Ryan Zinke

Mr. ZINKE

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of economic opportunity for local communities across the Nation. In my home State of Montana, the Crow Nation suffers from unemployment rates as high as 50 percent, despite having over $1 billion in coal reserves. Similar situations play out in communities across America. This administration has waged a war against coal. In the words of Crow Chairman Old Coyote: ``A war on coal is a war on the Crow people.'' Republicans and Democrats agree; we all want clean air and water and affordable power. Thankfully, advances in technology have made it possible to have both, making it possible to use our vast resources of clean coal to power American homes and manufacturers and put Americans back to work. We can't power the American economy on pixie dust and hope; it takes innovation and investment in areas like clean coal. Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, this administration is fighting a more aggressive war against American coal than they are against ISIS. We all know of countless attempts to kill coal with regulations, cap-and- trade, and carbon taxes. Now, the most recent attempt is by the Department of the Interior. The DOI is planning to change how coal on Federal lands and reservations is valued, creating an unpredictable and unstable market that threatens the livelihoods of our local communities and tribes. When oil, gas, and coal resources are sold, local communities receive tax revenues and royalties to help fund everything from education to infrastructure. However, this administration's one-size-fits-all plan puts funding in jeopardy; places heavier burdens on States and local governments; and also stifles innovation, investment, and job creation. The national labor participation is the lowest it has been in the past 30 years. Wages are stagnant; the cost of living is going up, and energy prices for home heating and manufacturing are skyrocketing. Our communities simply can't afford another Federal assault on our economy. These jobs are real, Mr. Chairman. I have been to the Rosebud Mine in Colstrip where union jobs earn their paychecks to provide for their families. This is not just a couple hundred jobs in Montana. There are thousands more like them in Kentucky, West Virginia, Utah, and beyond. Whether the coal is mined in Montana or turned into electricity to build cars in Michigan, coal is a critical part of our American economy. Again, I am reminded of the words of Chairman Old Coyote: ``For the Crow people, there are no jobs that compare to a coal job-- the wages and benefits exceed anything else that is available.'' Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in fighting for American workers and American jobs by supporting my amendment to block funding for the Obama administration to continue their war on coal. I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Chairman, how much time is remaining?

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\3/4\ minutes to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Mr. ZINKE

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with the millions of men and women from the Armed Forces who are living with or who have died from the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder. June is PTSD Awareness Month. In my home State of Montana, nearly 15,000 veterans, or 15 percent of the population of all veterans, suffer from PTSD. PTSD, no doubt, is a serious condition that touches every aspect of a person's life. Every day, 22 veterans commit suicide nationwide. Many of them struggle to live with PTSD. Many of our veterans who live with PTSD struggle to transition to civilian life because they have not been given essential resources in the care they need at VA hospitals and clinics or from their local communities. I urge the Veterans Health Administration and local communities to work together to do everything we can to combat this epidemic. God bless America and the men and women who serve and defend her.

Mr. ZINKE

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Chuck Johnson, a man who kept me and countless other public servants in Montana honest and accountable as the capitol bureau chief and longtime political reporter. Chuck's 43-year journalism career began in 1977. In the decades since, Chuck has been the primary educator of government, politics, and ethics for generations of Montanans. I had the pleasure of getting to know Chuck as a State senator and had the distinct pleasure of traveling with him across Montana. He is a straight shooter and a true professional. In the era of online and 24-hour news outlets that push agendas and competition for cliques, Chuck's modus operandi was to tell the truth, tell the facts, and let the people of Montana decide. I urge future journalists to study his work and learn what they can from this true Montana professional. I wish Chuck fair winds and following seas in his retirement. Bravo Zulu.

Mr. ZINKE

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, today I celebrate with Azerbaijanis around the world in the commemoration of Republic Day. On May 28, 1918, the people of Azerbaijan declared independence from Russia, becoming the first Muslim democratic secular country in the region. Although the country temporarily lost its independence due to Soviet aggression, it regained full independence in 1990. Since regaining independence, Azerbaijan has been one of America's closest allies in the Middle East. Throughout Operation Enduring Freedom, Azerbaijan worked closely with our armed forces against radical Islamic terrorists in Afghanistan. Not only did Azerbaijani forces fight along-side our forces, but they also provided crucial refueling, landing, and airspace rights for our armed forces. Over a third of all non-lethal equipment for our troops in Afghanistan went through Azerbaijan. Our military cooperation with Azerbaijan was strengthened in 2011, and remains vital today. Today we see the Middle East under attack. Terrorist groups with no regard for human life have torn the region apart. Now, more than ever, we see the tremendous importance for a close ally. We are extremely fortunate to have that ally in Azerbaijan. I ask that my colleagues to join me today in celebrating Azerbaijan's independence and thanking them for their strong partnership.

Mr. ZINKE

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of Montana veterans and all the men and women who have fallen in defense of our great Nation. I would like to recognize one in particular, Private 1st Class Nicholas Cook, from Hungry Horse, Montana, who was killed in action in Afghanistan. He bravely sacrificed himself to save his fellow paratroopers by exposing his position, providing suppressive fire. His valor earned him the Silver Star. Mr. Speaker, no veteran should ever be forgotten. Today I would like to also recognize the following Montana veterans for their service to our Nation: James Diqhans, Carl Nordberg, Kenneth and Christopher Bogner, George Lacher, Charles Pickard, Michael Kallas, James and Gary Jacobson, Benjamin Balducke, Nicholas Cook, Williard Purkett, James and John Hantz, Robert Emrick, Dennis Morkert, and Edward Kinney. God bless the United States, and God bless the troops that defend her.

Mr. ZINKE

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Chairman, I rise to express one retired Navy SEAL commander's opposition to closing the military prison at GTMO. I have no doubt that closing GTMO and releasing or transferring terrorists who have committed to killing American citizens jeopardizes both the safety and security of the United States and our citizens abroad. If the success or failure of the mission at GTMO is based on the number of attacks against the United States after 9/11, I am confident everyone in this room would join me in judging the mission has been successful. Intelligence collection and national security have been strengthened as a result of GTMO, and America remains a safer place thanks to the men and women serving there. Keeping dangerous terrorists in a military prison and away from American families is the way it should be done. To me, closing GTMO is simply not an option.

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this amendment because a catch-and-release program is not how to defeat and destroy Islamic terrorist organizations. I served 23 years as a Navy SEAL. Most of the last decade of my career was spent hunting, killing, or capturing dangerous terrorists who had American blood on their hands. As the acting and deputy commander for the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, I had the honor of leading special operations troops in hunting these dangerous assailants and bringing them to justice. Releasing terrorists from Guantanamo Bay who are committed to killing American citizens not only is a national security risk, but it is also a slap in the face to every American, every man, every woman who died in the battlefield to put them there. The President insists these terrorists are reformed; however, the facts say differently. According to the Director of National Intelligence, nearly 30 percent of former GTMO detainees are confirmed or suspected of engaging in terrorist activities. The majority remain at large. A catch-and-release program may work for trout in Montana, but it doesn't work for terrorists.

Mr. ZINKE

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this amendment that prohibits reducing the alert posture of the ICBM forces. What has changed? Are we safer today than yesterday? Dr. Kissinger, former Secretary of State, testified before Congress, stating: The United States has not faced a more diverse and complex array of crises since the end of the Second World War. On top of the threats that Dr. Kissinger was referring to, we have seen since: the framework of a nuclear agreement with Iran that may give a legal pathway to a nuclear weapon; Russia has announced it will lift its ban and sell advanced missile systems to Iran; and just this past week, there were reports that North Korea has tested a submarine- launched ballistic missile. Mr. Chairman, this is no time to gamble with our safety and with the security of the United States. I support this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of my amendment, which will rename the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Great Falls, Montana, to the Captain John E. Moran and Captain William Wylie Galt Armed Forces Reserve Center. As many of you may know, Montana has a strong heritage of military service, with more veterans per capita than almost any other State in the Union. Captain Moran and Captain Galt are an inspiration to every Montanan, myself included. Both Captain Moran and Captain Galt received the Medal of Honor, one in the Spanish-American War and one in World War II. Memorializing these two heroes by renaming the Armed Forces Reserve Center will provide a daily reminder to us all in Montana of the service and sacrifice Captain Moran and Captain Galt made to this country and Montana.

Mr. ZINKE

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring awareness to a pervasive tax that threatens the very livelihood of the future of generations of Montanans, the death tax. April 15 was tax day; and, while some Americans look forward to a refund, many families in my home State and across the Nation are reminded of the looming debt their children and grandchildren will face. The death tax jeopardizes the future of 28,000 Montana farms and thousands more small, family-run businesses. This is not a leisure class. These are hard-working Americans that spent their whole life-- generations--building their future, only to see it threatened. This tax punishes Americans that have worked hard, played by the rules, and want to pass that legacy on to their children. The death tax is a tax on the American Dream. I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 1105, the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2015, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure in order to preserve the American Dream for farmers and small ranchers.

Mr. ZINKE

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 116 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. ZINKE

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember the 23rd anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy, which took place on February 25-26, 1992. On this evening, 23 years ago, it was the site of a cowardly massacre of 613 unarmed Azerbaijani citizens, which included 106 women, 63 children, and 70 elderly. Despite the attempts to minimize this tragedy, I stand in memory with the Azerbaijani Caucus to remember the loss. The United States and Azerbaijan share a bipartisan and a strong relationship. As a former commander in the Navy SEALs, I know firsthand the importance of Azerbaijan's commitment. Aside from deploying troops and equipment to Afghanistan, over one- third of nonlethal aid that was used by our troops in Afghanistan flowed through Azerbaijan. President Kennedy once said that America would pay any price and bear any burden in the defense of liberty. I am proud that Azerbaijan and America share the same commitment to freedom and liberty. It is important today that we take this moment to join our Azerbaijani allies in liberty in recognizing the Khojaly tragedy.

Mr. ZINKE

Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, I wish to highlight an important bill that is being considered by the House today--the ``America Gives More Act of 2015 (H.R. 644).'' This legislation contains a package of four charitable giving incentives: the IRA charitable rollover; the enhanced deduction for donating food inventory; the simplification of the Private Foundation Excise Tax; and the enhanced deduction for donating conservation easements, the last of which is of critical importance to Montana. Since 2006, the enhanced tax incentive for qualified conservation easement donations has opened the door to voluntary, landowner-led conservation on millions of acres across the country. This provision allows Montanans, particularly our ranchers and farmers, who donate the development rights on their land to deduct a larger portion of their income over more years. It is common sense that modest income donors with highly valued lands should be allowed the same tax deductions they would have been entitled to if their incomes were larger. These donations are extraordinary in many ways. One of which is the time they take and the money they cost the donor. Decisions to give away what is often a family's most valuable asset routinely take more than a year and require hiring an attorney and an appraiser at considerable cost. Having this incentive expire after a year guarantees that most of the people who would most benefit from it will never even begin the process of considering it. I support this bill, especially when it benefits constituents like Dan Lilja. About 35 years ago he moved to rural western Montana after graduating from the University of Montana. He married a local, Sally, and started Lilja Precision Barrels in Plains, Montana, in 1985. Dan's interest in bench shooting inspired him to design some of the world's best rifle barrels. Lilja barrels are used in rifles by the U.S. Army, the U.S. Army Rangers, Navy SEALs, Coast Guard, the FBI, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Canadian Special Forces, among others. These customers demand the best and Lilja Precision Barrels delivers a quality product. Dan and Sally own property in Sanders County along the scenic Clark Fork River. They entered into a conservation easement with the Montana Land Reliance to protect this property from inappropriate subdivision and to provide critical winter and spring habitat for elk and big horn sheep. In a way that is both patriotic and conservation-minded, Dan and Sally have contributed to the health and preservation of western wildlife habitats and the security of our country. This is just one of the many stories of how conservation easements are preserving our rich heritage, and I call upon the House to support this bill for the betterment of not only Montana, but our country.