Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Jack Stenswick of Malta who serves as his town's goodwill ambassador.

A lifelong Malta resident, Jack is one of the town's most known and loved figures. He warmly greets and talks with everyone he sees, whether he's walking around town or riding his three-wheel cycle, a gift from the people of Malta.

``Jack definitely embodies the spirit of Montana,'' says Dina Sainato-Meneely, Executive Director at Malta Opportunities, Inc. (MOI). ``He's so well-known, and well-liked that it might take him all afternoon to go to the store and back. He is undoubtedly our town's goodwill ambassador, and certainly a good ambassador for people with developmental disabilities.''

Though developmental disabilities may present challenges, Jack Stenswick overcomes them and has never allowed them to limit his natural ability to make others feel welcome and loved.

A member of the Knights of Columbus, Jack volunteers for local service projects through the organization and his local church. Supporting almost every civic event, celebration, or activity in town, he greets everyone by name and shares the joy of their friendship.

``Anybody who has been to Malta will know Jack, and you can't help but like him,'' says Dave Rummel, who helps supervise Jack as a groundskeeper for the cemetery, one of the many places Jack has worked in Malta through MOI.

``He's Malta's unofficial town greeter,'' Rummel said. ``Everyone likes to spend time with him. Even folks from miles away remember Jack and are always glad to see him.''

Madam Speaker, for overcoming the challenges he has faced to serve as a beloved pillar of Malta and the town's goodwill ambassador, I recognize Jack Stenswick for his spirit of Montana.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the students and faculty of Big Timber Grade School and Sweet Grass County High School for supporting and encouraging Barrett Artukovich, a 7-year-old, second-grade student from Big Timber who is battling cancer.

In early December 2018, Barrett was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer that can advance quickly throughout the body and weaken the immune system. Barrett is undergoing a unique, personalized, two-year treatment plan in Colorado where he and his parents, Bill and Heather Artukovich, will travel frequently for clinical visits.

The Big Timber community has rallied around the family, offering generous support.

Because of the treatment, Barrett's head is shaved, and he wears a hat. The boys in Barrett's class shaved their heads in support of their friend. Big Timber Grade School and Sweet Grass County High School recently observed ``Wear a Hat for Barrett Day'' with students wearing hats in school with a one-dollar donation to support a fund for the Artukovichs.

The schools kicked off ``Barrett's Penny War,'' a competition among each grade level to see which grade raises the most money through the end of February.

The high school boys basketball team named Barrett its honorary captain for the season. With his parents taking precautions, Barrett attended the emotional game where the team presented him with an autographed basketball and team picture.

With the help of a grant, Barrett participates virtually in the classroom using a telepresence robot. The device provides a two-way audio/video connection which allows Barrett to interact with his teacher and classmates from home.

Barrett's uncle set up an online campaign to help with travel, accommodations, and other expenses. The initial goal of $20,000 was met within a day, according to Bill Artukovich.

Madam Speaker, for their encouragement and support of a classmate battling cancer and his family, I recognize the students and faculty of Big Timber Grade School and Sweet Grass County High School for their spirit of Montana.

Madam Speaker, Border Patrol agents recently made the largest fentanyl bust in the agency's history. A suspect attempted to cross our southern border with nearly 400 pounds of meth and enough fentanyl to kill 57 million Americans.

Montana faces a meth epidemic that is tearing our families apart. We must secure the border to cut off the meth supply that cartels push through the ports of entry and across our porous borders.

Securing the border with a physical barrier enjoys bipartisan support. More than 60 Democrats in the House and the Senate have claimed a physical barrier should be part of the solution.

Both U.S. Senators from Montana have voted for physical barriers. Yet, despite bipartisan support for a physical barrier, the Speaker recently declared there is not going to be any money for a wall.

Madam Speaker, I urge Members of the border security conference committee to listen to lawmakers from both parties and invest in meaningful physical barriers at our southern border.

Mr. Speaker, the Federal Government has fully reopened, and Federal employees are back to work. While the shutdown is over, the crisis at the border remains.

I recently toured the southern border in Arizona. Ranchers and Border Patrol agents told me about the challenges they face because of open borders. I saw short, weak, barbwire fences that line our border. I learned more about violent cartels and how they profit from our porous borders, from human trafficking and the flooding of drugs into our communities.

Congress has an obligation to secure our border. We must give Border Patrol agents the tools they need to get their job done. They told me they need equipment to detect drugs, and more and better body armor.

Border Patrol agents also told me that they need a wall. They know walls work. Congress should listen to them.

Tomorrow, the conference committee tasked with border security will meet for the first time. Having seen the border crisis firsthand, I urge those lawmakers to listen to our Border Patrol agents, fund meaningful physical barriers, and secure our borders.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Faith Blackaby of Whitefish and Julia and Jillian Wynne of Bigfork, teenagers who encourage girls to read and whose work has benefited veterans and pet adoption centers in their communities.

Julia, a student at Flathead High School in Kalispell, hosts a weekly book club to inspire third and fourth grade girls to explore their world through reading. She also wrote Shelter Tails, a book featuring pet adoption stories from her community. The proceeds from her book benefited the Flathead County Animal Shelter.

Inspired by her older sister's community service, Jillian, a student at Flathead High School, and Faith, a close friend and student at Whitefish High School, also hosted a book club for girls.

Jillian and Faith designed and published a calendar featuring photographs and stories about local veterans. The proceeds benefited the Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry.

For a calendar the next year, they focused on pet adoption, and the proceeds benefited the Humane Society of Northwest Montana.

Mike and Renee Wynne, and Dean and Janet Blackaby have reason to be proud of their children. I thank the Wynnes, the Blackabys, and all in the community who support and encourage Julia, Jillian, and Faith in their service.

Madam Speaker, for their inspiration, leadership, and community service, I recognize Faith Blackaby and Julia and Jillian Wynne for their spirit of Montana.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Alicja Edwards of Eureka, a Montana artist, author, and World War II refugee, who overcame the atrocities of war and recorded her family's journey as part of the historic diaspora of the Polish people.

When she was a teenager, Alicja's small town in eastern Poland came under attack by Nazi Germany and suffered a brutal Soviet occupation. She and her family were forced into a Soviet gulag where they endured mistreatment, illness, and hunger.

Three years later, Alicja and thousands of other Poles were exiled to Iran. It was there where she met American Army Lieutenant Ernest Edwards who she married in 1945. The couple raised two children, lived in Japan, France, and America, and were married for 50 years before Ernest's passing.

Alicja is renowned for her memoires, And God Was Our Witness and They Called Us D.P.'s, that detailed the suffering of her family and hundreds of thousands of Poles displaced during and after World War II.

In And God Was Our Witness, she describes the value of freedom and liberty:

``Priceless Freedom has never been perceived or truly understood by anyone, till it was lost or forcibly taken away. Only then, one becomes aware of the magnitude of its potency and power in directing one's life and fate.''

Alicja is a noted artist and owns an antique and art shop in Eureka, where she continues to paint, play the piano, and inspire others.

Madam Speaker, for her indomitable resolve, strength and courage, and her inspiring memoires of the Polish diaspora, I recognize Alicja Edwards for her spirit of Montana.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 24, the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019.

This bill is a promise to our dedicated civil servants, both those forced to the sidelines and those still hard at work without pay.

When the House Democrats stop using Federal employees' livelihoods as a political football to fund the government, including border security, paychecks will be issued.

Mr. Speaker, to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: We get it. You don't like the President. You made your point. It is now time to stop messing around.

We need to fund the government so we can make good on the promise in this bill. And let's be clear: This bill does not stop the immediate pain of missed paychecks. Under S. 24, Federal employees still do not get paid until the funding bills are passed and the government is reopened.

Federal employees will still struggle to find ways to put food on the table and make ends meet until the House Democrats agree to negotiate in good faith.

This bill also does not reimburse taxpayers for all the missed government services like our national parks and the Indian Health Service.

Every day this shutdown continues, taxpayers are on the hook for paying Federal employees for jobs they are legally barred from doing. Every day this shutdown continues, Border Patrol agents and other Federal employees are forced to work without pay.

And every day this shutdown continues, many Members of Congress are still getting paid. I have instructed the administrative officials with the House to withhold my pay until the partial shutdown ends and until Border Patrol agents and other Federal employees are paid.

Members of Congress should not get paid when portions of the Federal Government are shut down.

There are other pieces of legislation that would pay Federal employees who are working during this partial shutdown, and there are others that would hold Congress accountable for not doing its job.

I will support the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, but I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: End the games. Get back to work. Let's get the job done.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Jay Kohn of Billings for serving as a reliable source for Montanans as a journalist and anchor for nearly four decades.

Kohn recently signed off the air after more than 20 years as a news anchor with KTVQ in Billings and the Montana Television Network (MTN).

Kohn began his broadcast career in Helena in 1978 and worked as MTN's Capitol Bureau chief and news director in Butte.

In 1998, Kohn assumed the anchor seat at KTVQ in Billings, the city where he was born and raised. Over the last two decades he has been the face of Q2 news, anchoring the 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. newscasts. He has covered countless news events, keeping the community informed about local stories and others that span the globe.

Kohn's exceptional reporting earned him the Montana Broadcasters Association's Broadcaster of the Year award in 2005.

Though Kohn has retired from his full-time role at the anchor desk, Montanans will continue to enjoy his steady presence in his new role as Anchor Emeritus for KTVQ.

Madam Speaker, for his outstanding professionalism, unwavering journalistic integrity, and his decades of trusted service to the people of Montana, I recognize Jay Kohn for his spirit of Montana.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Missouri for focusing the attention of this Chamber on this crisis at our border and the need for reform.

America's borders have been too open for too long. As a result, we face a humanitarian and national security crisis that is getting worse. Congress has a responsibility to the American people to address it.

Providing for our Nation's security is the chief function of the Federal Government. It is past time for leaders on the other side of the aisle to get serious, do their jobs, stop playing political games, and secure our border.

What is happening at the border and to those seeking to enter our country illegally is a tragedy. More than 30 percent of migrant women making the trip to our southern border have been sexually assaulted during their journey. More than two-thirds of all migrants making the trek have reported violence.

Our broken immigration system encourages parents to send their kids on a dangerous journey by themselves.

The humanitarian tragedy is one element. Our open borders are also a threat to national security and community safety. Drug cartels, gangs, and human traffickers are exploiting our weak borders and bringing crime into our communities.

Last year, Border Patrol agents arrested 17,000 individuals with criminal records. About 800 gang members were caught trying to cross the border.

The crisis extends to Montana where our epidemic of meth use tears apart families and threatens our communities.

However, we no longer have Montana meth because of the good work of our law enforcement. Now we have Mexican meth. Law enforcement in Fergus County, Montana, tells me that they know when a shipment from Mexico arrives because they see an increase in crime. Domestic violence, burglaries, and violence are the result of Mexican meth coming into Montana communities.

Law enforcement in the State also told me that, in addition to an uptick in crime, addiction has left more families broken apart and more kids in foster care.

Law enforcement tells me that over 90 percent of all the crime we have in Montana is addiction-related.

The humanitarian crisis is not limited to our border. We can see it in our communities: crime, violence, and broken families. We must secure our border.

One element of improving border security is a wall or a physical barrier. Walls work. The results bear it out. Walls at the border in San Diego, El Paso, Tucson, and Yuma have seen dramatic declines in the number of illegal immigrants crossing the border.

Facing an increasing humanitarian and national security crisis, it is past time that leaders across the aisle focus on securing the border. End the games. Get the job done and secure the border.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for the time and for her leadership on this issue.

We must act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge this body to provide the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana with the overdue Federal recognition they deserve.

The Little Shell Tribe began petitioning the Federal Government for recognition in the 1930s, several generations ago. Mr. Speaker, 80 years later, the resolute Tribe continues their efforts.

Last year, the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians Restoration Act passed this House unanimously. It was the first time that a bill providing Federal recognition of the Little Shell Tribe passed either the House or the Senate.

Following passage in the House, however, this uncontroversial bill hit a roadblock in the Senate. We take up their worthy cause again today as I introduce the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I call on this body to consider and pass this bill again. This Congress should provide the Little Shell Tribe with the Federal recognition it deserves, particularly after eight decades of dedicated efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Katie Dasinger of Sidney for her efforts to engage young professionals in Eastern Montana to serve their communities and develop their skills.

Dasinger is founder and president of Sidney Young Professionals (SYP), a group focused on community service as well as personal and professional development. The program coordinator for the Richland Economic Development Corporation (REDC) in Sidney, Dasinger launched SYP in 2016.

SYP recently held its annual winter school benefit which was dedicated to helping teachers replenish their classrooms with supplies, equipment, and other items for the new school semester. SYP collected more than 25 large shopping bags of supplies as well as donations from the public and local businesses.

SYP regularly organizes entrepreneurship panels, roundtable discussions, public forums, training programs, and tours of area businesses.

When a court ruling threatened the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project (LYIP) at nearby Intake, SYP and REDC coordinated bus tours,

organized educational outreach, and bolstered community support for the vital irrigation project. Their efforts contributed to a positive outcome for the thousands of area residents who rely on the LYIP to irrigate crops and provide water for their municipal systems.

``We want to engage young adults to invest in their communities, get to know the local business and community leaders, serve on local boards, and take part in community events. It's important young people have a reason to stay connected to the area,'' said Dasinger, who Montana Young Professionals recognized as the Young Professional Woman of the Year for 2018.

Mr. Speaker, for her leadership, commitment to promoting community service, and efforts to develop young professionals in her community, I recognize Katie Dasinger for her spirit of Montana.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, Montanans didn't send me here to shut down the government, but they also didn't send me here to let their priorities die in a lameduck session that is in every part lame. I stand here still urging this body to take up a public lands package and secure the border.

A public lands package should include the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. A public lands package should include the Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act that permanently conserves public land in Paradise Valley. A public lands package should include

H.R. 3764 to provide long-overdue Federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Mr. Speaker, we could just kick the can here on government funding, on our public lands, and on border security all because Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are folding their arms, shaking their heads no, and refusing to secure our border.

Mr. Speaker, this lame-duck session doesn't have to produce lame results. I urge my colleagues to take up a public lands package and to secure our border.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor siblings Devin Rich and Kiersten Bare of Kalispell for helping victims of the Woolsey and Camp fires recover from the devastation.

A graduate of Flathead High School, Devin lives in Marina del Rey, California. While the nearby Woolsey Fire roared in early November, he volunteered to help with the support efforts. Wearing protective gear and working in difficult circumstances, Devin helped victims of the fire search through the ash and rubble where their homes stood to salvage items dear to them.

Driven by her compassion for animals, Kiersten, who lives in Kalispell, worked to reunite lost pets with their owners. Kiersten spent hours online studying photos of the displaced animals to identify potential matches to help pet owners in their search.

The Woolsey and Camp fires devastated California this year, claiming nearly 90 lives and destroying more than 14,000 homes. Devin and Kiersten are among the generous Americans who answered the call to serve others in their time of need. I commend all the firefighters, first responders, support workers, and volunteers who saved lives and helped those impacted by these catastrophic fires.

Mr. Speaker, for their compassion for the victims of California's disastrous Woolsey and Camp fires and their commitment to helping in the recovery, I recognize Devin Rich and Kiersten Bare for their spirit of Montana.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Daniel LaFromboise of Wolf Creek, a recipient of the 2018 Montana Congressional Veteran Commendation for his service to his country and leadership in his community.

Mr. LaFromboise proudly joined the United States Marine Corps soon after graduating high school. He served as a Corporal stationed in Korea in the late 1950's, following the Korean War. His service to his community has continued well after his military career.

Mr. LaFromboise became a member of the Montana law enforcement community, serving thirteen years with the Montana Highway Patrol and three years as a Deputy Sheriff in Lewis and Clark County. A member of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa tribe, Mr. LaFromboise participated in a state sponsored bison program and volunteered his personal time to deliver bison meat to families in need. His dedication to serving hungry families often meant driving hundreds of miles on deliveries.

I ask my colleagues to join me today in commending Daniel LaFromboise for his dedication and service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Charles Kins of Eureka, a recipient of the 2018 Montana Congressional Veteran Commendation for his service to his country and leadership in his community.

Mr. Kins answered his country's call to service by enlisting in the United States Marine Corps in 1967, during the Vietnam War. He served four years on active duty, stationed mainly in Japan, and two years as a Marine Corps Reservist.

Mr. Kins is a proud supporter and member of his local American Legion Post 74 in Eureka, and a dedicated volunteer and advocate for seniors in his community. He is actively involved with the Tobacco Valley Senior Citizens Center providing hot meals for seniors and maintenance of the community center. In 2016, his dedication earned him the Senior Center's ``Senior of the Year'' award. Even though he's nearing his 70th year, Mr. Kins continues to dedicate himself to serving others in his community.

I ask my colleagues to join me today in commending Charles Kins for his dedication and service.