Floor Statements

Madam President, today, I join my fellow members of the Idaho congressional delegation, Senator Mike Crapo and Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, in honoring the fight that so many waged for women's suffrage by recognizing Idaho's role in securing the vote for women in Idaho 24 years before the passage of national women's suffrage legislation and by acknowledging the installation of the Idaho Women's Suffrage Commemorative Sculpture on Idaho's capitol grounds.

Notably, 126 years ago, on December 11, 1896, the Idaho State Supreme Court ruled in favor of the women's suffrage cause when it unanimously upheld the Idaho Equal Suffrage Amendment. According to historic Idaho publications, Idaho became the fourth State in the Union to enfranchise women with the right to vote and the first to do so via a State constitutional amendment. Remarkably, Idaho cemented the value and importance of women in the Gem State through a highly visible action prior to the Equal Suffrage Amendment--the adoption of the Idaho state seal--designed by a young woman named Emma Edwards. According to the Journal of the State senate of the Idaho Legislature, on March 14, 1891, the first Idaho State Legislature and Governor Norman B. Willey approved, for official use, Edwards' rendering of the Idaho State Seal--the only woman-designed State seal in the country. Idaho's all- male legislature approved Edwards' design, thus enshrining the importance of women in Idaho's past, present, and future and further validating the important role art continues to have in commemorating significant historical moments in time.

Edwards' design reflects Idaho's unlimited potential, and her depiction implies that women represent an equal half of that potential. Edwards assigned women's influence as symbolic of the ideals of justice and liberty. A woman's placement within the State seal suggests that women are integral to the protection of those ideals in Idaho. The inclusion of women in relation to Idaho's strongest and most prominent 1890s-era industries, mining, timber, and agriculture, position women not only as recipients of Idaho's bounties, but also as essential for the successful stewardship of these valuable resources.

Inspired in part by the Idaho State seal and the long-fought efforts of Idaho suffragists to enfranchise women of the Gem State and to serve as leaders in the fight to secure the vote for women nationally, the Idaho State Historical Society, in partnership with the Idaho Commission on the Arts and the Foundation for Idaho History, commissioned local sculptor Irene Deely to develop the Idaho Women's Suffrage Commemorative Sculpture. This sculpture, privately funded by the Idaho State Historical Society and the Foundation for Idaho History, embodies the spirit and legacy of the women's suffrage movement, universally represents Idaho women through time, and pays tribute to the Idaho Women 100 initiative. The sculpture's nameless woman walks metaphorically in the footsteps of those who came before her and then hands off her shoe to the future generations who will come after her. Deely noted, ``Fourteen unique styles of shoes spanning ten decades represent women through history, with a single shoe being handed off for subsequent generations to fill.'' The 14 shoes include a pair of contemporary moccasins made by Donzia, traditional Shoshone Bannock artisans, to represent the women of Idaho's five federally recognized Tribes. Variations of boots represent women's role in Idaho's agriculture and ranching industries and the military.

On December 12, 2022, the Idaho State Historical Society will proudly unveil the Idaho Women's Suffrage Commemorative Sculpture that celebrates the story of Idaho women past, present, and future and their impacts in the Gem State. This new symbol of the strength and significance of Idaho women will be the only female figure featured on the exterior State capitol grounds. The sculpture's placement on the grounds of the Idaho State Capitol is a statement of the importance of women to our State, especially in reference to their place in making decisions that impact us all. We commend all those involved in this important project that will serve as one more opportunity to commemorate several moments in time that speak to women's suffrage history and the resiliency, perseverance, and determination of many in the fight for a singular, focused goal.

Madam 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 Black Sheep Sporting Goods as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for October 2022.

David Knoll has owned and operated Black Sheep Sporting Goods since 1975. Now managed by his son, Brian, generations of Idahoans have visited the various locations where Black Sheep has operated to buy hunting equipment, outdoor gear, firearms, and toys.

In early 2021, the Knolls purchased Coeur d'Alene's Silver Lake Mall and relocated the retail store there. Like many malls, the Silver Lake Mall was long past its glory years. The Knolls spent significant resources to revitalize the mall, culminating in a well-attended grand reopening earlier this year. Even more notably, they did this in the midst of a nationwide pandemic. The Knolls are longtime Idahoans who have brought the brick-and-mortar stores in the mall back to life.

The Knolls opened several concept stores under Black Sheep each with a specific product focus including Knives and Optics, Hydration Station, and American Heritage. After nearly five decades in business, Black Sheep is still the region's go-to spot for outdoor and sporting goods enthusiasts.

Congratulations to the Knolls and all the employees at Black Sheep Sporting Goods for being selected as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for October 2022. 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.

Madam 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 Dragon Fly Tarps as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for November 2022.

Matt and Stephanie Nelson started Dragon Fly Tarps from the comfort of their basement in 2003 when Matt was unable to find an affordable tarp that fit his needs. As a former river guide and avid outdoorsman, Matt's personal experience played an important role in the design of bigger, lighter, and quality tarps.

Dragon Fly Tarps' first customers were friends and family, and requests began to increase as happy customers made word-of-mouth referrals. As the business began to grow, the Nelsons moved their operation to a small space within Arco's Business Incubation Center in Butte, ID. Production needs quickly outgrew this space, so in 2018, the Nelsons moved operations to their current location on Arco's Grand Avenue, where they have been able to expand their product line to include tarps for Jeeps, campers, vans, and custom projects.

Dragon Fly Tarps no longer relies on word-of-mouth referrals as it has become well-known throughout the outdoor recreation community. The Nelsons and their staff of eight continue to work diligently to keep up with the demand for custom tarp orders from across the country and internationally.

Congratulations to the Nelsons and all the employees at Dragon Fly Tarps for being selected as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for November 2022. 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, 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 McCall Lake Cruises as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for September 2022.

For the last 10 years, McCall Lake Cruises has operated The Idaho on Payette Lake, sharing with visitors and locals alike a history of the area, the ship, and Sharlie, the lake monster. The Idaho is a 62-foot, 85-passenger cruise vessel built in northern Idaho in 1983. Its 360- degree view allows passengers to take in the scenic views and landscape that surround Payette Lake on both afternoon and sunset cruises throughout the summer.

McCall Lake Cruises was acquired by Kyle and Jade Enzler, Steven and AJ Lee, and Ryan and Kelsey Parke at the start of the 2022 cruise season. All three couples have a deep love of McCall and, over the years, have translated that love into various ventures in the area, from renovating and running the Scandia Inn, to coordinating beautiful McCall mountain weddings. This group of self-proclaimed Idaho enthusiasts knew a great opportunity when they saw one, so when the prospect of purchasing McCall Lake Cruises came about, they jumped at the chance. With the generous guidance of the previous owners and the help of The Idaho's knowledgeable captains and crew, these six enthusiastic entrepreneurs kept this special Payette Lake tradition alive.

Congratulations to McCall Lake Cruises for being selected as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for September 2022. 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, today, I rise and urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Accession Protocols for Finland and Sweden to join NATO. This is probably one of the easiest votes I will ever make in the U.S. Senate.

I have listened to arguments about Asia, somehow that it comes in here. Look, we can walk and chew gum at the same time. Certainly, we need to look at what is going on in Asia, pay attention to what is going on in Asia, but what we are talking about here is the defense of the North Atlantic.

This organization was put together many years ago. It has grown over those years to be 30-strong. And now we are going to add two more.

I have characterized NATO as the most successful political and military alliance in the history of the world; certainly the most powerful alliance in the history of the world. And today we have the opportunity to expand the alliance by including Finland and Sweden.

Over the years, we have added various countries, and debates could be had about those countries as to whether or not they are sufficient to join NATO and be part of the article 5 ``an attack on one is an attack on all'' alliance. But on Finland and Sweden, there really is little, if any, argument. These are two very successful countries.

This accession process is an important chance for the United States to demonstrate leadership in NATO--we have over the years, and we will continue to do so--and the United States' commitment to its modernization and to its future.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has carefully consulted and coordinated with our NATO allies, the Governments of Sweden and Finland, and with the administration to ensure this process could move as efficiently as possible. I can tell you that, personally--and others have done the same over recent years and particularly over recent months, have pressed Finland and Sweden to change their view as to

whether or not they should remain neutral and instead move into the NATO alliance.

On February 24, we all know the world shook. Things changed dramatically. After Putin's unprovoked attack on Ukraine, Sweden and Finland, I am sure, woke up and said: You know, that could be us next, but it won't be us if we join NATO. So their polling in their country changed dramatically on February 24 as to whether or not NATO membership was appropriate for them. They have now enthusiastically said that NATO is appropriate for them, and we have shown in this body bipartisan support for Finland and Sweden joining NATO.

Finland and Sweden will make model members of the NATO alliance. Both have strong and capable militaries in place now and are already net contributors to the security alliance. As was pointed out earlier by Senator Collins here, they have been very active in NATO, even though they are not members of NATO, by participating in various drills that have taken place and also by participating in the duties that NATO does strengthening the eastern flank of NATO. They have also demonstrated interoperability with NATO, which is extremely important, and the commitment necessary to join the alliance.

I would say that today, with what is going on in Ukraine, Finland and Sweden joining the alliance is even more important. When the shooting is over in Ukraine, it won't be over. NATO is going to reexamine what they need to do to strengthen themselves, and certainly one of those will be an examination of hardening the eastern flank. Finland and Sweden, obviously, are on the eastern flank and will add considerably to that. Not only that, it is going to cost more to defend the eastern flank simply because of what Russia has done. Finland and Sweden will be a contributor, as will everybody.

Adding these two nations as full members of our alliance will further deter any temptation by Russia to engage in military adventurism in the Baltic and Arctic regions. I believe Russia is already deterred when we say and our NATO allies say and European nations say to Putin: Not one square inch. Whether it is on the eastern border of one of the Baltic States or whether it is downtown London or in the United States, an attack on any of the NATO countries is an attack on all of them, and the response will be swift.

Today's ratification of Finland and Sweden as new members of NATO will both send a strong message of transatlantic unity to Putin and strengthen NATO against Russia's ongoing threat. NATO has pulled together regionally to push back on Russia, and it is obvious that need has not gone away.

I want to urge my colleagues to vote yes. This is a really easy vote.

I yield the floor.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

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 Rudy's A Cook's Paradise as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for August 2022.

Constructed in 1904, the oldest continually operating retail store in Twin Falls first housed Price Hardware. Rudy Ashenbrener purchased the store after returning from his time as a fighter pilot instructor in World War II. It remained a hardware store until 2002, when Rudy's son Tom and his wife Megan took over the business, renamed it Rudy's A Cook's Paradise, and turned it into a world of gourmet cooking.

Today, Rudy's offers one of the largest selections of kitchen gadgets in the northwest, including cooking utensils and cookware, wine, beer, and more. The store features a test kitchen where they offer classes on food techniques, artisanal bread baking, and how to throw a dinner party. The 118-year-old building also boasts a vast collection of wine and beer in its lava rock cellar. Rudy's beloved staff goes beyond serving aspiring chefs, providing southern Idaho with opportunities to experience new products, tastes, and techniques. From its home on Main Avenue, Rudy's has found its way into the hearts of many Idahoans.

Congratulations to Tom and Megan Ashenbrener and all of the employees

at Rudy's A Cook's Paradise for being selected as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for August 2022. 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, I rise today, colleagues, to urge the Senate to proceed quickly--quickly--to the consideration of the accession protocols for Finland and Sweden to join NATO.

Once again the Senate has been given the responsibility of offering advice and consent to ratifying the accession of two new members to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. We have been advising aggressively for quite some time, and it is time now to move to the consent portion of getting this done. NATO is the most successful political-military alliance in history. It helped bring down the Soviet Union, and it united Europe so it could rebuild economically.

The Senate has the opportunity to expand NATO and bring both Finland and Sweden into the alliance. Over the years, these countries never sought membership. They were content to just partner with NATO, but they did not join. However, Putin's attempt to rewrite the security landscape in Europe with his invasion of Ukraine convinced the people of Finland and Sweden that they should become formal members of NATO. Why wouldn't they?

After the past 2 weeks--and really the entire summer--the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has carefully considered and discussed the prospective membership of our longtime partners, Finland and Sweden.

The Senate has already shown bipartisan support for Finland and Sweden joining NATO. As my colleagues and I have laid out in a resolution of support in public statements at Senate Foreign Relations Committee meetings and hearings in June and in the committee report submitted to the floor along with the protocols, Finland and Sweden will make model members of the NATO alliance.

Once approved by all 30 current members of NATO, these two nations will become integral members of the alliance. Both have strong and capable militaries and are already net contributors to the security alliance. Although militarily unaligned for decades, Finland and Sweden have long defended Europe's high north--a region becoming even more important with the competition from Russia and China in the Arctic.

Both have already demonstrated the interoperability and commitment necessary to join the alliance. Finland already spends more than 2 percent of its GDP on defense, and Sweden laid out its plan to reach that mark shortly--both requirements for joining NATO.

These countries also bring additional capabilities to NATO. Both are intimately familiar with the north and east flank of Europe. Finland also trains U.S. forces in cold weather operations and the Finnish Navy is especially suited to operate and defend the Baltic Sea, where some Navy ships have less maneuverability, being a blue-water Navy.

They have both participated in NATO missions in Afghanistan, the Balkans, and Iraq. In fact, these countries operated with less restrictions on their militaries in these missions than other NATO members. Finland and Sweden also share our democratic values, have strong military and defense industries, and extensive experience in Russian matters.

One only has to take a look at a map to see the benefits of adding Finland and Sweden to NATO. With their proximity to the Baltic States-- the Baltic States, which are small--they are well-positioned to provide support, if needed, to our current Baltic NATO allies, just as the rest of NATO would if the Baltic States have a problem with Russia.

Adding these two nations as full members to our alliance will further deter any temptation by Russia to engage in military adventurism in the Baltic area or the Arctic regions. Although my sense is Russia has already learned this year of the ineptitude, clumsiness, and just plain inabilities of its way-overrated military, which can't even win against a small, substantially less-equipped adversary, even when Russia used barbaric medieval tactics. Russia's efforts have been pitiful and, at the same time, despicable.

Many Senators have already given firm statements of support for this succession, and we deserve the timely chance to make our support known through a vote. Let's get on with it.

There are few things more important than voting on accession for Finland and Sweden to NATO. This accession process is an important chance for the United States to demonstrate leadership in NATO and commitment to its modernization and, very importantly, NATO's future.

When the shooting is over in Ukraine, it won't be over. There is no doubt that NATO is going to take a long, hard look at what it is doing, what its priorities are, and, very importantly, hardening the eastern and northern flanks.

Since this wave of NATO enlargement was first announced, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has carefully consulted and coordinated with our NATO allies, the governments of Sweden and Finland, with the administration, and within the Senate itself to ensure this process can move as efficiently and quickly as possible. I can't count the number of meetings and conversations we have had in this regard.

We now have only one step left until ratification, and it makes no sense to dillydally at this stage. There should be no issue with moving this treaty as quickly as possible. The Senate's quick ratification of Finland and Sweden as new members of NATO will both send a strong message of transatlantic unity to a now foundering Russia and will strengthen NATO against Russia's growing threat.

I yield the floor.

Madam President, I rise today to convey my support for the Columbia River Federal Power System. The congressionally-authorized Federal dams on the Columbia River System bring unparalleled benefits to the Pacific Northwest and stand as an example to other hydropower projects worldwide. The system's capacity to generate always-on, baseload carbon-free power is vital to the Northwest. As many other parts of the country have experienced rolling blackouts, the dams in the Columbia Basin have consistently kept the lights on.

In the Northwest, we enjoy numerous other benefits from this infrastructure, including flood control, irrigation, navigation, and recreation. Due to its remarkable lock and dam system, even my landlocked home State of Idaho benefits from a seaport, sending Idaho's agricultural and manufactured products around the world in a cost- effective, low-carbon manner. As additional challenges have risen, scientists and managers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have adapted under the direction of Congress to ensure the dams are still simultaneously beneficial to humans and our natural environment.

It is due to these important considerations that I speak on the Water Resources Development Act before the Senate today. Among a list of studies that can generally be measured in acres or at most counties is a sweeping and far-reaching study directed at aquatic habitat restoration in the Columbia River Basin. The Columbia River Basin spans nearly 260,000 square miles over seven States. This is not just another small, localized review, but instead authorizes an exhaustive study on aquatic restoration in one of the largest basins in the country.

I have long supported improving salmon and steelhead populations in the Northwest. In fact, I worked tirelessly with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation--ultimately supported by the entire Northwest delegation--to address the predation that was devastating salmon populations before they had a chance to go upriver. However, what I cannot support are the constant efforts to remove the benefits provided by our hydropower system under the guise of salmon recovery or ``aquatic restoration.''

We have studied this river and these dams ad nauseam. Most recently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the 3-year Columbia River System Operations review, which intentionally and specifically considered whether dam breaching was necessary for fish recovery and determined the opposite. It has been proven, time and again, salmon and hydropower dams do, can, and should coexist. It is futile and irresponsible to spend further taxpayer dollars considering dam breaching. But this reality has not prevented the administration or other political actors from continually pushing against the intent of Congress to protect both the species and the numerous benefits from the Columbia River Federal Power System.

With this in mind, let us revisit the ecosystem study in title II. I deeply appreciate the chairman and ranking member's attention to this issue and work to create suitable limitations to ensure this study will be held strictly to the congressionally authorized purposes of the system and considerations that would maintain the energy, flood control, navigation, irrigation, and other benefits it currently provides. While I still regard this study as too far-reaching and unfocused to result in timely proposals for anadromous fish recovery-- yet again wasting taxpayer dollars better utilized elsewhere in the region--with this vital check, I am able to support this version of WRDA overall and the many essential water infrastructure priorities contained within it. Should this proposed study be signed into law, I will take special notice and trust that it meets congressional intent of preserving the Columbia River Federal Power System, all of its current infrastructure as authorized by Congress, and its innumerable benefits.

Despite political maneuvering from the administration, it is an irrefutable fact that decisions regarding the Columbia River Federal Power System are solely the responsibility of Congress. I look forward to continue working with my colleagues to identify solutions to salmon recovery that do not inhibit the clean energy, flood control, navigation, agricultural, and recreation benefits of our Federal Power System.

Madam 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 Hillco Technologies, Inc., as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for July 2022.

In the 1950s, Wallace ``Arlie'' Hill, a longtime resident of Nezperce, designed the first hydraulic foldup harrow cart for his own family farm. Shortly thereafter, he built them for his neighbors and eventually for farmers all across North America before opening Hillco, Inc., in 1963. Arlie Hill became famous for his harrow, springtooth, and packer cart designs and various multi-unit hitches for drills and plows which he tinkered with until his mid-80s.

Located amongst the rolling hills of Idaho's Camas Prairie, the Hill family is familiar with how critical combine leveling systems are for effective hillside harvesting. When tractor manufacturers stopped supplying leveling systems in the 1990s, Hillco stepped in to fill the gap in the market. In 1993, the first Hillco, Inc., leveling system rolled off the production floor for a Case-IH combine followed by the first leveling system for a John Deere combine in 1998. In 2021, Hillco manufactured their 2,500th leveler.

Now called Hillco Technologies, Inc., and owned by Lenny Hill, Arlie's son, their team of 55 employees pride themselves on their collaborative effort to design, test, and market methods and mechanisms that advance farming and agricultural practices from start to finish. They continue to preserve Arlie's innovative spirit as they expand their product line to offer additional equipment that addresses the unique challenges facing farmers and ranchers in the Pacific Northwest and across the Nation. While Hillco equipment is well known in farming communities nationwide, the Nezperce community recognizes Hillco for their generous support of local businesses, athletics, education, and first responders.

Congratulations to the Hill family and all of the employees at Hillco Technologies, Inc., for being selected as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for July 2022. 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, I rise today to discuss and express my support for the Columbia River Federal Power System. The federal dams on the Columbia River System are a boon to the Pacific Northwest and stands as an example to other hydropower projects across the country and the world. Its capacity to generate always-on, baseload carbon-free power is vital not just to the Northwest, but relied upon by our friends in surrounding regions as well. The dams also bring substantial benefits for flood control, local recreation, irrigation, navigation, wildlife conservation, and industry. Even Idaho, my landlocked home State, is able to have a working seaport because of the navigation benefits provided by these dams, sending Idaho's products all around the world in an efficient, cost-effective, and low-carbon manner. As additional challenges have risen, scientists and managers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have adapted to ensure the dams are still beneficial to humans and our natural environment.

In the Water Resources Development Act before the Senate today, there is a seemingly innocuous but rather consequential and far-reaching study directed at aquatic habitat restoration in the Columbia River Basin. Other studies in this section are small enough to be measured in acres or at largest, a portion of a state. The Columbia River Basin spans nearly 260,000 square miles and reaches into seven States. This is not a small, localized review but instead an authorization for a comprehensive study on anything relating to aquatic restoration in one of the largest basins in the country.

This may sound benign to my colleagues who are not from the Northwest, but this issue is not a new or small one. I have been discussing the Columbia River System and salmon recovery since my early days in the Idaho Legislature. Improving salmon and steelhead populations in the Northwest is an important goal and one I have long supported. What I cannot, however, support are the constant efforts to remove the benefits provided by our hydropower system under the guise of salmon recovery. The fact of the matter is we have studied this river and these dams ad nauseam. Most recently, we completed the Columbia River System Operations review, which specifically considered whether dam breaching was necessary for fish recovery and determined the opposite. It is pointless and irresponsible to spend further taxpayer dollars considering dam breaching.

This brings me back to the study in title II. I appreciate very much the chairman and ranking member working with me to place appropriate

sideboards to ensure this study will not consider any recommendations that would result in the removal or reduction of the federally authorized purposes of the system or any measures that would result in a reduction in services provided by those purposes. While I still believe that this study is far too large and untargeted to result in timely recommendations for anadromous fish recovery--and as such, wastes funding better used in the region than on yet another river study--with this important limitation, I am pleased to be able to support the overall WRDA bill and the many important priorities it encompasses for our water infrastructure. Should this study be signed into law, I expect and will pay careful mind that it meets the specific congressional intent of preserving our hydropower system and the many benefits it provides. I look forward to continue working with my colleagues to identify solutions to salmon recovery that do not inhibit the clean energy, flood control, navigation, agricultural, and recreation benefits of our Federal power system.

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 Cox's Honey as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for June 2022.

In 1927, Orville S. Cox began managing beehives to support his small vegetable stand on the road to Yellowstone in Shelley. Honey sales quickly took off and Cox's Honey was born. Now in its third generation, the Cox family continues Orville's original honey straining process to deliver the same quality product he created nearly 100 years ago.

Today, Cox's Honey's 16 employees package over a million pounds of raw, unfiltered clover honey each year. Their creamed honey has won several competitions and earned national recognition for its consistency and flavor. Cox's Honey prides itself on maintaining the integrity of honey's healthy pollens, enzymes, and vitamins throughout processing, ensuring they deliver only pure products to their customers.

Cox's Honey contributes more than just a sweet treat to the community as sponsors of local athletics, supporters of Shelley High School, and active participants in local affairs and events. Alongside their national customer base, the Shelley and surrounding area's support has allowed Cox's Honey to open a new retail sales floor this month to accommodate their growing business and expand their product line. Cox's Honey's continued success is a testament to its dedication to a family tradition that protects our State's bees and crops and shares one of Idaho's longest lasting products with the Nation.

Congratulations to the Cox family and all of the employees at Cox's Honey for being selected as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for June 2022. 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, I call up my motion to instruct conferees, which is at the desk.

Mr. President, I didn't stop the reading because it is pretty self-explanatory what this is.

There was language in S. 1260 when it left here and went over to the House, under division C, that would have strengthened the ability of the United States to counter Chinese influence abroad. Specifically, the influence we are talking about here in one particular case especially is what is going on in colleges and universities around the country.

What this does is put some very clear windows into what the Chinese Communist Party is doing on college campuses, particularly as it relates to grants and money that they are putting into the colleges and universities. We are asking and directing the negotiators to see that there is such language in the final bill that comes out.

Mr. President, I will accept a voice vote.

Vote on Motion

Madam President, Idaho small businesses have shown immense resilience in the face of labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, and rising costs. These small businesses deserve to be celebrated for their great work in preserving the values unique to our communities. I am proud to relaunch Support Local Gems, a statewide initiative, on May 6, to encourage Idahoans to support the small businesses that make the Gem State special. As a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am pleased to honor Poppy and Pout located in Idaho Falls as one of Idaho's Small Businesses of the Month for May 2022.

In 2014, Derek Cooper founded Poppy and Pout and began to sell his unique, untinted lip balm out of his kitchen while studying at Brigham Young University-Idaho. Aware of the growing environmentally conscious market, Derek created a 100-percent recyclable cardboard tube and packaging for his product. Since then, Poppy and Pout's business has taken off and garnered national recognition, including Oprah Winfrey adding the company to her most recent ``Favorite Things List.''

To keep up with their growing local and national following, Derek opened a brick-and-mortar store and production facility in downtown Idaho Falls in July 2021. The boutique features a variety of his signature, hand-made lip balm, as well as clothing, gifts, and other beauty products. Today, Poppy and Pout's 40 employees supply their all- natural lip balm to boutiques, salons, and stores worldwide, giving everyone a little taste of Idaho.

Congratulations to Derek Cooper and all of the employees at Poppy and Pout for being selected as an Idaho Small Business of the Month for May 2022. 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.

Madam President, Idaho small businesses have shown immense resilience in the face of labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, and rising costs. These small businesses deserve to be celebrated for their great work in preserving the values unique to our communities. I am proud to relaunch Support Local Gems, a statewide initiative, on May 6, to encourage Idahoans to support the small businesses that make the Gem State special. As a member and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I am pleased to honor Twin Falls Sandwich Company and Koto Brewing Company located in Twin Falls as one of Idaho's Small Businesses of the Month for May 2022.

Fifteen years ago, Twin Falls Sandwich Company owner Shane Cook visited the Magic Valley and fell deeply in love with the community. He believed the downtown area had the potential to be a lively gathering place for the people of Twin Falls. Shane took his restaurant expertise and vision to restore a Main Avenue building to its original rustic red brick and customized a menu almost entirely sourced from local farmers and producers. Thanks to their 10 years of business, the Sandwich Company has become a mainstay for many in the Magic Valley.

Take a short stroll down Main Avenue, and you will find another passion of Shane's at Koto Brewing Company. Named after Tojiro ``Tom'' Koto, a Japanese immigrant who built the building in 1920, Koto Brewing Co. has been serving gourmet pub food, a full dinner menu, and an eclectic beer list since 2018. Shane and his business partner, Twin Falls native and brewmaster Pierre Tusow, spent a year and a half exposing the building's original brick and wood flooring and adding tabletops made from Twin Falls High School's old gym floor. Shane and Pierre also pride themselves on donating $10 from every barrel of beer brewed to local charities. The local touches along with live music from local artists and a good laugh from comedians from all over the country make Koto Brewing Co. the gathering place Shane envisioned 15 years ago.

Congratulations to Shane Cook and all of the employees at Twin Falls Sandwich Company and Koto Brewing Company for being selected as an Idaho Small Business of the Month for May 2022. 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.