Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to prohibit Members of Congress from receiving compensation during a fiscal year unless both Houses of Congress have agreed to a concurrent resolution on the budget for that fiscal year prior to the beginning of that fiscal year.

Mr. President, as a fifth generation Montanan and an avid outdoorsman, I know how important access to our public lands are. Having hiked, camped, biked, and snowmobiled countless miles in the wilderness, forests, and other public lands of Montana, I share with other Montanans the desire to explore the beauty of our state. That is why today I am introducing the Protect Public Use of Public Lands Act. This bill follows calls from countless Montanans and the U.S. Forest Service recommendations to open up Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) that the Forest Service recommended to manage as non-wilderness after the congressionally mandated study in the 1970s. The bill would allow new uses to be considered in the public planning process. For too long these lands have remained in limbo and many forms of recreation have been significantly reduced. For this reason, the Montana Legislature passed a measure calling on Congress to take action on these Wilderness Study Areas, and I have continued to hear from County Commissioners, local Montanans, farmers, ranchers, and recreation groups since I have been in Congress of their support for action. Hearing this call I today introduce the Protect Public Use of Public Lands Act and ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this important measure.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.