Floor Statements

Mr. President, I say to my friend from Alabama, I don't plan to take a lot of time--maybe 10 minutes total.

Mr. President, in 1934, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said:

No country, however rich, can afford the waste of its human

resources. Demoralization caused by vast unemployment is our

greatest extravagance.

President Roosevelt said these words at a fireside chat nearly 80 years ago. Our economy was slowly on the path of recovery after suffering the worst financial crash in American history. Roosevelt had turned his focus to helping the ``permanent army of unemployed'' Americans--those Americans who didn't have jobs. His resulting investment in America's human resources put millions of people back to work.

Today, we face a similar situation. After a significant financial crisis, our economy is in tough shape. Our economic recovery is fragile but improving. Housing foreclosures have slowed and investors are looking for new opportunities. We have a long way to go. But 14 million Americans are still looking for work--and that is just unemployed. If you add the underemployed, it is probably closer to 20 million, and maybe more than that. Like President Roosevelt, we must bolster our investment in American human resources because, as in 1934, America's strength is in its people.

When people are denied the opportunity to work, they are denied the dignity that comes with that work--let alone the income, let alone providing for their families. Trade adjustment assistance, or TAA, is the right investment in America's workers. TAA provides training and income support to thousands of Americans so they can get a good-paying job right here in our own country. TAA helps them earn the dignity that comes from putting in a good day of work.

I worked with my friend, Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp, from Michigan, who is a good man. We worked together on a TAA agreement that improves the efficiency, accessibility, and effectiveness of the program. I highly commend Representative David Camp. Our staffs have worked very closely over and over to try to find a common agreement for reauthorizing trade adjustment assistance. We worked to scale back the cost of the program, while maintaining the importance of training that helps workers secure good-paying jobs here at home.

The amendment we are offering today is one I made with Chairman Camp on TAA. It extends coverage to workers in the services sector, which makes up 80 percent of our economy. It wasn't there before, at least not before 2009. Extending this coverage means manufacturing workers, as well as computer programmers and airline maintenance technicians will have equal access to the TAA Program.

It also extends TAA to all workers. Current law does not cover 8 of our top 10 trade partners, including China, Japan, and Korea. Our amendment removes this geographic limitation and expands TAA's benefits to cover trade with all countries.

Job retraining is the heart of TAA. This training has a proven track record of providing workers the skills they need to secure their next job. We know it works--and it works well--in my State of Montana and across the country.

Al Drebes worked at Plum Creek Lumber Mill in Pablo, MT. In January 2009, Al was laid off. With a young family, he needed to quickly find a new job. But after he spent months sending his resume around, he realized he needed to update his skills.

What did he do? Al signed up for TAA and began training in recreation power equipment repair. Following his classroom training, TAA partnered him with a local employer, S&S Sports, which specializes in all-terrain motor vehicles, jet skis, and other such things that are so important to so many people in our country--and, I might add, they are a lot of fun. Al began on-the-job training with S&S and did such a great job that the company hired him full time. Because of TAA job training, Al now has the security and dignity that comes with a full day's work, and he continues supporting his family.

In addition to providing essential job training, our TAA amendment also helps American workers maintain health insurance for themselves and their families. TAA-eligible workers have access to the health coverage tax credit, which provides a 72.5-percent tax credit subsidy to make health care

more affordable; otherwise, they would not have any health insurance. With nearly 50 million uninsured Americans, this benefit is more important than ever.

Finally, the TAA agreement strengthens programs that help America's small businesses and small farmers. These programs--TAA for Firms and TAA for Farmers--provide targeted, intensive technical assistance to help small businesses and farmers improve their business plans, and they provide seed money to implement those plans.

This bill also provides duty-free access to the U.S. market for imported products from certain developing countries.

The Generalized System of Preferences, otherwise known as GSP, lowers the costs on inputs for American employers across the United States. American manufacturers use GSP imports--imports from developing countries, where the tariffs are reduced so imports can come in more easily--to build cars, produce steel, and manufacture hydropower turbines, for example.

Since GSP expired last year, American companies have paid nearly $400 million in tariffs on these imports. That is an added cost to American business of $400 million. By reauthorizing and extending GSP, we ensure that these workers, and workers in 129 countries around the world, have the opportunity to earn the dignity of work.

This amendment, in short, helps save and create American jobs. It helps Americans keep their jobs by providing the low-cost inputs U.S. manufacturers need. It helps Americans who lose their jobs get the skills they need to secure a new job and earn the dignity a solid day of work provides. The amendment is fully offset and doesn't add a dime to our deficit.

This amendment invests in America's human resources, just as President Roosevelt envisioned. It ensures our workers are not demoralized by unemployment and that they are energized by the hope of again standing on their own two feet.

I urge my colleagues to support it.

I yield the floor.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following members of my staff be granted floor privileges during the consideration of the Generalized System of Preferences Act: Jane Beard, Sarah Babcock, Danielle Fidler, Sara Harshman, Madeline Forbis, Laura Jaskierski, Stephen Simpson, and Jonathan Goldman.

Mr. President, today I recognize Shelly Fagenstrom, an outstanding educator from my home State of Montana. Shelly is the principal of East Middle School in Great Falls and has been recognized by the Montana Association of Secondary School Principals as the Montana Principal of the Year for 2011.

Shelly has taught and served as an administrator in the Great Falls school system for 38 years; all but 2 of those have been at the middle school level. She has been the principal at East Middle School since 2005 and prior to that served for 6 years as the principal at Paris Gibson Middle School. This isn't the first time Shelly has been honored for her dedication to her students--in 2010 she was named Educator of the Year by the Montana Parent Teacher Association.

In nominating her for these awards, teachers, staff, students, and parents have praised Shelly's work to build a respectful environment at East Middle School while creating a personalized learning environment for each student, her ability to collaborate and seek innovative solutions to complex problems. Shelly has also worked to integrate more technology into the curriculum to help prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century economy. Shelly says she loves being in education, ``because of the relationships you build with kids and their families. I love the energy of middle-schoolers, you can't take yourself too seriously with them.''

Shelly is also involved in the Great Falls community volunteering for the United Way and serving in leadership positions at Central Christian Church. This month Shelly will be visiting Washington, DC, with other award-winning principals when they will be recognized for their hard work and achievement in educating and preparing our children for the future, and have the opportunity to share ideas on how to strengthen our education system.

I congratulate Shelly on being named the 2011 Montana Principal of the Year and thank her for her decades of service to the Great Falls school system. Montana has some of the best teachers, principals, and school administrators in the country. I would like to commend all of them for their hard work and dedication in providing young Montanans with a world class education that prepares them for a bright future.

Madam President, Nelson Mandela once said, ``There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere.''

The walk to freedom for the Burmese people has certainly not been easy, and it is far from complete.

The military-controlled government that rules Burma continues to maintain its tight grip over the Burmese people through fear, intimidation, and violence.

According to the State Department, over the last year the Burmese regime has ``severely restricted and frequently violated freedoms of assembly, expression, association, movement, and religion.''

And in furthering its hold over Burmese society, the regime has committed crimes of murder, abduction, rape, torture, recruitment of child soldiers, and forced labor--all with impunity.

In recent months however, we have seen some encouraging steps.

Last November, the Burmese regime released Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese democracy leader and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, after a long and unjustified incarceration. And the regime has made some modest movement towards dialogue with the opposition.

But it is far too soon to think that the walk to freedom has succeeded. Just 2 months after releasing Aung San Suu Kyi, the regime dissolved the National League for Democracy, which has sought to bring democracy to Burma for more than 20 years.

And the regime keeps more than 2,000 political prisoners in detention.

As Aung San Suu Kyi herself has said, ``If my people are not free, how can you say I'm free? We are none of us free.''

In order to help the Burmese people on their march to freedom, I urge my colleagues to extend our sanctions against Burmese imports for another year.

Several of our trading partners--including the European Union, Canada, and Australia--have joined us in imposing trade and investment sanctions against Burma. And these sanctions have put significant pressure on the Burmese leadership.

So let us extend the import sanctions on Burma for another year. Let us do our part to help the Burmese people complete their long walk to freedom.

Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, Yogi Berra once said, ``I think Little League is wonderful. It keeps the kids out of the house.'' A team of talented young athletes from Montana spent a lot of time out of the house this summer on an amazing and inspiring run all the way to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA.

The Big Sky All Stars from Billings were the first team ever from the, State of Montana to qualify for the Little League World Series. I applaud the dedication of the teams manager Gene Carlson, coaches Mark Kieckbusch and Tom Zimmer, the players, and their families for their success and all the miles they've traveled, making Montana so proud along the way.

The team began their run in June and July by winning district and state championships back home in the Treasure State. The boys then traveled to California where they won the Northwest Regional Championship which qualified them for the Little League World Series.

Of the thousands of Little League teams that take the field across the

U.S. every season, only eight qualify for the Little League World Series. Across Montana folks from Billings to Bigfork gathered in their communities to cheer on our all-stars. The team prevailed in their first three games in the tournament with heart-stopping victories before national television audiences.

Those three wins brought them to the U.S. Championship game on August 27 where they put up a commendable fight against the Ocean View All Stars from Huntington Beach, California. The boys from Billings made their home state so proud. They reached their goals by exemplifying the Montana values of grit, determination, and hard work. Through great team work and encouragement from their coaches and families, these young men exceeded expectations.

Upon their return to Billings the team was greeted by a throng of supporters at the airport. The youngsters were also recognized with a parade and ceremonies at many local events this past week. I would like to join with Montanans from across the state and folks around the country in congratulating the Big Sky All Stars on their fantastic season and wishing them the best in the future. The lessons these young men learned this summer and the memories made will be with them forever.

Mr. President, I ask that the names of the manager, coaches, and players of the Big Sky All Stars be printed in the Record.

The information follows:

The Big Sky All-Stars

Manager Gene Carlson; Coach Mark Kieckbusch; Coach Tom

Zimmer; Ben Askelson: #15, left field, catcher, pitcher; Jet

Campbell: #2, 2nd base; Sean Jones: #21, 3rd base, pitcher;

Connor Kieckbusch: #1, 2nd base, right field; Pearce Kurth:

#13, 1st base; Ian Leatherberry: #5, 3rd base, pitcher; Brock

MacDonald: #12, center field; Andy Maehl: #10, left field,

catcher; Cole McKenzie: #17, shortstop, pitcher; Dawson

Smith: #16, 1st base; Gabe Sulser: #4, right field, center

field; Patrick Zimmer: #19, shortstop, pitcher.

Mr. President: When speaking of the Royal Air Force before Parliament, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said: ``Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.''

Churchill's words would ring true for the First Special Service Force as well. An elite and clandestine military unit during World War II, the Force was trained for the most difficult missions over the most arduous terrain. The Force pioneered many of the tactics used by today's Special Operations Forces. Their courage and audacity helped break through Nazi lines. Surprise night raids. Scaling cliffs. Traversing snowy mountain passes. The

Force never faced a mission that was too difficult or too dangerous to accomplish.

It is a great honor to introduce legislation today with my colleagues Senator Tester and Senator Burr bestowing the First Special Service Force with the Congressional Gold Medal.

The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest honor the United States Congress can present. It is reserved for an individual--or group of individuals--who performs an outstanding act of service to the United States. I can think of no group of men more deserving of this high honor than the First Special Service Force.

The Force was comprised of volunteers from 49 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada. These men trained at Fort Harrison, in Helena, MT. Later, they were nicknamed the Black Devil's Brigade by a German soldier who complained they attacked in the middle of the night and then disappeared.

The Force's training in Helena, Vermont, and Virginia was unconventional and brutal. Hand-to-hand combat. Demolition. Rock climbing. Ski and mountain warfare. Amphibious landings. Night air drops. Their training far surpassed that of any other unit during World War II. This unique training led to remarkable success in battle.

The Force deployed to Italy in 1943. The first mission was to capture two peaks on the German Winter Line. This line had proven unbreakable and defeated massive Allied attacks. The road to liberate Rome led straight through this line. General Eisenhower needed to find a way to blast through. He chose the First Special Service Force.

The Force attacked the German line using what both Allied and Axis forces thought was an impossible route--the north face. In the dead of winter. In the middle of the night. Needless to say, they surprised the German forces on Monte la Difensa. Over the next 46 days, the Force defeated the fortified German Winter Line. The victory came at a devastating price. The Force lost 1,300 men out of a total of 1,800.

The First Special Service Force then moved to the Anzio-Nettmo beachhead. For 99 days, the Force battled the infamous German Hermann Goering Division. The Force pushed the Germans back, liberating Italian villages as they moved north toward Rome. On June 4, 1944, members of the Force routed German Forces guarding the eight bridges leading into Rome. Their advance cleared the way for other Allied forces to liberate Rome.

The Force then turned to the Iles d'Hyeres, islands in southern France. Their amphibious assault surprised the Nazi occupiers and led to the capture of four Nazi forts. The Black Devil Brigade continued to the mainland where they hunted down the retreating German Eighth Army. The Force drove eastward in 15 weeks of battle to the Franco-Italian border, liberating the towns of Grasse, Villeneuve-Loubet, Sospel and Castillon in southern France.

The Force deactivated on December 5, 1944 in southern France. The remainder of the war would be fought by large-scale armies, not covert units like the First Special Service Force.

During the war, the Force suffered 2,314 casualties, equating to an astounding 134 percent of its combat strength. It captured over 30,000 prisoners, won five U.S. campaign stars and eight Canadian battle honors. It never failed a mission. Today, only 230 of these brave soldiers remain to tell the tales of their remarkable service.

As a testament to the unwavering camaraderie of the Force, the First Special Service Force Association was formed and continues to have reunions every year. They will be honoring the 70th anniversary of the creation of the Force at their reunion next year. With every passing day we lose more of these brave warriors, and it is crucial that we honor them now.

We owe the liberty we enjoy today to the brave men of the Black Devil Brigade. So many of us indebted to so few. Fortunately for our great Nation, the legacy of the First Special Service Force lives on. The Canadian Special Operations Regiment and the Special Forces of the United States trace their lineage back to the First Special Service Force.

It is time to award the First Special Service Force the Congressional Gold Medal. I strongly urge my colleagues to cosponsor this bill to honor these American heroes with the recognition and gratitude they have earned.

Mr. President: When speaking of the Royal Air Force before Parliament, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said: ``Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.''

Churchill's words would ring true for the First Special Service Force as well. An elite and clandestine military unit during World War II, the Force was trained for the most difficult missions over the most arduous terrain. The Force pioneered many of the tactics used by today's Special Operations Forces. Their courage and audacity helped break through Nazi lines. Surprise night raids. Scaling cliffs. Traversing snowy mountain passes. The

Force never faced a mission that was too difficult or too dangerous to accomplish.

It is a great honor to introduce legislation today with my colleagues Senator Tester and Senator Burr bestowing the First Special Service Force with the Congressional Gold Medal.

The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest honor the United States Congress can present. It is reserved for an individual--or group of individuals--who performs an outstanding act of service to the United States. I can think of no group of men more deserving of this high honor than the First Special Service Force.

The Force was comprised of volunteers from 49 States, the District of Columbia, and Canada. These men trained at Fort Harrison, in Helena, MT. Later, they were nicknamed the Black Devil's Brigade by a German soldier who complained they attacked in the middle of the night and then disappeared.

The Force's training in Helena, Vermont, and Virginia was unconventional and brutal. Hand-to-hand combat. Demolition. Rock climbing. Ski and mountain warfare. Amphibious landings. Night air drops. Their training far surpassed that of any other unit during World War II. This unique training led to remarkable success in battle.

The Force deployed to Italy in 1943. The first mission was to capture two peaks on the German Winter Line. This line had proven unbreakable and defeated massive Allied attacks. The road to liberate Rome led straight through this line. General Eisenhower needed to find a way to blast through. He chose the First Special Service Force.

The Force attacked the German line using what both Allied and Axis forces thought was an impossible route--the north face. In the dead of winter. In the middle of the night. Needless to say, they surprised the German forces on Monte la Difensa. Over the next 46 days, the Force defeated the fortified German Winter Line. The victory came at a devastating price. The Force lost 1,300 men out of a total of 1,800.

The First Special Service Force then moved to the Anzio-Nettmo beachhead. For 99 days, the Force battled the infamous German Hermann Goering Division. The Force pushed the Germans back, liberating Italian villages as they moved north toward Rome. On June 4, 1944, members of the Force routed German Forces guarding the eight bridges leading into Rome. Their advance cleared the way for other Allied forces to liberate Rome.

The Force then turned to the Iles d'Hyeres, islands in southern France. Their amphibious assault surprised the Nazi occupiers and led to the capture of four Nazi forts. The Black Devil Brigade continued to the mainland where they hunted down the retreating German Eighth Army. The Force drove eastward in 15 weeks of battle to the Franco-Italian border, liberating the towns of Grasse, Villeneuve-Loubet, Sospel and Castillon in southern France.

The Force deactivated on December 5, 1944 in southern France. The remainder of the war would be fought by large-scale armies, not covert units like the First Special Service Force.

During the war, the Force suffered 2,314 casualties, equating to an astounding 134 percent of its combat strength. It captured over 30,000 prisoners, won five U.S. campaign stars and eight Canadian battle honors. It never failed a mission. Today, only 230 of these brave soldiers remain to tell the tales of their remarkable service.

As a testament to the unwavering camaraderie of the Force, the First Special Service Force Association was formed and continues to have reunions every year. They will be honoring the 70th anniversary of the creation of the Force at their reunion next year. With every passing day we lose more of these brave warriors, and it is crucial that we honor them now.

We owe the liberty we enjoy today to the brave men of the Black Devil Brigade. So many of us indebted to so few. Fortunately for our great Nation, the legacy of the First Special Service Force lives on. The Canadian Special Operations Regiment and the Special Forces of the United States trace their lineage back to the First Special Service Force.

It is time to award the First Special Service Force the Congressional Gold Medal. I strongly urge my colleagues to cosponsor this bill to honor these American heroes with the recognition and gratitude they have earned.

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

Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the FAA bill. On Friday, authorization for the Federal Aviation Administration was allowed to expire. Four thousand workers were placed on furlough. The airport and airways trust fund now lacks the authority to collect user fees that fund air traffic services, airport maintenance, and other things that Americans rely on.

Let's be clear. This should not have happened. It happened because a few Members of the other body made a conscious choice to negotiate in bad faith. Clear and simple.

Let me recap it. Under the able leadership of Senator Rockefeller, the Senate again passed our long-term FAA authorization in February, with a bipartisan vote of 87 to 8. Later, the House passed its bill, but largely along party lines.

In April, the Senate named conferees to negotiate a final bill. However, our friends in the House have yet to appoint conferees to join us at the negotiating table.

Meanwhile, since 2007, we have passed 20 extensions to allow this program to continue operating while we work to negotiate a long-term solution. Not a single one of those extensions has been met with controversy--not one.

However, as we undertook what should have been the latest clean extension, the House unexpectedly eliminated 13 rural airports that rely on Essential Air Service just days before the authorization expired. The House refused to reconsider and chose instead to shut down the Federal Aviation Administration.

The House seeks to save approximately one-tenth of 1 percent of overall aviation spending by attacking essential air services. I agree with anyone who wants to control Federal spending and invest in real priorities--we all do--but it simply doesn't make sense to focus on saving fractions of pennies on the dollar instead of coming to the negotiating table to hammer out long-term solutions.

At the same time, the House rejected an opportunity to protect our troops from exorbitant baggage fees. Congressman Nick Rahall introduced an amendment to the House extension that would have prohibited air carriers from charging a baggage fee for members of the Armed Forces while traveling on official military duty, especially those checking four or fewer bags. In one instance, an airline reportedly socked a poor servicemember with a baggage fee of $3,000. Regrettably, the House rejected this offer to protect our troops, and the rejection was on a party-line vote. Those of us negotiating in good faith here in the Senate were left scratching our heads. The House would reject a clean extension to save a mere one-tenth of 1 percent by attacking rural jobs and commerce, but it would reject an opportunity to protect our troops from getting gouged by baggage fees on the same bill. It doesn't make sense.

Later, we learned through the press that the House's erratic strategy had apparently nothing to do with potential cost savings at all, but, instead, these antics were about rulemaking by the National Mediation Board. This is a labor issue that has nothing to do with essential air service and nothing to do with the daily operations of the Federal Aviation Administration, both of which could be operating right now under a clean extension. This labor issue should be worked out in a conference--the conference committee we can't have because the House has yet to name conferees.

One of the rural communities the House Members chose to cut down as a

political pawn is Glendive, MT. Glendive is growing in the energy sector. It is in the Bakken formation, with lots of oil and gas wells drilled, and it is a huge potential new energy source. Energy companies from Texas and Louisiana are rapidly sending personnel up to Glendive, and hotels in the area are running at near-full occupancy year-round. We are working hard to quickly build housing and infrastructure in order to capitalize on this great opportunity to create much needed jobs. Today, unemployment in Glendive is half the national average. But Glendive is located 230 miles from any larger airport. Glendive needs essential air service to maintain its lifeline to national commerce and continue to grow and create jobs.

We can discuss at length the merits of essential air service, the promise made to rural America, and the lifeline it provides to towns such as Glendive. In fact, this is a conversation we should have. Any changes should be made as part of thoughtful and transparent discussion, with input from the folks on the ground who are most affected. Again, that is precisely what conference negotiations are for--yet, again, negotiations we can't hold. Why? Because the House has yet to name its conferees.

The House antics have halted as much as $2.5 billion in airport funding--funding that employs as many as 87,000 workers on construction projects around the country. At Glacier International Airport in Kalispell, MT, much needed upgrades to the taxiway are now on hold indefinitely, and so are the much needed construction jobs this project would support.

Even more troubling, 4,000 mothers and fathers and breadwinners are now out of work. These are folks such as Kristina Richardson, an administrative support specialist at Billings Logan International Airport's air traffic control tower. Over the weekend, Kristina wasn't able to go grocery shopping. She didn't know if she could count on her next paycheck to buy food and pay her bills. Kristina described the pit in her stomach when she went in to clean off her desk and shut down her computer. Kristina told my office she worried about who would help the people she had been working with. She described the pride and fulfillment that comes from working and the blow that comes when that is taken away.

Luckily, Kristina was told on Tuesday she would be able to return to work. But 4,000 other folks across the country haven't been so lucky. Like most Montanans, Kristina is one tough lady, and she understands the vital importance of essential air service to rural communities. Even when she thought she had been furloughed, she hung in there. She contacted my office to voice her support for a clean FAA extension that rejects arbitrary cuts to rural communities.

I am increasingly concerned about the nature of our political discourse. Lately, it seems some folks are more focused on making 30- second sound bites than making laws. What happened with the FAA bill is an example of this misguided focus. Whatever the House's true reason for suspending 4,000-plus jobs and halting construction to improve airport safety, it just wasn't right.

Still, I know we can do good things around here when we work together, and I hold out the hope that we will return our focus to what is important and start getting work done, and it is not just here but on debt extension and a lot of major matters around here. But in the meantime, we need to fix this mess. This is easier to fix--much easier.

Along with Senator Rockefeller, I introduced a clean FAA extension that would put 4,000 employees back to work, let us start construction projects around the country to create jobs and improve the safety of our airports, and continue to fund the trust fund. Then together we can continue working on a longer term solution. I urge my colleagues to support a clean extension.

Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, I wish to take a moment to pay tribute to the life of a fine Montanan and good friend, James Noel Smith. Jim passed away last month after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Raised in the mountainous northwest Montana town of Thompson Falls, Jim grew up with a deep reverence for the land, the water, and the wise stewardship of our natural resources. This became his calling in life.

After graduating from the University of Montana, Jim heard the noble call of public service. He was inspired by national leaders like President Kennedy and Montana's Senators Mike Mansfield and Lee Metcalf. Senator Metcalf, in particular, became Jim's mentor. Jim, his wife Camie, along with their young son Mark--who later served on my staff for a number of years--made their way back to Washington where Jim worked as a legislative aide for Senator Metcalf. In their early days in Washington, Jim and Camie had a daughter Terry. As a young adult, Terry found her way back to Montana, where she lives in Bozeman today.

Jim went on to serve with distinction at the Interior Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, and several conservation organizations. During the latter part of his career, Jim organized the Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities, a trade association dedicated to helping municipalities pay for infrastructure improvements.

While they remained in Washington for four decades, Jim and Camie were never Washingtonians. They were Montanans. Thus, when they decided to retire, it came as no surprise to those of us who knew them that they headed home to the ``Big Sky.''

They settled in Bozeman, sharing their love of Montana, its land, and its people. Jim immersed himself with his work on the board of directors of the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, GVLT, an organization that protects open land and promotes recreational opportunities throughout the Gallatin. While environmental issues too often turn fractious, Jim respected GVLT's consensus-based approach. He thought it got results and made a difference.

That is the way Jim lived his life--striving for consensus, getting results, and making a difference. Mel and I offer condolences to Camie, Mark, Terry, and their family.

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

John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach who has won more Division I NCAA championships than anyone else, once said, ``Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.'' It takes teamwork to win 10 championships. I rise today to recognize the remarkable teamwork, championship level teamwork, that we are seeing back home in Montana during these floods.

This is the third time I have come to the Senate floor to share stories about the remarkable actions taken by regular folks across Montana. Their teamwork is making a huge difference. John Wooden would have been proud to coach this team. This is a championship team. And we need this kind of teamwork. Flooding continues to damage property and disrupt lives across Montana. The President has issued a major disaster declaration. Warm weather threatens to unlock water stored in record levels of mountain snowpack. The whole time I was at home, I had never seen anything like this, so much snow, yet melting so quickly.

The chart to my left is part of Wolf Point, MT. Wolf Point sits along the mighty Missouri River on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Floodwaters hit hard and hit fast, forcing 40 families from their homes. Many are still unable to return.

Darrin Falcon, pictured here, is the director of the Roads Department. He has used his expertise as an engineer to help his neighbors on projects of every scale. He constructed berms and dikes to prevent floodwaters from damaging more homes. He delivered sandbags to residents to protect major public infrastructure.

In one instance, an elderly neighbor was stranded; 300 feet of roadway around his home was underwater. Falcon went right to work and helped build a new road so his neighbor could spend that night at home. Falcon's work ethic and willingness to help make him a real Montana hero and is something to observe.

The Milk River has been dumping water into Glasgow for weeks. Floods have washed out roads and damaged bridges all across Valley County. County roads supervisor Rick Seiler and Wayne Waarvik have worked endless hours to keep roads open and residents safe after the Milk River burst its banks.

In a crisis such as this, roads are lifelines. Roads mean access to a doctor. Roads mean groceries and fresh water. Rick and Wayne, teaming up with the whole Valley County road crew, went above and beyond to keep these vital lifelines open.

Meanwhile, across town, Tanja Fransen, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, was taking extraordinary steps to help her friends and her neighbors.

This is Tanja.

She would never abandon her post. She served as the voice of the National Weather Service across northeastern Montana. Tanja knew her neighbors; she knew they depended on her for the latest weather reports. Beyond that, of all things, Tanja, despite a broken leg in a cast, spent hours filling sandbags to protect homes along Cherry Creek. She went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure her friends and neighbors were equipped with the information they needed to stay safe throughout the disaster.

Tanja, I might say to you: Take some time out and let that broken leg heal.

Tanja asked that the entire team at the National Weather Service in Glasgow be recognized. That is just how generous she is. She did not want recognition for herself--it is her team. Working together, they helped Glasgow weather these difficult floods.

In Billings, MT, floods have left dozens of families without homes.

In a normal week, Jeff Rosenberry spends his time as assistant director for housing and student life. He makes sure students at MSU- Billings have a safe and comfortable place to stay during the school year.

This month, Jeff had extra work--work he very much enjoyed doing. Jeff stepped to the plate. He converted a resident hall into a home away from home for displaced families. I saw it and was very impressed. Jeff worked 15-hour days to make sure everyone felt welcome. He delivered food and water to hungry families. He also made sure everyone had the latest information about the floods. Ask anyone on the team helping these families, and they will tell you Jeff was the team captain. His hard work and generosity will long be remembered. The families who needed a place to sleep, of course, will never forget Jeff and his efforts.

Finally, the teamwork between our local disaster and emergency services coordinators and crews has been extraordinary. DES coordinators are the go-to leaders to help their communities respond to and recover from floods. They are the first to be called to help and the last to leave.

Montana's disaster and emergency services teams have been working nonstop. They are a model of public service. I hope Montanans everywhere will reach out and shake their hands, e-mail or write a letter and thank these heroes for their service. These remarkable Montanans remind us that sometimes it is all about teamwork. We are the strongest when we work together.

I am proud of these stories. I am asking Montanans to share their stories of ordinary folks doing extraordinary things for friends and neighbors, whether on Facebook, call my office--whatever works. We want to hear these inspiring stories because we want to help bring Montanans even closer together, showing we are working together.

Someone once observed that Montana is a big State, big geography, but not a lot of people. Montana is really one small town. We know each other--one or two degrees of separation. We know each other, and we are there to help each other. We are spread out in space but together in spirit.

In closing, I would like to share a humble thank-you for all Montanan heroes back home. I don't know what we would do without you. Thank you so much for your service.

I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. President, Winston Churchill once said, ``We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.'' Today I honor two great Americans who have made a wonderful life by what they have given. Lawrence and Barbara Weinberg, or Larry and Barbi as their family and friends know them, have given much to their faith, to their country, and to their family and friends. Today I call attention to their service that the good life they have made can serve as an example to us all.

Larry answered our Nation's call to duty and served in the U.S. Infantry in France during World War II. He was nearly killed by the explosion of a landmine. While he was injured on the ground, a German soldier bayonetted him in the stomach. He remained motionless and isolated for over thirteen hours. Against all odds, he was rescued by a Catholic Army Chaplain and spent a year recovering in the hospital.

After Larry was discharged from both the hospital and the Army, he met Barbi. It was the summer of 1946. They married 6 months later. Larry then started a Los Angeles homebuilding business. He began with just four houses, but built his company to become the Larwin Group Companies, the largest privately owned single-family housing producer in the United States. He later became the principal owner and CEO of the Portland Trailblazers from 1975-1988, and served on the board of governors of the National Basketball Association from 1980-1983.

Together, Larry and Barbi have been unwavering supporters of the Jewish community and Israel. In 1973, Barbi was elected president of the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles, becoming the first woman to be elected president of a major federation in the United States. She used her position to expand the previously secular Foundation to Orthodox, Conservative, and Reformed Jewish congregations.

Larry also continued his work supporting the American-Israeli relationship. He was elected president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, AIPAC, in 1976 for 5 years, later serving as its chairman from 1982-1987. He is known as the founder of modern AIPAC.

Larry established the Jewish Foundation Barbi Weinberg Chai Award to honor individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the enhancement of and appreciation for Jewish life. Barbi sponsored a program to prepare junior and senior high school students with the knowledge, confidence, and training to speak up for themselves and for Israel, and to fight anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias on college campuses. These programs are so important for our Nation's youth.

In 1984, Barbi founded the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. This research foundation has become one of the most influential think tanks in Washington, advising policymakers on Middle East issues.

Larry and Barbi have lived a life of dedicated public service. They are most proud, however, of their loving dedication to their family. During their 64 years together, Larry and Barbi have 4 children, 12 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. All are hardworking, successful Americans that share Larry and Barbi's commitment to public service.

Larry and Barbi truly have made a good life by what they have given. I am proud to consider myself a friend. And may their service be an example to us all.

Mr. President, today I wish to recognize a Butte institution. The Pekin Noodle Parlor has served generations of Montanans from all walks of life. My good friends, Danny and Sharon Tam, and their family have run the parlor for an astounding 100 years. For generations, the parlor has been a centerpiece of Chinatown and an evolving Butte community. The restaurant specializes in Chinese and American fare, and the lower level has housed a wide array of activities--from Chinese social organizations to herbal medicine. I also want to recognize the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives for their unparalleled work collecting and preserving the treasured history of Butte-Silver Bow. In particular, their efforts to protect the cherished narrative of the Pekin Noodle Parlor will be recognized for years to come. I ask that their commemoration of the Pekin Noodle Parlor below be printed in the Record.

One hundred years ago, Hum Yow opened his Pekin Noodle Parlor on the second floor of the building at 115/117/119 South Main. The restaurant's offerings of local favorites, Yatcamein--wet

noodles--and chop suey, were eaten by miners, the ``after-theater'' crowd, and prominent citizens alike. It always catered to non-Chinese clientele, many of whom in the early days were curious to get a glimpse of Chinatown. Over time, the noodle parlor came to incorporate a good complement of American food on its menu, while retaining its Chinese food specialties. Among the attractions were the narrow, beadboard booths which allowed semiprivate dining. A seating arrangement that is maintained to this day by Hum Yow's nephew, Ding Tam, who is also known as Danny Wong.

While the restaurant business continued upstairs, items from previous establishments were stored below. This rare collection of artifacts, some dating as early as the 1910s, narrates the position of the Hum/Tam family in Butte and among Chinese communities in the western United States and China. Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives presents in the exhibit, One Family-One Hundred Years, a story of family commitment, rather than an emphasis on Chinese illegal drugs and prostitution. Displays provide insight into Chinese social organizations, gambling, herbal medicine, and the continuing Chinese influence in Butte, MT, by the Pekin Noodle Parlor.

The information follows:

A Look Inside the Exhibit

The Tam family's roots in Montana extend to the 1860s,

almost 50 years before the opening of the Pekin Noodle

Parlor. Although his name has been forgotten, the first

family member to come to the U.S. delivered supplies to the

Chinese camps and communities at various places in the

American West. Butte was among those camps. By the late

1890s, his son came to Butte, where he and others ran a

laundry on South Arizona Street for many years. The Quong

Fong Laundry was a staple on Arizona well into the mid-1950s

even after the Tam family member had returned to China.

The next generation of family immigrants gained

considerable prominence in Chinatown and the community of

Butte at large. Hum Yow and Tam Kwong Yee, close relatives

from the same district near Canton, China, forged a

successful alliance that spanned most of the first half of

the twentieth century. After erecting a building at the east

edge of Chinatown at 115/117/119 South Main, Hum Yow & Co.

established a Chinese mercantile there, to at least the late

1910s. By 1914, a Sanborn map shows Hum Yow's noodle parlor

on the second floor, while Tam Kwong Yee managed a club room

on the first floor facing onto China Alley.

The inhabitants of Butte's Chinatown formed social clubs

that were similar to other fraternal organizations of that

time. The purpose of these organizations, according to their

articles of incorporation, was to provide for ``. . . mutual

helpfulness, mental and moral improvement, mental recreation

. . .'' and so on. Artifacts from three known Chinese clubs

were found in the basement of the Pekin. Along with the

clubs' signs, such items as membership rosters, instruments,

maps and photos tell part of the story of these long-gone

associations.

In the new country, where the Chinese population was

predominantly single men who knew little English, gambling

was not only a tradition that continued but also became a

major form of recreation during social gatherings. As

gambling drew in other ethnic groups to Chinatown, the

gambling parlors eventually gained entrances on Main Street

proper. On the face of the Pekin building, it was in the form

of a ``cigar store'' called the London Company at 119 South

Main. Hum's Pekin Noodle Parlor and Tam's London Company

gambling hall were staples of Butte's Chinatown until

gambling was closed across Montana in 1952.

Unlike many of his countrymen in Butte, Hum Yow married

while in the U.S. His wife, Sui (Bessie) Wong, was born and

raised in San Francisco. Shortly after marrying in 1915, the

Hums began their family, raising their three children in the

Pekin building. Tam Kwong Yee, on the other hand, had left

his wife and children behind in China but remained close to

them, providing financially for both basic needs and advanced

education.

As a model of his family values, Tam had been trained as an

herbal doctor in China before emigrating to the U.S. It was

many years, however, before he had the opportunity to

practice his trade in Butte. There were several Chinese

herbal doctors in Butte over the years. The most well-known

of those from the early twentieth century was Huie Pock, who

had his business in the next block of South Main from the

Pekin. Several years after Huie's death in 1927, Tam acquired

his collection of Chinese herbs.

By 1942, Tam opened his business, ``Joe Tom's Herbs,'' on

the first floor of the Pekin Noodle Parlor building (at the

115 South Main address). The business name suggests that Tam

specialized in dispensing herbs rather than diagnoses. His

on-site advertising, however, promoted ``free consultation''

as well.

In 1947, Tam's grandson, Ding Tam joined the older man in

Butte. Just as thousands of Chinese immigrants before him,

Ding came to the U.S. to make money to support his family

back home. He quickly became known by the more Americanized

name of Danny Wong, the last name taken from Bessie Wong's

family. Several years later he took over the Pekin Noodle

Parlor while his grandfather continued working as a Chinese

herbal doctor. Danny married Sharon Chu on August 9, 1963,

and raised five children in Butte, passing down the Tam

family's appreciation for higher education, commitment to

hard work, and business savvy.

I suggest the absence of a quorum.

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

Mr. President, Christopher Reeve once said that ``A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.''

Today I wish to call attention to five Montana heroes--everyday folks making a superheroic effort to help their friends and neighbors. I enjoy sharing these stories. I am proud of these stories because they tell the story about what it is to be a Montanan.

For all the flooding that is going on in my State of Montana and in other States of the Nation, I am happy to mention the names of many Montana heroes who have been rising above and beyond the call of duty and are following Christopher Reeve's definition of what it means to be a hero.

We in Montana pride ourselves in helping our fellow neighbors. I know that is true in States all across our country. I don't want to say it is just in the State of Montana, but I can say that in our State it is special. We in Montana sometimes say we are one big small town. It is a big State, not a lot of people. We tend to know each other. There is a strong sense of camaraderie and community which I think is even stronger in my State than perhaps in some others.

My home State continues to face severe flooding. The Jefferson River, which is one of the three rivers that form the headwaters of the Missouri River, is over its banks at Three Forks, MT. The Milk River, where Lewis and Clark traveled--up the Missouri and part of the way up the Milk River--continues to flood, and the Missouri River is flooding in Toston. As we know, downstream the Missouri flooding has been very significant. Rain is also in the forecast for the rest of the week. We have record snowpack levels in our State. We have a lot of flooding, and there is going to be more.

But Montanans all across our State continue to do all that is necessary and beyond to help. As we can see, this is the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation that is underwater for the second time in a year. This is the problem. The floods come and then they recede; the rains come and melt the snowpacks, so it is flooding again. This is the Rocky Boy's Reservation, one of the seven major Indian reservations in the State of Montana.

This is Bruce Sun Child, interim chairman of the Chippewa Cree Tribe. I have known Bruce for many years. He has been working around the clock to help his tribe through this emergency. For those who lost their homes, he helped them find a place to sleep. For the sick, he found a way to get them to the hospital. He is one of those guys who cares.

Dave Dickman owns a business in Great Falls called Dickman Excavation. After flooding threatened homes in Great Falls--this happens very often, usually in the Sun River which is one of the tributaries of the Missouri River. It flows into the Missouri in Great Falls. Dave Dickman donated thousands of sandbags to Montana families working to protect their homes from rising waters. This is classic. This is typical. When we asked him why he did all this and why he is working so hard, he humbly said, ``I know my neighbors would do the same for me if I needed a helping hand.''

Floyd Fisher is another Montana hero. I have been mentioning many heroes in Montana individually and specifically by name over the last couple of weeks. This is Floyd Fisher. He does it all. Floyd Fisher is the Golden Valley sheriff. He is also the county coroner. Floyd is the county fire chief. He is also the disaster emergency services director. He works as an EMT responding to ambulance calls. Floyd is a busy guy. Floyd cares. He likes to help people. After learning of a pending flash flood in Ryegate, MT, last week, we initiated the county's reverse 911 alert system. He then rushed across town door to door with an evacuation order. Shortly thereafter, 2 feet of water flooded the streets of Ryegate.

After the floods, Floyd Fisher kept at it. He directed traffic away from washed out roads. He picked up a broom to help clean out Super D's Grocery. He provided emergency medical care.

Floyd has been working around the clock, catching 2 or 3 hours of sleep when he can find it. If you want to understand Montana, look no further

than Floyd. His efforts sum it up very well.

Last week, Missoula County set up a flood hotline to help people face the rising floodwaters. Before long, the hotline received dozens of calls from volunteers wanting to help. Missoula's former rural fire chief, Curt Belts, stepped up to help. This is Curt. He has a smile on his face right now. He didn't have a smile on his face when he was helping out with the flood.

Curt worked with the United Way to organize over 60 volunteers daily. He made sure sandbags were placed at key locations around Missoula. He worked very hard--14-hour days--to minimize damage from flooding in Missoula. If we ask any volunteer around Missoula, they will tell you it was Curt who made all the difference, even down to the finest details such as sunscreen and bug spray for volunteers. Runoff is expected to swell again in Missoula. Thanks to Curt, they are much more ready.

In Lewistown, John Bebee's home was safe and dry, but his neighbors near the river were in danger. For the last 3 weeks, John has been sandbagging homes in Lewistown that are most in danger. No one needed to ask him for help. No one went to John and said: John, can you help out? He just knew what was needed. He knew on his own, and he headed out to provide that help.

In the Upper Missouri River Breaks in north central Montana, there are a lot of cottonwood trees. The cottonwood trees need floods to regenerate. Floods along the Missouri clear away rich, bare soil for new cottonwoods to take root. Hydrologists with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Lewistown said this year's floods could help establish a new generation of cottonwoods. The aging stands had been in danger of disappearing altogether.

So like the cottonwood, Montana will return from these floods stronger than ever. That is because of hundreds of unsung heroes stepping up to help. I am asking Montanans to share their stories of ordinary folks doing extraordinary things for their friends and neighbors. Whether on Facebook or by calling my office, we want to hear those inspiring stories.

In closing, I wish to share a humble thank-you. Thank you to all of Montana's heroes. I do not know what we would do without you. Thank you for your service. You are wonderful. You are aces. We all deeply appreciate all you are doing.

I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.