S1454 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 27, 2017 the Campfire Club of America, and the Amer- conducted inside National Park and reconsider be considered made and laid ican Game Protective and Propagation Asso- Preserve using the age-old tradition of dog upon the table with no intervening ac- ciation, sponsored early expeditions, includ- mushing; and tion or debate. ing those of Sheldon and Brown, and advo- Whereas Denali National Park and Pre- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without cated for the creation of a national park at serve, known for its breathtaking scenery Denali; and iconic wildlife, protects more than objection, it is so ordered. Whereas in 1910, miners from the 6,000,000 acres of towering mountains, expan- The resolution (S. Res. 69) was agreed Kantishna Hills discovered an approach by sive valleys, glacial rivers of ice, braided to. which Denali might be climbed, relying on streams, and wildland for the benefit of all The preamble was agreed to. years of observations while following quartz people of the United States: Now, therefore, (The resolution, with its preamble, is leads and hunting sheep in the foothills of be it printed in today’s RECORD under ‘‘Sub- the Denali area; Resolved, That the Senate— mitted Resolutions.’’) Whereas Athabascan joined (1) congratulates and celebrates Denali Na- Archdeacon , , tional Park and Preserve on its centennial f and to successfully summit anniversary; the highest peak of Denali in 1913, opening (2) encourages all people of the State of ORDERS FOR TUESDAY, the door for thousands of individuals to test Alaska and the United States to visit and ex- FEBRUARY 28, 2017 their own endurance and fortitude by at- perience this national treasure; and Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I tempting to climb the giant massif; (3) designates February 26, 2017, as ‘‘Denali ask unanimous consent that when the Whereas President Woodrow Wilson signed National Park and Preserve Day’’. into law the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to estab- Senate completes its business today, it lish the Mount McKinley National Park, in f adjourn until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb- the Territory of Alaska’’, approved February AUTHORIZING APPOINTMENT OF ruary 28; that following the prayer and 26, 1917 (39 Stat. 938, chapter 121), for the ben- ESCORT COMMITTEE pledge, the morning hour be deemed efit and enjoyment of the people of the expired, the Journal of proceedings be United States and the preservation of the Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I approved to date, and the time for the Denali area’s scenic beauty, animals, birds, ask unanimous consent that the Pre- two leaders be reserved for their use and fish; siding Officer of the Senate be author- Whereas Congress expanded the boundaries later in the day, and morning business of Mount McKinley National Park in 1922, ized to appoint a committee on the be closed; further, that following leader 1932, and 1980 and renamed that national part of the Senate to join with a like remarks, the Senate proceed to execu- park Denali National Park and Preserve committee on the part of the House of tive session and resume consideration after the traditional Koyukon Athabascan Representatives to escort the President of the Zinke nomination postcloture; name for the highest peak in the park, of the United States into the House finally, that all time during leader re- Deenaalee, meaning the High One; Chamber for the joint session to be marks, morning business, recess, and Whereas Denali National Park and Pre- held at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, February 28, adjournment of the Senate count serve protects and interprets Denali, which 2017. is the highest mountain in North America, postcloture on the Zinke nomination. at 20,310 feet, and the tallest above-water The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without mountain, with a vertical relief of almost objection, it is so ordered. objection, it is so ordered. 18,000 feet measured from its base; f Whereas Denali National Park and Pre- f serve preserves a wild subarctic landscape APPOINTMENTS ORDER FOR ADJOURNMENT with a rich and diverse tapestry of plant life and intact ecosystems where bears, wolves, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Mr. MCCONNELL. If there is no fur- caribou, moose, and Dall sheep roam as they Chair, on behalf of the Democratic ther business to come before the Sen- have for thousands of years; leader, pursuant to the provisions of S. ate, I ask unanimous consent that it Whereas Denali National Park and Pre- Res. 64, adopted March 5, 2013, appoints stand adjourned under the previous serve protects a wide array of fossils that the following Senators as members of order, following the remarks of Mr. point to an age 70,000,000 years ago, when di- the Senate National Security Working DAINES. nosaurs roamed that northern land; Group for the 115th Congress: Dianne Whereas Denali National Park and Pre- The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. serve contains 2 of the oldest-known archae- Feinstein of California (Democratic YOUNG). Without objection, it is so or- ology sites in North America, the oldest of Administrative Co-Chairman), Jack dered. which dates to just over 13,000 years old; Reed of Rhode Island (Democratic Co- The Senator from Montana. Whereas glaciers still blanket 1⁄6 of Denali Chairman), Robert Menendez of New National Park and Preserve and continue to Jersey (Democratic Co-Chairman), f shape the landscape by carving mountains, Richard J. Durbin of , Bill Nel- NOMINATION OF RYAN ZINKE feeding silt-laden rivers, and depositing rock son of Florida, Benjamin L. Cardin of Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, tonight and silt across the valleys; Maryland, Robert P. Casey, Jr., of Whereas Denali National Park and Pre- the Senate took a long overdue step serve was designated as an International Pennsylvania, Heidi Heitkamp of North forward in finally confirming Congress- Dakota, and Tammy Duckworth of Illi- Biosphere Reserve in 1976 and has become a man RYAN ZINKE to be our next Sec- premier international tourist destination; nois. retary of the Interior. You know, we Whereas in 2016, nearly 600,000 visitors set f could have done this on January 20. foot in Denali National Park and Preserve, the greatest number of visitors in the his- CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY You see, RYAN ZINKE is not a con- tory of Denali National Park and Preserve MONTH troversial nominee. He is a westerner. and a record number of visitors for the State He is a Montanan whom we need serv- of Alaska; Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I ing as our next Secretary. Whereas Denali National Park and Pre- ask unanimous consent that the Sen- Back on January 17, when the Energy serve has provided a wide array of visitor ex- ate proceed to the immediate consider- and Natural Resources Committee had periences to tourists, including hiking, dog ation of S. Res. 69, submitted earlier a hearing on RYAN ZINKE’s nomination, mushing, rafting, and cycling; today. I detailed for the committee exactly Whereas Denali National Park and Pre- The PRESIDING OFFICER. The why he is a good fit for this job. serve’s historic Denali Park Road provides clerk will report the resolution by visitors with unparalleled opportunities to Frankly, it is shameful that it took experience and explore millions of acres of title. this body this long to move forward on an accessible wildlife sanctuary that rep- The legislative clerk read as follows: RYAN ZINKE’s nomination. You see, this resents one of the crown jewels of the United A resolution (S. Res. 69) celebrating Black is a historic moment for Montana, as States; History Month. Congressman ZINKE will be the first Whereas residents of the State of Alaska There being no objection, the Senate Montanan ever to serve in a Presi- continue their subsistence way of life by proceeded to consider the resolution. dent’s Cabinet. That dates back to hunting and gathering in the majority of Denali National Park and Preserve; Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, I statehood in 1889. Whereas Denali National Park and Pre- further ask unanimous consent that Back in 1979, there was a junior from serve hosts the only working sled dog kennel the resolution be agreed to, the pre- Bozeman High School and another jun- in a national park, and winter patrols are amble be agreed to, and the motions to ior from Whitefish High School who

VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:07 Feb 28, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00034 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A27FE6.034 S27FEPT1 rfrederick on DSKBCBPHB2PROD with SENATE February 27, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S1455 were both headed to Dillon, MT, for ations on four continents. RYAN ZINKE stands more than most that these one- Boys State. They were both Boys State earned two Bronze Stars and many size-fits-all policies from Washington, delegates. In fact, the keynote speaker other awards for his service to our Na- DC, never work for real America. The that year was a newly elected U.S. Sen- tion. We should all be thankful to him, bureaucrats in Washington, DC, often- ator. He had been elected in the fall of to his wife Lola, and their children for times can’t even find Montana on a 1978. This was June of 1979, at Boys his service. map. State, and this Senator was named Following his retirement from the RYAN ZINKE is whip smart. He is a Max Baucus. Navy, after more than two decades of guy you want in your corner while you So 38 years later, that kid from Boze- honorable service to our Nation, RYAN are fighting in the streets of Fallujah man was serving on the U.S. Senate came back home to Montana, and he for your life or you are fighting on the Energy and Natural Resources Com- continued to serve again, this time in floor of Congress for your livelihood. mittee, and that kid from Whitefish our State government. RYAN ran for He listens. He fights for what he be- was testifying before that very same and won a seat in the State senate and lieves in. I have absolutely no doubt he committee to be the next Secretary of then as Montana’s sole Representative will be a fighter for America; he will be the Interior. in the U.S. House. a fighter for our public lands as the You see, RYAN ZINKE was also captain For the past couple of years, RYAN next Secretary of the Interior. So I of the soon-to-be undefeated State has been a strong supporter of con- look forward to confirming RYAN ZINKE champion Whitefish Bulldogs football servation, of responsible natural re- within the next day and a half. team. He was also president of his sources development, of LWCF, as well Mr. President, I yield the floor. class. as increased recreational access to our After high school RYAN went on to public lands. f the University of Oregon, where he was RYAN grew up 30 minutes from Gla- a full-scholarship, starting athlete for cier National Park. I grew up about 60 ADJOURNMENT UNTIL 10 A.M. the Oregon Ducks football team, where minutes from Yellowstone National TOMORROW he won numerous awards for both out- Park. We both understand the impor- standing academic and athletic per- tance of our national parks. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under formance. He majored in geology, a RYAN is intimately familiar with the the previous order, the Senate stands subject matter that I know has served vast jurisdiction of the Department of adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow. him well in serving the people of Mon- Interior because he has lived it. He has Thereupon, the Senate, at 8 p.m., ad- tana. seen his own hometown suffer due to journed until Tuesday, February 28, RYAN ZINKE was a U.S. Navy SEAL bad government policies that hurt 2017, at 10 a.m. commander whose assignments in- rural communities like Libby, where cluded the elite SEAL Team Six. In the logging industry has been deci- f fact, part of that tenure was serving mated; like Malta, like Colstrip, which under General Mattis—now Secretary depend on our public lands for access. CONFIRMATION Mattis—as the commander of Joint Above all, RYAN is a Montanan who Executive nomination confirmed by Special Forces in Iraq at the very grew up on our public lands. He knows the Senate February 27, 2017: height of insurgent activity. that we must strike the right balance DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE During his 23 years as a U.S. Navy between conservation and responsible WILBUR L. ROSS, JR., OF FLORIDA, TO BE SECRETARY SEAL, RYAN conducted special oper- energy development, and he under- OF COMMERCE.

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