities they live in and jobs that will help us grow our economy. This bill takes good ideas from both sides of the aisle and does just that. It increases training and hiring opportunities for veterans using proven job-training initiatives, and it will give local governments the resources to hire qualified veterans as police officers, firefighters, and other first responders. At a time when local budgets around the country are tight, putting qualified veterans to work protecting our communities is smart policy. The Veterans Jobs Corps Act also helps rural America by training and hiring veterans to help restore and protect America's forests, parks, refuges, and veterans cemeteries. This is an important step forward, but investing in rural America must also mean investing in the veterans who are from rural America. That is why I added a provision to the bill that would bring more veterans jobs counselors to rural States across this country, including Montana. Job counselors work closely with veterans and local employers to connect former servicemembers with good jobs close to home. These counselors develop extensive knowledge of local job and training opportunities and maintain a list of resources that prepare veterans to enter the workforce. Right now the Labor Department allocates job counselors based solely on population without taking into account the distances that folks have to travel in rural America. That often means veterans in my State of Montana travel hundreds of miles for the employment assistance they have earned, and it leaves the six job counselors we have to cover tens of thousands of veterans over an area the size of the entire northeast border. My provision will fix this imbalance. It will give large and rural States such as Montana enough job counselors to serve all parts of the State and help to ensure that they are developing relationships with veterans and employers that will put more veterans back to work. The Veterans Jobs Corps Act is fully paid for, and it shouldn't be controversial at a time when our veterans continue to struggle or at a time when more and more veterans continue to return from the battlefields in Afghanistan. Our veterans fought hard for this country, and their families have sacrificed much. We owe it to them to put aside political differences and to pass this bill. It is a responsible measure that will make our communities safer, preserve our most treasured places, and will move this country forward. Our veterans earned nothing less. I especially want to thank Senator Bill Nelson for his leadership on this important bill. It deserves the support of the Senate. I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I would like to ask the chairwoman of the Agriculture Committee if she would be kind enough to stay for a few questions. I came to talk today about the Veterans Jobs Corps Act, but agriculture and food security is very important to this country. First of all, I wish to commend the chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee for putting out an agriculture bill that I think really meets the needs of this country and definitely the agricultural community. First of all, I just have to ask--the Agriculture bill sent out of the Senate provides a good safety net for those in production agriculture. I know the Senator took that into account. Whether you are a dairy producer, a corn producer, a wheat producer, or whatever, it is there. The Senator comes from the State of Michigan. That is a little different from Montana, but we both know the Midwest has been under incredible drought. There have been fires all over this country. I talked to the ranking member on the train yesterday, and he was talking about fires in Kansas, and we have had fires in Montana. Is there disaster assistance in this bill, if the House were to take it up and pass it? Would we have to worry about that being taken care of in the farm bill?

Mr. TESTER. And if it is extended, would it, in fact, cost the taxpayers? That $23 billion would not only go away, but wouldn't the taxpayers have to pay for any kind of disaster extension?

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, On September 23, nearly 100 World War II veterans from Montana will be visiting our Nation's Capital. With a great deal of honor and respect, I extend a hearty Montana welcome to each and every one of them. Together, they will visit the World War II Memorial and share stories about their service. This journey will no doubt bring about a lot of memories. I hope it will give them a deep sense of pride also. What they achieved together almost 70 years ago was remarkable. That memorial is a testament to the fact that a grateful nation will never forget what they did nor what they sacrificed. To us, they were the greatest generation. They left the comforts of their family and their communities to confront evil from Iwo Jima to Bastogne. Together, they won the war in the Pacific by conquering an empire and liberated a continent by defeating Hitler and the Nazis. To them, they were simply doing their jobs. They enlisted in unprecedented numbers to defend our freedoms and our values. They represented the very best of us and made us proud. From a young age I remember playing the bugle at the memorial services of veterans of the first two world wars. It instilled in me a profound sense of respect I will never forget. Honoring the service of every generation of American veterans is a Montana value. I deeply appreciate the work of the Big Sky Honor Flight, a nonprofit organization that made this trip and the first trip in June possible. To the World War II veterans making the trip, I salute you. We will always be grateful, and we will never forget your service or sacrifice.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Nick Artuso, an intern in the office of Senator Blumenthal, be granted the privilege of the floor for the duration of this afternoon's session.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today I wish to honor Nicholas J. Wells, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Nicholas, on behalf of all Montanans and all Americans, thank you for your service to this Nation. It is my honor to share the story of Nicholas Wells' service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. After graduating high school in Darby, MT, Nicholas completed basic training at Fort Knox and trained at Camp Irwin, CA. He became an Army scout assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, 2-9 Cavalry Regiment. Nicholas arrived in Iraq in October 2005. He served in the north and central zones near Baghdad, Mosul, Adwar and Tikrit. While in country, Nicholas survived gunshots, 24 I.E.D. blasts, and a helicopter crash. He continues to be treated for injuries that he suffered in the war. Since retiring from the Army in 2008, Nicholas attended the University of Montana and now drives trucks in North Dakota. After serving his country with honor, Nicholas Wells never received all of the medals he earned from the Army. Earlier this month, in the presence of his family, it was my honor to finally present to Nicholas his Iraq Campaign Medal with two Bronze Stars. This decoration is a powerful symbol of true heroism, sacrifice, and dedication to service. This Iraq Campaign Medal is presented on behalf of a grateful nation.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today I wish to honor William E. Schulze, a veteran of World War II. It is my honor to share the story of William's service in World War II, because no story of bravery--and especially not one from our ``greatest generation''--should ever be forgotten. Bill was born in Milwaukee, WI. A Golden Glove Boxing Champion, Bill was working for the Pacific Bridge Company at Pearl Harbor as a welder when our Nation came under attack on December 7, 1941. Bill soon joined the Navy and put his skills to use in the 302nd Construction Battalion--known as the Sea-Bees. Bill and his unit went from island to island across the Pacific building floating bridges from cargo ships to landing areas so that supplies could reach American troops onshore. When one mission was complete, Bill and the Sea-Bees packed up their bridges and moved to the next island in support of America's victories in the Pacific. Bill supported U.S. troops in Guam, Saipan, New Guinea and the Philippines, just to name a few. Without Bill's efforts, our troops would have been left without needed arms and supplies as they battled Japan's Imperial Army. Bill earned the medals we will present today for his service during World War II, but I would be remiss not to mention his service in support of veterans long after the war concluded. After World War II, Bill headed back to Wisconsin, started a family, and worked for 45 years as an engineer and a welder. After his wife's passing, his love for the outdoors brought him to Billings where he remarried and made the lives of his fellow veterans a little easier. Mind you, Bill was getting up in years himself by this point, but that didn't stop him from volunteering as a driver for Disabled American Veterans. In fact, Bill's last award before retiring once again was for driving more than 10,000 miles, taking veterans back and forth to their medical appointments all over Montana. But today we honor Bill's heroic service during World War II. After his service, Bill Schulze did not receive all the medals he earned from the Navy. Earlier this month, it was my honor to finally present William's widow Betty with the American Campaign Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, and the Sharp Shooter Rifle Ribbon. It was also my honor to present the Navy Discharge Button, the Honorable Service Lapel Pin, and an additional Bronze Star to the Asiatic Pacific Campaign 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 grateful nation.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today I wish to honor Lewis W. Holzheimer, a veteran of World War II. Lewis, on behalf of all Montanans and all Americans, I thank you for your service to this Nation. It is my honor to share the story of Lewis Holzheimer's service in World War II because no story of heroism should ever fall through the cracks. Lewis was born in Neihart, MT. He was working as a lineman's apprentice in Cascade County when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He tried to enlist in Seattle but was turned away, because he did not have his birth certificate. He successfully enlisted in Montana and was sent to Fort Benning, GA, where he was trained to operate heavy weapons and was assigned to operate a Browning automatic rifle. He was assigned to Company G, of the 60th Regiment of the 9th Infantry Division. He arrived in Normandy in early July 1944 on D-day plus 30. On August 8, 1944, Lewis was participating in the Battle of the Hedge Rows when he was wounded in the foot. After recovering, he headed back to his unit, only to find that they had been wiped out by what was believed to be a V-2 rocket attack. It turned out to be friendly fire. Lewis said the blast made a hole in the ground that looked like a deep mine crater. Lewis was reassigned to Company B in the same regiment. On December 12, his unit was responsible for an attack on the town of Hoven in Belgium for which they were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. Lewis demonstrated outstanding bravery during that attack and was promoted to staff sergeant. His unit went on to see heavy action in the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest from late 1944 until early 1945. On the 1st of February 1945, Lewis's company was cut off from the rest of his regiment and was pinned down by sniper fire. The members of the company took turns running back toward the nearest American forces. When Lewis ran, he was shot under his left arm. When he informed his scout that he was wounded and would have to seek medical attention, a shell exploded near them. Despite being severely wounded, Lewis insisted that his scout be taken to the hospital first. He was informed that the scout was dead, was carried to a jeep, and was then taken to the nearest field hospital. Lewis nearly lost his leg and underwent several years of surgery and rehabilitation. He still carries the shrapnel in him today. After his service, Lewis Holzheimer never received the medals he earned from the Army. Last month, in the presence of his family, it was my honor to finally present to Lewis his Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, Combat Infantryman Badge, and his Presidential Unit Citation. 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, today I wish to honor Herbert S. Kindsfater, a veteran of World War II. Herb, on behalf of all Montanans and all Americans, I thank you for your service to this Nation. It is my honor to share the story of Herb Kindsfater's service to our Nation. Herb was born in Rocky Fort, CO. At the age of 17, he tried to join the Navy, but was turned away. He was told he could join the Army or work in the Butte silver mines, and he chose the Army. Herb was a machine gunner in Company H, 172nd Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division--the ``Green Mountain Boys'' of Vermont. Herb's unit served in the Pacific Theater. He engaged in combat in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea, where he suffered injuries from shrapnel. In the Philippines, Herb and his fellow soldiers fought mile-by-mile to reach Manila. They then took the island of Luzon. At Ipo Dam, Herb was badly wounded in both arms, and he spent months recuperating in a hospital. After his military service, Herb moved to Billings where he married his wife Betty and worked for the railroad. During the first several years of their marriage, he still suffered from malaria that he had contracted in the war. After serving his country with honor, Herb never received all of the medals he earned from the Army. Earlier this month, in the presence of his wife Betty and his son Bruce, it was my honor to finally present to Herb his Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and a Good Conduct Medal. It was also my honor to present a Presidential Unit Citation, an Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three Bronze Service Stars, and a World War II Victory Medal. Earlier this month, I also presented to Herb a Combat Infantry Badge First Award, a Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one Bronze Service Star, and a Honorable Service Lapel Button. 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 rise to honor a fellow Montanan today as he retires from a long and distinguished career in the water utility business after 41 years. Arvid ``Butch'' Hiller retires from the Mountain Water Company in Missoula, where he is the general manager. Butch Hiller was raised in Missoula. He spent 10 years supplying water to his community through Montana Power and 32 years when it became the Mountain Water Company. In other words, Mountain Water has never run a day without Butch Hiller contributing to its mission. His distinguished career at Mountain Water included recognition by his profession, including the Distinguished Public Service Award from the American Water Works Association in 2005. His contributions to the Missoula community and the State of Montana are numerous, including service on the Missoula Rotary Club, the Missoula and the Montana Chambers of Commerce, the Montana Power Business Information Panel, and the Montana Ambassadors. Butch has said one of the keys to his success has been to hire people who were better and smarter to help him do what he alone could not do. He also said he tried to give people the freedom to achieve success and to learn from their mistakes. Mr. President, water is our most basic resource. Butch Hiller spent a career as a caretaker of that precious resource. As he and his wife Lynn begin their retirement and continue to enjoy their four children and five grandchildren, I would like to join with other Montana residents and thank Butch for his stewardship of our Montana water and the many contributions he has made to our community.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Madam President, I wish to pay tribute to Vincent J. Vacca, a veteran of the first Gulf War. Vince, on behalf of all Montanans and all Americans, I stand to say thank you for your service to this nation. It is my honor to share the story of Vince Vacca's service in Operation Desert Storm, because no story of heroism should ever fall through the cracks. Vince was born in New York but grew up in Libby, MT. When he was just a junior in high school, Vince decided to join the Navy headed to boot camp right after he graduated. On his first deployment, he was stationed on the U.S.S. Sylvania as an electricians mate. Vince served in Operation Desert Storm from 1990 to 1991. He separated from the Navy in May of 1992 but re-enlisted in the Armed Services, this time in the U.S. Army in December of 1992. In the Army, Vince graduated third in his class as a fire direction specialist in field artillery. Vince served in the Army until 1999. After his service, Vincent Vacca never received the medals he earned from either the Army or the Navy. Vince recently received his Army medals but couldn't get his Navy medals. Earlier this month, in the presence of his family, it was my honor to finally present to Vince: the Navy Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars, and the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon. I also had the honor of presenting to Vince, the Kuwait Liberation Medal, based in Kuwait, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with one bronze star, and the Kuwait Liberation Medal, based in Saudi Arabia. These seven 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. Well, anytime transparency and accountability is an intimidation, that means there is a different agenda behind that money. I say that I think the DISCLOSE Act is a well-crafted, smart bill that allows transparency and accountability in our election process. When accountability and transparency become a bad thing, we are in big trouble in this country. I thank the Senator for the question.

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise this evening in support of the DISCLOSE Act, legislation to shine some sunlight onto our elections, to restore transparency and accountability into this Nation's political campaigns. The DISCLOSE Act is a responsible step toward making sure that people decide the course of our future; that people make their own choices based on good information; that people always have the ability to hold this government accountable through transparency. Right now, that's not the case. On January 21 of 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision that gave power to corporations to spend unlimited money on political campaigns--with no transparency whatsoever. That includes foreign corporations, by the way. So, for example, it would be pretty easy for a Chinese company to start spending a lot of money to influence American elections, again, with no transparency whatsoever. The Citizens United decision has already dealt a blow to our democracy. It is allowing a handful of billionaires, corporations and secretive groups that represent special interests to try and buy votes. That already happened in Montana once. And the people of Montana put a stop to it one hundred years ago. At the turn of last century, one of the world's wealthiest men literally bought himself a seat in the U.S. Senate. His name was William Clark. He was one of the mining barons of the Gilded Age. Mr. Clark left his mark across this Nation. In fact, Clark County, Nevada, is named for him. Back then, Montana's legislature got to choose who served in the U.S. Senate. So William Clark paid as many legislators as he could to send him to Washington. In fact, he spent a staggering $431,000 buying his Senate seat in 1899. That's equivalent to about $11 million today. This bold bribery was a national scandal back then. And it shaped Montana forever. Because of what William Clark did, Montana passed a law in 1912 limiting the influence of wealthy corporations over our elections. And just as important, the scandal showed us that as Montanans, transparency prevents corruption. Transparency allows for accountability. Mr. President, transparency in government is a fundamental value in Montana. A few weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Montana's important 1912 law to guarantee transparency and accountability in our elections. Citing its own Citizens United decision--and the idea that corporations somehow have the same rights as individual people--the U.S. Supreme Court tossed out Montana's century-old law. Now the secretive special interests are taking full advantage of this uneven playing field. They are buying up millions of dollars of time on the airwaves, blanketing Montana with lies and distortions in order to influence voters. And Montanans are getting sick of it. Like 100 years ago, a few millionaires and billionaires are bankrolling secretive campaign spending. And they are steamrolling our democracy, because they are doing it in secret, with no accountability and transparency. I support undoing the Citizens United decision by amending the U.S. Constitution. That's a heavy lift. But it's one I, along with many of my colleagues, support. And in the meantime, let's make our elections more transparent. I join most Montanans when I say that any money spent influencing voters ought to be transparent, no matter where it comes from. That is exactly what this DISCLOSE Act does. Mr. President, I don't think anyone here has heard complaints about too much transparency when it comes to political TV ads. The DISCLOSE Act requires any organization or individual who spends $10,000 or more on a political campaign to report that expenditure within 24 hours. No organization or type of organization is exempt. It applies to superpacs, unions, and so-called ``issue advocacy'' organizations. That is not stifling free speech. That is responsibility. It is accountability. The DISCLOSE Act strengthens our freedom to make' informed decisions about our democracy. And for folks in Montana, it's a chance for us to put our priorities back ahead of special interests, for Montanans to make their own choices free from the influence of unlimited spending by multinational corporations. It's what the people of this Nation deserve. I urge all of my colleagues to vote for that transparency. A vote against the DISCLOSE Act is a vote to allow secretive special interests to buy something that should never, ever be for sale--our democracy and the power to make our own decisions, with good information, full transparency, and full accountability.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise today to make sure that Congress is aware of what is happening across the American West. Some 32,000 people were just evacuated from their homes in Colorado. In Utah and New Mexico, hundreds of homes have been destroyed or are under threat. In my State of Montana, five counties are in states of emergency as seven major fires rage across the State. We have evacuated over 200 homes in Helena alone, with plumes of smoke billowing behind the State capitol. The Signal Peak coal mine in eastern Montana has been evacuated and fires that threaten it have burned nearly 60,000 acres in less than a day. Experts on the ground are saying they have never seen conditions like these so early in the fire season, with wildfires burning through beetle-killed areas with increasing speed. These beetle-killed areas are areas that are dead due to pine bark beetle infestations. The trees are dead and dry and they explode when they catch on fire. Yesterday, wind gusted up to 55 miles per hour, grounding aircraft and preventing them from attacking the fires early. But the conditions for these wildfires did not happen overnight. The problem is the dry climate, the lack of preparation, and lack of resources available to contain these fires. I first want to express my sincerest appreciation to the brave firefighters battling these blazes. On behalf of Montanans and folks across the West, I want to thank you for all you do. Firefighters risk their lives every day for folks they have never met. We owe you our respect and our gratitude, and my thoughts and prayers are with you. We also owe them the resources they need to efficiently fight these fires and we owe them the policies that will best benefit the landscape they are working so hard to protect. Forest Service fire officials say there are three parts to preventing and controlling wildfires. The first is reducing hazardous fuels, especially in the wildland-urban interface. The second is protecting towns with community wildfire plans and implementing defensible space around structures. And the third is we must provide and be ready with the resources to fight fires once they have started. Yet Congress has consistently reduced the resources set aside for the Forest Service to proactively reduce the risk presented by fires. Hazardous fuels reduction funding has declined over the past few years, and this year the administration proposed to continue reducing these funds. The House of Representatives is also failing to give the Forest Service the tools it needs to address this growing problem by playing politics that will prevent solutions that will improve the health of the exact forests where these fires are raging in Montana and Colorado. For 4 years I have worked to pass a forest management bill that would reduce these trees that are providing dangerous fuel for two of these fires in Montana. Additionally, the Senate created the FLAME wildfire account to specifically put money aside for this exact kind of emergency situation. Yet this year the President's budget reduces the FLAME account by nearly $\1/2\ billion. We have been robbing this account to keep the Forest Service afloat, but the Forest Service has still lost nearly 40 percent of its purchasing power over the last 20 years as the number, cost, and frequency of these fires increased. Back in 2000, not that long ago, there were more than 40 forest firefighting planes. Today there are 10, and 9 of them are from a fleet of planes used during the Korean war. This spring I asked the Chief of the Forest Service if we were ready in case of a bad fire season this year. He admitted that the Forest Service did not have the resources to deal with an above-average fire year. This issue will not go away when the fire season comes to an end. With large parts of the West getting hotter and drier over the past few decades, our efforts to improve forest health and give the firefighters the resources they need cannot stop when the weather gets cold. We need to commit to providing proper resources to the firefighters who are protecting our communities, and we also need to provide the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management with the tools and resources they need to prevent catastrophic wildfires in the first place. Some of us have been talking about hazardous fuel reduction in western forests before today, but it has fallen on deaf ears. Now I ask you to heed the call on you to provide the necessary resources. Montanans and folks all across the West are evacuating their homes. Firefighters are risking their lives. We need to step up and help them today and we need to responsibly invest in resources and land management policies that will make a difference in the future. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in morning business.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise in support of a bill we will take up soon to reauthorize the Flood Insurance Program. Nine months ago the Senate Banking Committee passed long-term flood insurance reauthorization with overwhelming bipartisan support. Five months ago Senator Vitter and I, along with 39 Members of this body, wrote our leadership urging that the bill be brought to the floor, but today, this week, we will finally consider this much needed piece of legislation, and I thank Senator Reid for his willingness to bring it to the Senate floor. I want to first and foremost thank Chairman Johnson and Ranking Member Shelby for their excellent work in drafting this bill. I commend them for their efforts to build consensus on this important piece of legislation. I thank my colleague Senator Vitter for his leadership and partnership in working with me to help influence this bill in a way that reflects broad bipartisan support. Together we added a number of provisions to improve the initial draft. These provisions include one that addresses a critical issue in my State. When this bill is passed, the Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA will finally have to work together to develop common standards that will allow existing Corps levee inspections to meet FEMA certification criteria. We also lengthened the phase-in period for homeowners who must purchase flood insurance for the first time as a result of being mapped into a floodplain, so that as changes to the maps occur, folks are not forced immediately into high-priced premiums. This bill takes important steps to more closely align risks with premiums. It makes changes to protect taxpayers, and it puts the program on a more solid financial ground. The House and Senate have never produced two flood insurance bills as closely aligned as the bills we have before us, and I am not sure we have ever had the same strong broad support we have now from homeowners, realtors, insurers, state insurance regulators, and environmental groups. That is a real testament to my colleagues on the Banking Committee, and I look forward to finally sending a long-term reauthorization and reform bill to the President's desk for his signature. Unfortunately, we have seen the consequences of reauthorizing this program on a short-term basis, and we have seen the consequences of letting this program lapse. We have been down that road before and have seen how unproductive and destructive lapses can be. Past lapses in the program created uncertainty for homeowners and created significant burdens for those participating in the Flood Insurance Program. When the program lapsed in 2010, about 1,400 home sales were canceled each day during those 53 days the program lapsed. At a time when the housing market is still fragile, this is something we cannot afford. For me this is an issue that hits home. The unprecedented flooding in the Missouri River basin last year, which affected folks throughout central and eastern Montana, particularly in Musselshell and Carbon Counties, clearly demonstrates the need for reauthorization and for reforms to ensure that levees are certified properly and efficiently. I also care deeply about this program because in addition to protecting Montana homeowners, there are jobs tied directly to the Flood Insurance Program. In Kalispell, MT, two of the national servicing organizations employ over 500 people--jobs that could be put in jeopardy without a long-term agreement. We must offer Americans certainty in the face of risk. Now, at long last, comprehensive, bipartisan, long-term reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program is within reach. Let's quickly act to provide security and piece of mind to the 6 million Americans who rely on the National Flood Insurance Program. I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, had there been a recorded vote on amendment No. 2457 I would have opposed it. This amendment creates new and unnecessary reporting requirements that will burden rural broadband companies and could slow down the growth of broadband expansion in states like Montana.

Mr. TESTER

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

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 2429.

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to support the Baucus-Tester amendment No. 2429. The Baucus-Tester amendment fixes a problem in the livestock forage program to make sure that ranchers who suffer losses in their herds because of drought are able to get the help they need. If you are in grass-based agriculture, folks, for those ranchers the grass is the heartbeat of your operation. If you do not have it, you cannot survive. It was critical this last year when record droughts devastated the Southwest. Wild fires burned more than 2 million acres in Texas. This program has moved into title I of the farm bill. This amendment fixes a problem we have seen in one of those programs. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. TESTER

Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. TESTER. I ask that all time be yielded back.

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