Floor Statements

Mr. President, Idaho small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our communities. These small businesses not only employ our friends and neighbors, but provide invaluable goods and services that showcase shared Idaho values. They are an intrinsic element of the Gem State and deserve to be celebrated.

I am proud to relaunch my successful statewide initiative Support Local Gems this year on June 6 to encourage Idahoans to support the small businesses that make our State thrive. As a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am pleased to honor Amazing Glaze during Support Local Gems as one of Idaho's Small Businesses of the Month for June 2025.

Amazing Glaze opened in 2017 when Dean and Katie Giesbrecht purchased Double Shot Donuts from Bob and Heather Ross. The Rosses initially aimed to start a local coffee shop featuring a small bakery with pastries and donuts. In hopes of replicating a family donut recipe, the Rosses underwent 2 weeks of trial and error to create the well-known potato donut, using mashed potatoes in the dough.

Since the owners of Double Shot never planned to run a donut shop, they approached Dean and Katie to see if they were interested in purchasing the business. Dean, who had always wanted to own a business, and his wife Katie jumped at the opportunity. Together, the Giesbrechts learned everything they could about making donuts and running the shop.

After renaming the company to Amazing Glaze, Dean and Katie continued to serve the beloved potato donuts--growing the treat's popularity to new heights. In just 2 years, Dean and Katie partnered with Idaho State University in Pocatello to open an Amazing Glaze kiosk in the Student Union Building on campus. The kiosk has been a great success, inspiring the couple to open a third Amazing Glaze location in Idaho Falls in 2024. The pair hopes to launch more locations and expand the business to the Treasure Valley in the years to come.

Congratulations to Dean and Katie Giesbrecht and all of the employees at Amazing Glaze for being selected as an Idaho Small Business of the Month for June 2025. You are an outstanding example of what it means to be one of Idaho's Local Gems. You make our great State proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.

Mr. President, Idaho small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our communities. These small businesses not only employ our friends and neighbors, but provide invaluable goods and services that showcase shared Idaho values. They are an intrinsic element of the Gem State and deserve to be celebrated.

I am proud to relaunch my successful statewide initiative Support Local Gems this year on June 6 to encourage

Idahoans to support the small businesses that make our State thrive. As a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am pleased to honor Bluetick Coffee during Support Local Gems as one of Idaho's Small Businesses of the Month for June 2025.

Bluetick Coffee started in 2021 after Julie Kinskie and her family moved to Idaho County. As a new member of the community and coffee lover, Julie decided to open a coffee stand to meet her neighbors and embrace her new home. What started as a small coffee stand has grown to four locations in Riggins, Grangeville, New Meadows, and Kamiah, with plans to open a fifth stand soon.

Community comes first at Bluetick Coffee. Everything is locally sourced--with homemade baked goods from her friend Denise Vandyk and beef sticks from a nearby farm Cross O Meats. Julie also offers discounts to support local law enforcement, first aid professionals, and teachers.

Congratulations to Julie and all of the employees at Bluetick Coffee for being selected as an Idaho Small Business of the Month for June 2025. You are an outstanding example of what it means to be one of Idaho's Local Gems. You make our great State proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.

Mr. President, Idaho small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our communities. These small businesses not only employ our friends and neighbors, but provide invaluable goods and services that showcase shared Idaho values. They are an intrinsic element of the Gem State and deserve to be celebrated.

I am proud to relaunch my successful statewide initiative Support Local Gems this year on June 6 to encourage Idahoans to support the small businesses that make our State thrive. As a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am pleased to honor Bond & Bevel during Support Local Gems as one of Idaho's Small Businesses of the Month for June 2025.

Bond & Bevel was born in the garage of Heath and Krista Albers in March of 2020. Heath had been looking for a good quality leather bag for years but could never justify the expense. When the world shut down in 2020, he had the time to learn how to make the bag of his dreams. He bought a full-grain leather cowhide and leathercraft tools and got to work.

As Heath fell in love with crafting leather goods, word got out of his new endeavor. Friends began to send him orders for a variety of leather products, and soon, what started as a hobby became a business. Krista created a website and social media pages to support Heath's growing popularity and established an online store.

In 2022, the Albers opened Bond & Bevel's brick-and-mortar store in Caldwell. Since then, Bond & Bevel has quickly become an integral part of the community. Now serving craft coffee, the store is a popular spot for Bible studies, work meetings, and monthly worship nights with local churches.

Congratulations to the Albers and all of the employees at Bond & Bevel for being selected as an Idaho Small Business of the Month for June 2025. You are an outstanding example of what it means to be one of Idaho's Local Gems. You make our great State proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.

Mr. President, Idaho small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our communities. These small businesses not only employ our friends and neighbors, but provide invaluable goods and services that showcase shared Idaho values. They are an intrinsic element of the Gem State and deserve to be celebrated.

I am proud to relaunch my successful statewide initiative Support Local Gems this year on June 6 to encourage Idahoans to support the small business owners and establishments that make our State special. As a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am pleased to honor Cloverleaf Creamery during Support Local Gems as one of Idaho's Small Businesses of the Month for June 2025.

Founded by Bill and Donna Stoltzfus, Cloverleaf Creamery has served Idahoans high-quality grass-fed dairy products for 18 years. Born and raised on his family's dairy farm in Pennsylvania, Bill has a lifelong love of the dairy industry. When Bill and his wife Donna saw demand for local, grass-fed dairy products in Buhl, they purchased Smith's Dairy in 2007 with the intent to sell their products directly to the consumer. Both their son and son-in-law, who also share ownership of Cloverleaf Creamery, helped to grow the business and purchased a 160- acre farm to grow feed for the dairy cows. Eric Stoltzfus is the plant manager of the creamery, while son-in-law Eric Butterworth is the manager of the farming operation.

Growing up on the family farm, Bill developed strong beliefs in the importance of responsibility, hard work, and the humane treatment of animals. Today, Bill runs Cloverleaf with the same high-quality standards--small herd numbers, grazing cattle on grass as the primary feed source, and managing the farm with careful attention to detail and respect for the animals. This level of care has proven successful, as Cloverleaf is now a staple across the Magic Valley and the Gem State.

The creamery continues to grow, gaining attention from local companies that have started selling Cloverleaf products in their stores. Today, you can find Cloverleaf's ice cream, yogurt, and cream in Boise, Sun Valley, Twin Falls, and in Swensen's Market in Paul. In 2021, Bill's daughter and son-in-law Olivia and Eric Butterworth opened Cloverleaf Farm Market in Twin Falls. The market carries Cloverleaf products along with other items from small, local farms and businesses.

Congratulations to Bill and Donna Stoltzfus, Eric Stoltzfus, Olivia and Eric Butterworth, and all of the employees at Cloverleaf Creamery for being selected as an Idaho Small Business of the Month for June 2025. You are an outstanding example of what it means to be one of Idaho's Local Gems. You make our great State proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.

Mr. President, Idaho small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our communities. These small businesses not only employ our friends and neighbors, but provide invaluable goods and services that showcase shared Idaho values. They are an intrinsic element of the Gem State and deserve to be celebrated.

I am proud to relaunch my successful statewide initiative Support Local Gems this year on June 6 to encourage Idahoans to support the small businesses that make our State thrive. As a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am pleased to honor HawkTech Arms during Support Local Gems as one of Idaho's Small Business of the Month for June 2025.

Founded in 1999 by Dan and Jami Hawkins, HawkTech Arms has become a mainstay for firearms enthusiasts and competitive shooters across the Pacific Northwest. What began as a way to generate hobby income to support a passion for shooting, HawkTech Arms has become an integral part of the firearms community in Idaho and beyond. With a special focus on encouraging the shooting sports community, HawkTech Arms sponsors local and regional matches in a variety of shooting disciplines. The business has also been recognized for its support of junior shooting programs designed to promote education and competitive shooting among youth.

As Idaho's leading suppressor dealer, HawkTech Arms is uniquely equipped to handle high-volume NFA sales and, as such, offers the largest selection for local shooters and collectors alike. HawkTech Arms is well known for providing top-quality products in the firearms industry, coupled with exceptional service to an ever-growing customer base. The business also holds a strong commitment to the military and law enforcement communities. Recognized as one of the highest volume law enforcement dealers in the Northwest region through GLOCK's

Blue Label Dealer Program, HawkTech Arms is dedicated to providing firearms and addressing the needs of first responders.

Finally, it is worth noting that the staff and owners of HawkTech Arms are active volunteers in the Treasure Valley community. Mr. Hawkins has served on the board of directors for a local shooting range for the better part of 20 years, and many employees have taken leadership roles in a variety of local initiatives.

Congratulations to the Hawkins family and all the employees at HawkTech Arms on their selection as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for June 2025. You are an outstanding example of what it means to be one of Idaho's Local Gems. You make our great State proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.

Mr. President, Idaho small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our communities. These small businesses not only employ our friends and neighbors, but provide invaluable goods and services that showcase shared Idaho values. They are an intrinsic element of the Gem State and deserve to be celebrated.

I am proud to relaunch my successful statewide initiative Support Local Gems this year on June 6 to encourage Idahoans to support the small businesses that make our State thrive. As a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am pleased to honor Redman & Company Insurance during Support Local Gems as one of Idaho's Small Businesses of the Month for June 2025.

Redman & Company Insurance was founded in 1992 by Eric and Sue Redman with the goal of providing the best possible care to the people of Rathdrum. In 2005, their son Jordan and his wife Amy joined the family business. After growing the Redman & Company Insurance for 20 years, Eric and Sue sold the agency to Jordan, Amy, and Josh and Nicole Tebbee.

The agency quickly became an industry and community leader, with Jordan serving as a board member for region I of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Idaho and earning the 2018 Young Agent of the Year Award. In 2019, Redman & Company split into two agencies, Redman's and Tebbee's; and Redman & Company Insurance moved to Coeur d'Alene.

Today, Redman & Company Insurance is deeply involved in the north Idaho community. From supporting various organizations, including Ronald McDonald House, Second Harvest, and Tunnel to Towers, to their partnership with the State of Idaho to provide time off for new foster parents, Redman & Company Insurance makes giving back to their community a top priority.

Congratulations to Jordan, Amy, and all of the employees at Redman & Company Insurance for being selected as an Idaho Small Business of the Month for June 2025. You are an outstanding example of what it means to be one of Idaho's Local Gems. You make our great State proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.

Mr. President, Idaho small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our communities. These small businesses not only employ our friends and neighbors, but provide invaluable goods and services that showcase shared Idaho values. They are an intrinsic element of the Gem State and deserve to be celebrated.

I am proud to relaunch my successful statewide initiative Support Local Gems this year on June 6 to encourage Idahoans to support the small businesses that make our State thrive. As a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am pleased to honor Thor's Chocolate during Support Local Gems as one of Idaho's Small Businesses of the Month for June 2025.

Thor's Chocolate opened its doors to the Idaho Falls community in 2023, but their story began well before then. Christian Becker, founder of Thor's Chocolate, was raised in Germany and surrounded by world- famous, rich, and flavorful chocolates. After moving to Idaho in 1992, Christian noticed the Gem State was missing the high-quality chocolate he grew up enjoying.

Christian had always dreamed of going into the chocolate business and crafting his own European-style chocolate in Idaho. In 2020, with support from his wife Brittney, Christian bought his first cocoa bean roaster and melanger and began making his dream a reality. Following years of testing and crafting, Christian created a chocolate that could rival the feasts of Valhalla.

In 2023, Christian and Brittney launched Thor's Chocolate in Idaho Falls. Their chocolate has quickly become a staple in the community. Not only does Thor's Chocolate provide residents with irresistible sweets, but they partner with local charities, like the People in Need Coalition, to give back to the eastern Idaho region.

Congratulations to Christian and Brittney Becker and all of the employees at Thor's Chocolate for being selected as an Idaho Small Business of the Month for June 2025. You are an outstanding example of what it means to be one of Idaho's Local Gems. You make our great State proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.

Mr. President, reserving the right to object, look, first of all, we have no disagreement with the suffering that is going on in Gaza. The problem we have here is, as we heard from both of these speakers, not one word was said as to whose fault this is. This is the fault of a group of people, and that group of people is Hamas. I heard them mention Israel several times. This is not Israel's fault. I heard them mention us, the United States. This is not our fault.

I couldn't agree more with Senator Welch when he talks about the fact that we want an immediate cease-fire and for people to be fed there and things to get better there. It is so simple. It is so easy. It is totally in the hands of Hamas. If they release the hostages, they lay down their arms, and they surrender, not one more bullet will be fired, and there will be scads of trucks coming into Gaza. That is how this ends.

But can we end it? No. If we send trucks in--the Senator knows. The Senator has seen the intelligence on some of this. When we send food and trucks in there, who eats? The soldiers eat. The Hamas soldiers eat. They starve the women, and they starve the children.

Not only do they starve them; they use them as human shields. And they set up their facilities--their military facilities--in hospitals, in schools, in mosques, in all kinds of places that they then wring their hands and say: Oh, my gosh, we have been attacked.

Look, this is despicable. This is horrible. This is criminal. It is beyond human understanding how human beings could treat other human beings the same way, especially when you are related to them, as they are in Palestine.

So I agree that this needs to stop, but the first thing that needs to be said is that this is the fault of Hamas, and it is not our fault. And it doesn't matter if we roll trucks in there tomorrow. That food would be taken. It would be stolen. It would be distributed by Hamas to their fighting soldiers, and the dying and the suffering of the women and children would continue.

This thing is badly aimed. It does not, in any way, lay the fault where it belongs, and that is at the feet of Hamas. So based on all that--I share your objective--this gets us nowhere. And worse than that, it doesn't point out where the problem is.

Madam President, I object.

Madam President, I want to respond to that.

First of all, I commend the Senator for his appreciation for the suffering that is going on. It is horrible. It is despicable. You have seen the photos. You have seen the video. It is a horrible, horrible situation.

One of the difficulties I have with this is that he is correct; this resolution does not assign fault, nor does it talk about fault. And that is one of the biggest problems I have with this. If this is going to be resolved, fault must be identified. The conditions on the ground have to be identified. And how this is going to be resolved has to be identified, none of which is considered in here. It is simply a suggestion that simply taking food there is going to resolve this problem, and we have done that. We have food there. It is ready to go in.

As I said, three things need to happen, and it is in the hands solely of Hamas--not in Israel, not in Netanyahu, not in our President, not in the people of the United States' hands. It is in the hands of Hamas. And that is, if they simply release the hostages, lay down their arms and surrender, it is over. The food flows in. There is not another bullet fired. That is all that has to happen. But what has to be recognized in this is how this is going to end. There is only one way this can end, and that is with complete and total destruction of Hamas.

This is very similar to what the United States of America and its allies did in the late 1930s. We decided that the Nazis were so bad that they could not exist as a military force, as a political force, or as a cultural force, and we decided they needed to be eliminated.

That is what Israel decided it has to do to protect itself. That is what it is doing.

But Hamas can stop this. They can stop it in a minute, and they are not showing any signs of that. So what is going to happen is this fight is going to go on until the last Hamas falls.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.

Mr. President, as a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each month, I recognize and celebrate the American entrepreneurial spirit by highlighting the success of a small business in my home State of Idaho. Today, I am pleased to honor Kimberling Insurance as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for May 2025.

Jon Kimberling, a Moscow native, began his career in insurance in 1978 after graduating from the University of Idaho. Shortly thereafter, in 1980, Jon purchased Jim Newsome Insurance to launch his own venture Kimberling Insurance with the goal of providing essential coverage and enhancing the quality of life in the community.

Kimberling Insurance is a family business. Jon's daughter Kelly Kimberling Gilder got her start in the insurance industry by working at the agency during high school. After graduating from the University of Idaho, she moved to Rathdrum to establish her own insurance agency. In 2015, Kelly returned to Moscow to carry on the family legacy of serving the Palouse region. She purchased Kimberling Insurance from her father in 2022, who continues to work part-time at the agency alongside a team of four industry professionals.

In its more than 48 years of business, Kimberling Insurance has become a community leader, serving clients and families across Latah County, ID, and Whitman County, WA. As proud Vandals, Jon and Kelly support their alma mater and sponsor local initiatives, including the Officer Newbill Kids Safety Fair, the Palouse Basin Water Summit, and the Idaho Community Foundation. Through its client-focused mission, Kimberling Insurance has gained the trust of its community and the recognition of Farmers Insurance as a selected agency to attend the Presidents Council for 4 years in a row.

Congratulations to Jon, Kelly, and all the employees at Kimberling Insurance on their selection as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for May 2025. Thank you for serving Idaho as small business owners and entrepreneurs. You make our great State proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.

Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is still available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications that have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such an annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423.