Floor Statements

Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a great Montanan, and a national champion for our access to public lands.

For his entire life, Land Tawney has fought to ensure that every Montanan and every American is able to experience the joys that our rivers, streams, and public lands have to offer. For the last 10 years he has led this charge from the helm of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, an organization that was once volunteer based and local, but is now a leading advocacy group for hunters and anglers in 48 States and two Canadian provinces. But unfortunately for us, Land recently announced that he will be leaving Backcountry Hunters and Anglers for greener pastures and wider trails.

While I am sure that we haven't heard the last of Land Tawney he will certainly be missed by many Montanans and sportsmen and women across the Nation. In his tenure as president and CEO, Land was able to grow BHA to a community with more than half a million members. He played a key role in helping pass my Great American Outdoors Act and permanently reauthorizing and fully funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

I am proud to call Land a friend, but more importantly, I am proud of the things we have accomplished in Congress with the support of Land and the BHA. He is a fierce advocate for preserving access. He is a builder of broad coalitions. And he is someone that you always want on your team.

I am going to miss Land at BHA, but I am looking forward to seeing what is next.

Thank you, Land.

Mr. President, I want to thank Senator Daines for all the effort he put into this legislation, the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act. It has been a long time coming, and I want to take a moment to acknowledge the current leader of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, President Stiffarm.

President Stiffarm is a courageous leader, and he deserves a tremendous amount of credit for bringing this bill to the moment we are at today.

This bill was first introduced by me in 2012. The bipartisan version that we are voting on today is the result of years of negotiation between the Tribe, local elected officials, State legislators, Federal Agencies, and other stakeholders that hammered out a fair compromise that honors the trust and treaty responsibilities while guaranteeing water certainty to all water users in North Central Montana through the rehabilitation of the Milk River Project.

Look, I am a farmer, and I know how critical water is for the health of communities, for agriculture, and for economic growth. Water is necessary for our crops, for our businesses, for our homes. We all rely on it.

For the Fort Belknap Indian Community the work started on this over 100 years ago. In the Senate, we have been debating moving this water settlement forward for years, and, today, we can make it happen.

I would urge my colleagues to do right by the Tribe by honoring our trust and treaty responsibilities, and do right by all the folks who rely on clean water in the Treasure State. And I support Senator Daines' call for a voice vote.

Mr. President, I rise today to share a few words in honor of the 62nd birthday of Marc Hilliard Fogel, an American currently imprisoned in Russia.

Marc is an American schoolteacher, a father, a husband, and an uncle. And in August of 2021, after living and teaching in Russia for 9 years, Marc was arrested and sentenced to 14 years in Russian prison. His imprisonment is unjust and unacceptable, plain and simple.

I recently met with Marc's family, who currently reside in Montana, and I would like to honor his birthday today by taking the time to share some of what they shared with me as they work tirelessly to bring him home.

Marc is a dedicated partner to his wife Jane, an inspiring dad to his two sons Sam and Ethan, and a caring son to his 94-year-old mother Malphine. He is a committed brother to his sisters Anne and Lisa and an uncle to Anne's three children. He is a sports fanatic, a fan of Steely Dan, an avid reader, a passionate teacher, and a world traveler. If you talk to his family, they will tell you about his infectious personality, his love for learning and teaching, and his dedication to community. He devoted his life to children, and was steadfast in guiding his students to learn, grow, and think independently. And today, he is marking his 62nd birthday not with his loved ones, but in Russian prison.

As we approach the second anniversary of Marc's detention, it is our duty to use all the tools at our disposal to bring Marc home. This week, I introduced a bipartisan resolution calling for his immediate release, and I am

here today to strongly urge the Biden administration to prioritize securing his release and the State Department to designate him as ``wrongfully detained.''

The unjust imprisonment of Marc Fogel has gone on far too long. Now, we must do everything in our power to ensure this innocent American is reunited with his loved ones, so he can spend his next birthday--and many after--surrounded by family.

Happy Birthday, Marc. We will keep working to get you home.

I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. President, we are going to be voting on an amendment here in a few minutes that I want to rise in support of. It was introduced by my friend the Senator from South Dakota, Senator Rounds.

This amendment aims to protect American food security against attacks by foreign adversaries--in particular, these four foreign adversaries: China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

As many of you know, I am a third-generation farmer. I know firsthand that food security is national security. It is that plain. It is that simple. Allowing our foreign adversaries to invest in American farmland and agribusiness is a direct threat to our food supply.

Preventing our adversaries, our enemies from acquiring land near sensitive military sites--sites like Air Force bases, like the one in Montana, Malmstrom Air Force Base--is a no-brainer, and now we need to protect the rest of our food system.

This amendment will enable the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States--otherwise known as CFIUS--to review all significant agriculture-related foreign investments, and it will empower the Agency to prohibit future purchases of farmland by our foreign adversaries.

Our amendment also includes commonsense provisions that protect the rights of U.S. citizens and permanent residents and small farmers and business owners.

This is a critical step toward making sure we aren't handing over valuable American assets to foreign entities that want to replace us as the world's leading military and economic power.

I would urge all of my colleagues in this room and the ones who are going to come to this room to support this commonsense solution that will protect our Nation's food supply and defend our country against folks who would like to see us cease to exist.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the following law clerks of the Senate Judiciary Committee be granted floor privileges until August 1, 2023: Alexandra Hough, Cristina Morrison, Melissa Immel, and Jazmin Alvarez.

Mr. President I rise today to share a few words today to honor the life and legacy of Mike and Maureen Mansfield and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Mansfield Center.

Mike Mansfield was one of this Nation's greatest public servants, whose legacy is not only as a Congressman, a Senator, and a diplomat, but also as one of America's champions for the greater good, who always put service and sacrifice before himself.

Mike planted roots in Montana at the age of 7, spending his childhood in Great Falls raised by his aunt and uncle. After serving in three branches of the U.S. military, Mike returned to the Treasure State, still lacking a high school education, to work in Butte's copper mines.

In the spring of 1928, his life was forever changed when he met his wife Maureen, a teacher who inspired him to leave the mines and further his education. He and Maureen were married for 68 years, fostering a lifelong partnership marked by deep devotion and respect.

After serving five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1952, and reelected again in 1958, 1964, and 1970. He served for 16 years as Senate majority leader, quickly becoming known by Members on both sides of the aisle for his character and high standard of public service. He was a person that got things done, shaping the character of the modern Senate through tactful leadership in international relations and humble dedication to public good. And he still found time to personally read and sign every letter to his constituents in Montana.

That is what being a Montanan meant to Mike Mansfield. He never failed to meet challenges, reach across the aisle, and fight for Montanans at every turn. His commitment to community and the common good spanned six Presidents and left a lasting mark on Montana and on the Nation as a whole. I am lucky to have learned so much from Mike Mansfield's storied career and proud to sit in the seat he once held.

Mike and Maureen's legacy lives on in the service of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center, where folks work hard to increase awareness, advance education, and shed more light on the pressing issues facing Montana and the world. Since its founding in 1983, the Mansfield Center has bridged divides and fostered generations of globally minded leaders. Whether it is through fellowships that connect top-notch students with global leaders, critical research they are doing back in Montana, or everything in between, the Center continues to be instrumental in shaping the voices of tomorrow. And today, we honor 40 years of service and celebrate the immense accomplishments of all the folks who made it possible, driven by love of country and dedication to democracy.

Thank you to the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center for all that you do. Because of you, the Mansfield legacy lives on.

Mr. President, today I would like to honor the life and service of a distinguished Montanan and Korean and Vietnam war veteran, the late Ms. Ethel B. LaRock.

Ethel was a native daughter of Montana, born on September 23, 1930, in Wolf Creek. She was raised alongside her nine older siblings in the Sixth Ward in Helena. Never one to shy away from service or sacrifice, Ethel left Montana to serve her country in the

Korean and Vietnam wars as a nurse in the U.S. Army. Her time in uniform took her all across the world, from Southeast Asia to Europe. A decorated servicewoman, she was awarded a Bronze Star in the Korean war and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross in the Vietnam war for her heroic actions.

After retiring from the Army as a lieutenant colonel, Ethel returned to civilian life, where she was an accomplished watercolor artist, a member of the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, and enjoyed music, literature, and researching her family history. She was happiest surrounded by generations of her nieces and nephews, spanning all the way to great-great-nieces and nephews. She loved playing cards with them, sharing stories, and watching old movies.

On June 22, 2023, Ethel passed away at the age of 92 at the Fort Harrison VA Hospital. Today, it is my honor to commemorate her service and life as an outstanding Montanan. On behalf of myself and a grateful nation, I commend Lieutenant Colonel Ethel LaRock and extend our deepest appreciation to her and her family. She is a true patriot who made Montana proud, and she will be sorely missed.

Mr. President, today, I want to honor the life and service of a distinguished Montanan and Vietnam war veteran who recently passed, Edward Merle Wrzesinski.

Ed was a native son of Montana. He was born on the October 27, 1945, in Roundup. He was raised on the Wrzesinski family homestead in the Snowy Mountains, where he spent his time breaking horses, reading books, and doodling the beautiful Eastern Montana landscape around him--a landscape that would continue to shape his life forever.

Never one to shy away from service or sacrifice, Ed left Montana to serve his country in the Navy during the Vietnam war. During the war, he served on the USS Ranger aircraft carrier from 1963 to 1966, where he worked in the print shop.

After being honorably discharged from the Navy, Ed moved to Seattle and entered the print business. Eventually, he took his printing career to San Francisco, where he opened up his own printing company, called Barbary Coast Press, and he met his wife Debra.

After a stint in Hawaii, Ed and Debra moved back to Montana, settling in Twin Bridges, where they started their family. Here they raised their daughters Tess and Beth and founded Tobacco Root Graphics, an iconic line of western watercolor greeting cards inspired by Ed's childhood in the Snowy Mountains in Eastern Montana.

Ed also went on to drive buses for the Twin Bridges school district and later for Bozeman's Streamline city bus services after they made their move to Bozeman.

Ed loved his family. He especially liked spending time with his daughters. Together, they would work on art projects, attend sporting events, and watch movies.

Ed also loved reading good books. He liked golf. And, as all good Montanans, he liked to trout fish. On a beautiful Montana summer evening, you could find him at the river with a fishing pole and a box of fried chicken.

Ed passed away on May 4, earlier this year. He had fought a long battle with prostate cancer, a condition directly related to his exposure to Agent Orange during his service in the Vietnam war. While he fought long and hard, I am grateful he was able to get the healthcare and the benefits he needed in the last years of his life through the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, which we were able to get across the finish line here in the Senate for heroes like Ed. And we did that in 2019.

Today, it is my honor to commemorate his service and life as an outstanding Montanan. His legacy will live on through his family and his daughters.

I am especially honored to have his daughter Tess working on my Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee staff, where she serves veterans in Montana and across the Nation and was awarded the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans' Unsung Hero Award for her tireless work for veterans.

Beth is also following in his footsteps at the University of Montana, where she is studying digital filming.

So on behalf of myself and a grateful Nation, I commend Mr. Ed Wrzesinski and extend our deepest appreciation to him and his family. He is a part of the fabric that makes Montana the ``Last Best Place,'' and he will be sorely missed.

I yield the floor.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, today I would like to honor the life and service of a distinguished Montanan and U.S. Army Special Forces veteran: the late Jeremy Jones.

A native son of Montana, Jeremy was born and raised in Whitefish, MT. He was an American hero who spent the majority of his adult life risking his life to serve this country. As a troop sergeant major with 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, Jeremy served in more than a dozen combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan over the course of an almost 30-year career in the Army and Joint Special Operations Command. He received numerous combat medals and citations for his extraordinary service and sacrifice in that time, including three Bronze Stars.

After retiring honorably from the Army, Jeremy transitioned to civilian life in North Carolina where he gave back to his community, had good friends, and was an avid fisherman and golfer. He was a critical member of the Knowmadics team, where he worked on programs to protect warfighters and train the next generation of cyber professionals. Most importantly, he was a loving father to his children Bobby and Jess.

On May 14, 2023, Jeremy passed away at the age of 44. Today, it is my honor to commemorate his service and legacy. We owe Jeremy a debt of gratitude that can never be fully repaid. Raising the flag over the U.S. Capitol in his honor is just a small token of our deep appreciation for his service and valor.

On behalf of myself and a grateful nation, I commend Mr. Jeremy Jones and extend our deepest appreciation to him and his family. His legacy will continue to be felt by warfighters for years to come, and he will be sorely missed.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the scheduled vote start immediately.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, I rise today to speak in support of Anthony Johnstone's confirmation to be a judge for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

I am very proud to be supporting this Montanan for such an important position. He is going to bring something that we are in need of in this body a lot of the time, and that is common sense. He is also a man of integrity.

Americans expect their judges to apply the law without bias, in a nonpartisan way, and that is exactly what Anthony Johnstone has done throughout his legal career. He has an outstanding record of service to the people of Montana. He served as clerk for Judge Sid Thomas on the Ninth Circuit and then as our State solicitor and assistant attorney general at the Montana Department of Commerce.

For more than a decade, he has encouraged the next generation of legal minds at the University of Montana's Alexander Blewett III School of Law.

He is supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, including the past two attorney generals from Montana--one from each party. He is supported by Montana's former Republican solicitor general. He is supported by retired Montana Supreme Court justices. He is supported by Tribes across the great State of Montana. And he is supported by former Yale and Chicago Law classmates and countless other public servants across the Ninth District.

Mr. Johnstone has stood up for our Constitution time and time and time again. I have no doubt that he will continue to do that as a judge. We have the opportunity--the opportunity here in a moment--to confirm an excellent and impartial legal mind to the Ninth Circuit bench. I would urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting Anthony Johnstone's nomination.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the scheduled vote occur immediately.

I ask for the yeas and nays.

Madam President, today I would like to honor the life and service of a distinguished Montanan and World War II veteran, Mr. Harry A. Arvidson.

Harry was a proud patriot who loved his country. Never one to shy away from service or sacrifice, he answered the call to duty during World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy submarine service in 1942 and left high school before graduation to serve.

During his time in uniform, Harry served as a ship cook third class for his regular duty and radar observer for his battle station post. His first assignment was on the USS Pollack, where he was a member of the Pollack's ninth war patrol, a patrol that sunk and damaged more ships than any of the other Pollack patrols conducted in the Pacific. At the end of the war, Harry was assigned to a 40-man prize crew which boarded and seized a surrendering Japanese I-400 submarine. Harry and the prize crew sailed submarines into Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremonies.

After being honorably discharged from the Navy in 1946, Harry returned to civilian life, married his wife Lola, and had two children, Lynda and Scott. While Harry was deployed during the war, Lola also contributed to the wartime effort as a member of the Rosie the Riveters, working on airplane gliders.

In 1956, Harry and Lola moved to Conrad, MT, where they established the Home Cafe on Main Street in Conrad. Harry and Lola ran the Home Cafe

until 1982, when they retired and passed the torch over to Scott and their daughter-in-law, who continue to run the family business today. Soon after, Harry and Lola moved to Lincoln, where they spent the remainder of their lives.

Harry was immensely proud of his service to the Nation. Since 1972, he was a member the U.S. Submarine Veterans of WWII organization, even serving as the Montana State commander for many years. In that role, he helped host the 53rd national convention in Billings alongside his family. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 9 in Lincoln and a member of the Montana Honor Flight that traveled to Washington, DC, in 2012.

On October 18, 2022, Harry passed away at the age of 97 at the Fort Harrison VA Hospital, joining Lola--his wife of 72 years--who passed in 2019. Today, it is my honor to commemorate his service and legacy. Harry's exemplary service and that of the entire Greatest Generation is what makes our country the greatest in the world. He is a true patriot who made Montana proud, and he will be sorely missed.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that I be recognized for 3 minutes.