Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Lynne Egan, a great Montanan who recently passed away.

Serving as the Montana Deputy Securities Commissioner for thirteen years and a Montana state employee for twenty-eight years, Ms. Egan was a relentless advocate for all Montana investors throughout her career, especially in the arena of investor education, and

dedicated her public service to combatting fraud wherever it might be found.

Ms. Egan brought her wonderful sense of humor, infectious can-do attitude, and pride in a job well done to the many initiatives she brought forth both at home and across the Nation.

Notably, one of Ms. Egan's initiatives was working with the Montana Legislature to establish the Securities Restitution Assistance Fund to help investors who had lost everything recoup a portion of what they had lost. Since its inception, this fund has returned over $7 million to Montana investors.

Ms. Egan embodied the highest ideals of public service in the State of Montana as she used her gifts to combat financial fraud and elder exploitation--issues that continue to harm Americans, costing the citizenry over $5.8 billion per year.

Ms. Egan's selfless commitment to serving Montanans will always be a defining pillar of her legacy.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Lark Chadwick, for her remarkable contributions to her community as Coordinator of the Disabled American Veterans Volunteer Transportation Network in Thompson Falls, Sanders County, MT.

With many veterans in her own family and an extensive background teaching in the arts, in 2008 Ms. Chadwick offered up her skills in art, planning, and computers to expand her Local Area DAV VTN's operations, public relations, new logo, and driver handbook outline.

In 2009, Ms. Chadwick took over the task of coordinating this chapter. As coordinator, she takes calls from veterans and books transports to their VA-approved medical appointments, calls volunteers to drive those transports, manages the vans, and reports monthly to the DAV Hospital Service Coordinator.

Over the course of fourteen years, Ms. Chadwick has successfully coordinated approximately 4,200 rides for 240 veterans. While consistently managing a 12 person team, Ms. Chadwick has also willingly sefefeifabove and beyond by volunteering her time as a driver, and thus far has driven over approximately 30,000 miles to ensure that veterans are receiving the care they require.

I also want to recognize Ms. Chadwick's tireless efforts to recruit more volunteer drivers to meet the needs of our veteran neighbors. Along with others in Sanders County, Ms. Chadwick helped establish Sanders County Veterans Transportation--a group dedicated to fundraising for the purchase and replacement of DAV Vans serving Sanders County. Through successful fundraising efforts from Ms. Chadwick and local residents, the Sanders County DAV van fleet now has three vans.

Ms. Chadwick's service to Montana doesn't end with her DAV coordinating work. With a heart ready to protect the foundational concepts of freedom and our Constitution, in 2009 she also formed the Thompson Falls TEA Party, became involved with the Sanders County Republican Central Committee, and established the Montana Committee to Protect the Constitution.

Ultimately, I want to commend and thank Ms. Chadwick for her selflessness and outstanding service to our veterans in Thompson Falls, Sanders County, Montana.

Madam Chair, as it stands now, this bill will make a vast swath of land inaccessible, making it harder for wildfires to respond.

This bill's approach to wildfires is backwards. The people of Montana and across the West have seen too many fires scorch homes, businesses, and forests. It has destroyed air quality, water quality, and fisheries. They appreciate the bravery of the responding firefighters, but I believe many would prefer never to see the wildfires in the first place.

My amendment would have addressed root causes of wildfires by clarifying language in statute that allows radical environmentalists to delay the harvest of timber as per the Cottonwood decision, which has made proper forest management near impossible.

The Cottonwood decision has delayed forest planning, wildfire mitigation efforts, and ultimately weaponized the Endangered Species Act, allowing special interest groups to line up like pigs at the trough, lapping up legal fees and settlements, stripping valuable resources from agencies and keeping them from carrying out their mission.

In closing, I will say that I am appalled that Democrats will not consider the commonsense amendments like mine, which would allow these mitigation efforts to take place.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone National Park.

Signed into law in 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant, Yellowstone became the first national park in the world.

As the largest intact ecosystem in North America, Yellowstone is home to a few endangered animals, and over 1,700 species of trees.

Montana is the ``Gateway to Yellowstone'' and welcomes 72 percent of guests into the park each year.

The crown jewel of the West, Yellowstone has helped to sustain businesses in Montana for decades.

Flooding at the start of June destroyed bridges, roads, and homes around Yellowstone's north entrance in Montana, hurting many businesses and families, but Montanans have shown their resilience and have bounced back stronger than ever before.

This anniversary is not only a celebration but also a reminder of the strength and dedication Montanans have shown during this difficult time.

On behalf of the state of Montana, I would like to thank the National Park Service for their efforts to protect the environment and communities that make up the greatest national park in the country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Bill Mills, a United States Air Force veteran and founder of 2M Company in Montana.

In 1978, Mr. Mills founded 2M Company in Billings, Montana because he was inspired to create a water product and service company that directly meets the needs of Montana's families and farmers.

Over the last 30 years, 2M Company has done just that--while serving Montanans' water-related needs, it became the leading wholesale supplier of pumps and pumping systems within Montana's water industry.

Along with 2M Company's business locations in Montana, it has expanded over the years to serve customers in Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, and Texas.

The growth and success of 2M Company is certainly a testament to Mr. Mills' exceptional entrepreneurial leadership and 2M Company's excellent service, products, and customer-first philosophy that Mr. Mills established in its inception.

Additionally, I also want to thank Mr. Bill Mills for his service to his country as part of the United States Air Force.

Mr. Mills' hard work, resourcefulness, and outstanding service to his community exemplify the core principles of being a Montanan.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the great American ingenuity coming out of Montana this month. All American Pharmaceuticals in Billings, Montana, have developed a new baby formula to provide relief from the shortage ravaging our nation.

Unfortunately, Biden's FDA gatekeepers are requiring them to jump through endless bureaucratic hoops to get mouths fed. The FDA licensed their company to manufacture--but not to sell.

If the Biden administration doesn't find long-term relief for our Nation's economic and supply chain issues, we are going to see more suffering Americans and more essential goods sitting in factories.

These Montanans are salt-of-the-earth, shirt-off-your-back people serving their neighbors. I commend All American Pharmaceuticals for their hard work, as well as all the nonprofits and charities in Montana supporting families and babies in crisis.

We need more innovators in Montana, and fewer gatekeepers in Washington.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Kris Hansen, a great Montanan and a dear friend who passed away just last week.

Kris was a mighty warrior who loved her country and embodied the highest ideals of public service in the State of Montana.

She served overseas with both the National Guard and the CIA, followed by an exceptional tenure with the Montana State legislature, alongside me in the Montana State Auditor's office, and most recently as Lieutenant Attorney General.

She was a blessing and a light upon all the lives that she touched.

Kris was also a strong advocate for students and families. She used her gifts to fight for access to quality education for children across the State of Montana.

Her commitment to protecting and preserving our way of life will always be a defining pillar of her legacy.

I am so thankful to have worked with Kris and developed a special friendship with her.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Fred and Nancy and the Hansen family during this most difficult time.

Madam Speaker, the Senate version of the PACT Act helps connect veterans who were exposed to burn pits or dangerous toxins in service to our country with the healthcare and benefits they have earned and were promised.

This legislation also codifies the scientific framework that the VA is already using to provide benefits to toxic-exposed veterans, better reflects current practice, and improves transparency.

The previous House-passed version, which I voted against, ignored the work the VA is already doing to improve services to toxic-exposed veterans.

This bill improves and codifies the pilot program that the VA established last year to extend compensation benefits to toxic-exposed veterans.

This bill also includes provisions to increase transparency, provide flexibility, and keep pace with scientific advancements for toxic exposure.

In addition, this legislation includes workforce enhancements, and other changes, to ensure the VA can improve services to toxic-exposed veterans without compromising care and benefits.

The prior House version of the PACT Act failed to address the operational impact on the VA of servicing the benefits of toxic-exposed veterans, which would have left veterans waiting in a backlog of 1.5 million claims. This new version includes provisions that address the operational impacts head-on.

Madam Speaker, this legislation is not perfect. I do not support everything that is in this piece of legislation. But as the saying goes: We cannot let the search for perfect be the enemy of the good, or, in this case, what is right and necessary.

Our veterans have waited far too long to receive the help that they were promised. It is far past time for Congress to stop screwing around, breaking our own rules, while America's veterans suffer and literally die.

Since my time in Congress began, I have been a strong advocate for Montana veterans, and I work tirelessly in the House Veterans' Affairs Committee to ensure that all America's veterans are able to receive the quality care that they were promised, and the care that they have earned.

We are willing to spend far too much money to engage in conflict, and far too little to care for our warriors once they come home.

Madam Speaker, I intend to vote for this legislation and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, for tonight's Special Order, the House Freedom Caucus would like to discuss our constitutional right to keep and bear arms.

I think it is really important that we make exceedingly clear that every one of the Members who is going to be here speaking this evening is as upset and disturbed by the tragic events in Uvalde as everyone else.

But what we will not do is allow the folks on the left side of the aisle to use that as a tool instead of addressing our school safety issues, instead of using it as a tool to address the mental health issues that are rampant across our Nation, instead to use it as a tool to diminish the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens across our country, not only reducing the rights but, additionally, putting them in jeopardy as well, at the same time that they continue to try to undermine law enforcement and compromise the law enforcement community to protect these very same individuals so that they are forced to go out and make sure that they can defend themselves and their families and their property.

This is a problem that we see taking place time and time again across our Nation. This isn't just happening in Seattle, in Portland, and in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Unfortunately, we are seeing some of these exact same leftist radicals who try to strip the power of law enforcement from cities even in the State of Montana.

No one would ever believe it, but we had ordinances that were proposed in Helena, Montana, in Bozeman, Montana, and in Missoula, Montana, to try to defund our law enforcement at the same time we see crime levels rising everywhere. They are violent crimes. I have talked to the attorney general, and he has verified that very information.

The Members who are going to be here tonight are going to talk about the Second Amendment, and they are going to talk about it in great detail because they understand, as the million Montanans do, that the Second Amendment is about much more than just hunting. As a matter of fact, yes, there are people who enjoy hunting with firearms, and they also enjoy just target shooting with firearms. They also have weapons that are antiques or family heirlooms that have been in their homes and families since the 1800s. The most important thing that the Second Amendment is about is home security, defending your home and your household, and that is what we are going to hear a lot about tonight.

I am proud to say that Montana ranks as the number one State with the most guns per household. That, my friends, is how we can keep those crime levels down. Sixty-four percent of Montanans' homes have a gun within them. Guess what? Criminals know that. When you put a sign out that says we defend our homes, people tend to stay away from those areas.

We have a lot of information to go over this evening, and I have several of my colleagues who are going to be here to help me.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs), my dear friend.

Mr. Speaker, I thank very much Representative Biggs, one of our strongest defenders of the Second Amendment here in the body.

If the left wants to address this issue, let's be up-front about it. Let's be honest about it. Let's stop trying to undermine the Second Amendment through changes in statute. Let's stop trying to strip away people's rights by inserting something into a law that later would be struck down by the Supreme Court.

If you want to be honest and up-front about stripping away people's rights, then come to this floor, propose an amendment to the Constitution, debate it here on the floor, send it to the United States Senate, see if you can get that done. Then send it back to the people of the United States and see how they feel about it.

That is how this is supposed to take place. You cannot violate the Constitution and strip away people's rights.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Mrs. Boebert), my good friend.

Mr. Speaker, we continue to hear the Democrats talk about the flawed arguments that we make that the Founding Fathers didn't know weaponry would advance the way that it has, that the Founding Fathers could not conceive of a government that would never force us to do something against our will or deny us of due process. Please consider some of the activities that have taken place and the mandates that have been placed

upon us over the last 2 years, and don't tell me that we have a government that has reached well beyond its boundaries.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Davidson), who knows what it means to fight for our country.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand here with the members of the Freedom Caucus tonight because they are the ones that understand we are standing here with a simple task, and that is to defend the rights of the people across this Nation. That is what our job is.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Hice), my good friend.

Madam Speaker, I want to recognize the outstanding work of Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks' Region 3 Gallatin District Game Warden, Mr. Aaron Kammann from Bozeman, Montana.

Montana's game wardens have a responsibility to provide protection for Montana's diverse and highly treasured natural resources, and Warden Kammann's actions exemplify proper stewardship of the Treasure State and commitment to Montana values and outdoor traditions.

In addition, Mr. Kammann regularly brings confiscated and damaged wild game to a local food bank, FoodArk, which processes and distributes meat to those in need. His work ethic embodies the core principles of duty, selflessness, and resourcefulness, and Montana is grateful for his public service.

I thank Aaron for serving the people of Montana.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Army veteran, Mr. Edward A. Fontaine, from Montana for being awarded the Bronze Star Medal with `V' device.

The Bronze Star Medal with `V' device is awarded for distinguished acts of valor and heroism in active Federal military service. While serving in Company A, 2D Battalion, 502D Airborne Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division in the Republic of Vietnam, Specialist Four Fontaine demonstrated exceptional bravery and valorous action in combat as a machine gunner.

On October 7, 1967, when a portion of the Company defensive perimeter was attacked at night, he responded immediately. Courageously running into enemy fire aimed at the crew, Specialist Four Fontaine opened fire with a M-60 machine gun at only 20 meters away from the enemy, which helped turn the momentum of the battle.

Not only did Mr. Fontaine's conduct play a major part in securing victory against enemy forces, but it also contributed to saving countless lives of his comrades. Mr. Fontaine's valorous actions are a credit to him, Army Command, and the United States Armed Forces.

I congratulate Edward on receiving this noble achievement, and thank him for his service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.