Floor Statements

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

I am proud to launch my seventh annual Support Local Gems, a statewide initiative, on June 12 to encourage Idahoans to support the small businesses 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 Meat and Potato Company in Twin Falls during Support Local Gems as one of Idaho's Small Businesses of the Month for June 2026.

Founded by Magic Valley native Travis Dixon in 2018, Meat and Potato Company was created to provide Idahoans with convenient access to locally sourced, high-quality food while supporting the farmers, ranchers, and producers who make our communities strong.

With more than 30 years of experience in grocery retail and food service operations, Travis saw a gap between the meats and food products used in restaurants and what was accessible to Idaho families in grocery stores. He had long dreamt of starting a direct-to-home business model that would bring premium goods straight from local producers to Gem State kitchen tables.

Dixon brought his idea to reality, launching an online storefront that has since grown into a thriving retail operation with nationwide delivery. Today, Meat and Potato Company has a brick-and-mortar store in Twin Falls with a large selection of goods grown and produced right here in the Northwest.

Congratulations to Travis Dixon and the entire Meat and Potato Company team for being selected as an Idaho Small Business of the Month for June 2026. 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, I rise today to recognize the Owyhee County Historical Museum, celebrate the opening of its new Mike Hanley Wagon Barn, and mark the beginning of the Outpost Days.

Founded in 1961 by a dedicated group of local men and women determined to preserve Owyhee County's rich history, the museum was originally located in a small room within the county courthouse before moving to the old Murphy School House. As its collections grew, the community came together in 1971 to build a new museum, and the old schoolhouse was converted into an artifact. Over time, the museum welcomed the Marsing train depot, a replica stamp mill, and equipment from Silver City. By the early 2000s, the museum expanded to include a new exhibit

hall, gift shop, meeting hall, kitchen, library, and archives space.

Today, the museum displays many eras of Owyhee County's history, from the frontier days and early mining projects to modern-day ranching and farming practices. Home to the only operating print shop with 100-year- old equipment, the museum also offers rides in a 1915 Model T and provides visitors with a unique opportunity to learn more at the moments that shaped the American West. Each year during the first weekend of June, that history comes to life during the annual Outpost Days celebration, a beloved community tradition featuring art vendors, entertainment, and the world-famous Horney Toad Races.

Now, the museum is expanding again to include the Mike Hanley Wagon Barn. The Wagon Barn will be filled with more than 35 wagons, buggies, and stagecoaches, many of which are more than 150 years old. With the new facility, the Owyhee County Historical Museum will have the largest collection of wagons in Idaho, strengthening its ability to tell the story of how pioneers settled the West.

As we celebrate the opening of the Wagon Barn and another successful Outpost Days, we also recognize the Owyhee County Historical Museum for its many years of dedication to the community and preserving the legacy of Idaho's early founders. Thanks to their efforts, generations of Idahoans will continue to learn and be inspired by our State's history.

Mr. President, I rise with my colleagues Senator Mike Crapo and Representative Mike Simpson to recognize the significance of the Submarine 1st Generation Westinghouse, also known as the S1W prototype plant, and commend the crews who safely demolished it.

Created under the leadership of Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, the Father of the Nuclear Navy, the S1W has stood as a symbol of American innovation, scientific achievement, and national determination for decades. Constructed at what is now the Idaho National Laboratory in 1951, S1W became the Nation's first land-based nuclear submarine prototype and inspired a new era of naval power.

The scientists, engineers, and operators who worked on the S1W later went on to develop the USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, and contributed to technologies that have fueled American naval dominance for generations.

Over S1W's 35 years of operation, more than 12,500 U.S. Navy and civilian personnel were trained at the site, laying the foundation for a highly skilled nuclear workforce that remains critical to our national security today.

Over the past 3 years, the Idaho Environmental Coalition has diligently and successfully dismantled this historic facility. Throughout the demolition, IEC crews demonstrated the same spirit of innovation by those who built the S1W, implementing creative solutions to complete the project ahead of schedule and millions of dollars under budget.

Today, we honor the legacy of the S1W, the crews who safely demolished it, and the undeniable future of nuclear innovation in America.

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, 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 proud to honor AllTerra Arms in Boise as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for May 2026.

AllTerra Arms began in 2015 when Drew Foster took a pen, a napkin, and his engineering expertise and set out to correct the shortcomings he saw in traditional hunting rifles. His original idea to modify existing models quickly led to the patenting of Drew's own bolt action rifle designs. After 2 years of research, development, prototyping, and testing, Drew and his team created an outdoorsman's dream: a rifle that combines the precision of a benchrest rifle and the reliability of a hunting rifle.

Drew's passion lies in the engineering process, and he is delighted to watch his work come to life in AllTerra's rifles. The business designs and manufactures everything in-house, where a commitment to quality and precision shines through. The AllTerra team continues working to perfect the rifle, a task large companies rarely take on. While their unique reinvention has come with challenges, it has also piqued interest and turned many heads in the industry. More than a decade later, Drew and the team pride themselves on never giving up and are confident that their experience and expertise will enable them to conquer anything, no matter what firearm they decide to redesign next.

The team at AllTerra Arms is full of outdoorsmen who enjoy Idaho's public lands. They prioritize giving back to community organizations that support and maintain our lands for all to enjoy, including the Idaho Wild Sheep Foundation, Safari Club International, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Congratulations to Drew and the AllTerra Arms team on being recognized as the Idaho Small Business of the Month for May 2026. Your dedication to excellence makes Idaho proud, and I look forward to your continued growth and success.

Mr. President, I rise with my colleagues Senator Mike Crapo and Representative Mike Simpson to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce.

The history of Pocatello and Chubbuck begins with the Oregon Trail, which ran through the Portneuf Gap just south of the two cities, drawing pioneers, gold miners, and settlers to the region. The city of Pocatello was founded in 1889 and quickly became a hub for transportation and agriculture. This traffic was followed by stage and freight lines, then the railroad. Pocatello was aptly named the Gateway to the Northwest, as it quickly grew into a trade center and transportation junction. Chubbuck, named after railroad conductor Walter Chubbuck, was incorporated in December 1949. The towns, separated only by a city limits sign, are joined together through the Chamber of Commerce, which works for both communities.

The chamber originally began in 1893 as the Pocatello Commercial Club and formally became a chamber of commerce in 1901. What started as a booster-style club quickly expanded in influence to support the construction of the American Falls dam. Then, in 2014, after a few name changes, the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce came into being, with a mission of representing trade in Pocatello, Chubbuck, and the surrounding area.

The creation of the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce aligned with the region's early boom period. This marked a busy time for early members tasked with recruiting and representing new businesses, coordinating civic improvements, and promoting downtown commerce. Now, 125 years later, the chamber advocates for local businesses at the State and Federal level, promotes tourism, and runs community campaigns, including the Leadership Pocatello-Chubbuck Program, the Youth Pocatello Leadership Program (LEAP), the Chamber Young Professionals, the Chamber Champions Committee, and beautification programs.

For more than a century, the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce has played a vital role in shaping the region from a railroad town to one of the largest communities in Idaho. Home to Idaho State University, major corporate headquarters, and multinational companies, the area has emerged as a hub for the Gem State. The chamber has been a driving force in this effort and, more importantly, preserving the heart and soul of Pocatello and Chubbuck.

Congratulations to the Pocatello-Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce on 125 years. Today, we proudly recognize the chamber's hard work and continued dedication to driving economic growth in Idaho.

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, today, I come to the floor, once again, after numerous--and I have lost count of how many of these the Democrats have tried--to set the legal record on the war powers straight and in plain terms.

The first thing we need to do is look at what the Democrats are trying to do here. They want to pass this resolution, which states in relevant part:

Congress hereby directs the President to remove the United

States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran.

So what they are asking and telling the President to do is to remove the U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran. Those hostilities do not exist today and have not existed for some time.

So let's look at what has actually happened from a factual basis.

On February 28, the President exercised his constitutional duty to protect American interests--not his right but his duty that he took an oath to do to protect Americans and America's interests. Not only was the military action he took legally permissible under article II of the Constitution, but it was the President's duty to act.

Presidents across both parties, over many, many years--indeed, many of my Democratic colleagues--have consistently maintained that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, and with good reason. Iran is a country that is run by radical Shia clerics, whose slogan is, literally, ``Death to America.'' This regime has sponsored terrorism and has kidnapped and killed thousands of American citizens since it commenced this war against the United States 47 years ago.

We all remember when it happened. They took possession of our Embassy in Iran, kidnapped the employees we had there, and held them for 400- plus days. All the action we have taken since then has been defensive. They

have continued offensive actions against us and, as I said, over the years, have killed thousands of U.S. citizens.

The actions taken on February 28 comport with longstanding legal precedent, over many decades, from the Presidents of both political parties. The military operations we are talking about were not and are not--nor are they even close to--operations that took place in Vietnam, Afghanistan, or Iraq, nor will they ever be. My friends on the other side of the aisle have tried to put the two together and compare this to those actions. They are not.

Under the War Powers Resolution, the President is supposed to notify Congress within 48 hours after introducing U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities. He did that on March 2, as required, fully consistent with the law.

Now, my colleagues on the other side of the Chamber keep saying that, somehow, the administration is not in compliance with a 60-day clock.

Let me highlight this point: The President's notification to this body on May 1--within that 60-day period--was crystal clear: The operations that began on February 28 had been terminated. The hostilities ended with the April 7 cease-fire. They are over--full stop.

Now, that doesn't say they won't start again. But that operation is over and ended, and we were so notified. Indeed, President Trump's May 1 letter fully informed Congress as to the status of this matter. The War Powers Resolution does not require such reporting. Nonetheless, the President gave it.

In short, this is much more information than previous Presidents have provided to Congress.

For the reasons that I have just stated, I intend to vote against this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do likewise.