S.Res. 723

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 723 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 723

Honoring the life of Dirk Arthur Kempthorne, former United States 
Senator for the State of Idaho.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 11, 2026

Mr. Crapo (for himself, Mr. Risch, Mr. Thune, Mr. Schumer, Ms. 
Alsobrooks, Mr. Armstrong, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Banks, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. 
Bennet, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Blunt Rochester, Mr. 
Booker, Mr. Boozman, Mrs. Britt, Mr. Budd, Ms. Cantwell, Mrs. Capito, 
Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Collins, Mr. Coons, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. 
Cotton, Mr. Cramer, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Curtis, Mr. Daines, Ms. Duckworth, 
Mr. Durbin, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Fetterman, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Gallego, Mrs. 
Gillibrand, Mr. Graham, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Hagerty, Ms. Hassan, Mr. 
Hawley, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Hickenlooper, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. 
Husted, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Justice, Mr. Kaine, Mr. 
Kelly, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Kim, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Lankford, Mr. 
Lee, Mr. Lujan, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Markey, Mr. Marshall, Mr. McConnell, 
Mr. McCormick, Mr. Merkley, Mrs. Moody, Mr. Moran, Mr. Moreno, Ms. 
Murkowski, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Ossoff, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Paul, 
Mr. Peters, Mr. Reed, Mr. Ricketts, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Rounds, Mr. Sanders, 
Mr. Schatz, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Schmitt, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. Scott of 
South Carolina, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Sheehy, Ms. Slotkin, Ms. Smith, Mr. 
Sullivan, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Tuberville, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Mr. 
Warnock, Ms. Warren, Mr. Welch, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Wyden, 
and Mr. Young) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 
and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Honoring the life of Dirk Arthur Kempthorne, former United States 
Senator for the State of Idaho.

Whereas Dirk Kempthorne was born on October 29, 1951, in San Diego, California 
and raised in San Bernardino, California, where he graduated from San 
Gorgonio High School in 1970, before moving to his long-time home, 
Idaho;
Whereas, in 1975, Dirk Kempthorne graduated from the University of Idaho, in 
Moscow, Idaho, with a degree in political science and served as the 
student body president of the University;
Whereas, in 1977, Dirk Kempthorne married Patricia Galvin atop Moscow Mountain;
Whereas Dirk Kempthorne was elected as Mayor of Boise in 1985;
Whereas, with his steady, locally driven leadership, Dirk Kempthorne led Idaho's 
capital city through a transformation period, in which Boise experienced 
unprecedented job growth and the revitalization of infrastructure and 
commerce, and which led to the construction of many of the Boise 
landmarks residents and visitors know today, including the Grove Plaza, 
Boise Centre, and the Wells Fargo Building;
Whereas Dirk Kempthorne carried his approach to leadership to the United States 
Senate, when he was elected in 1992 to serve a single, but 
consequential, term;
Whereas, during Dirk Kempthorne's tenure in the Senate, he--

(1) was recognized by the Majority Leader at the time, Bob Dole, as 
``one of the Senate's rising young stars'';

(2) advocated for Idaho and the West on several key committees, 
including the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Small Business 
and Entrepreneurship, and the Committee on Environment and Public Works;

(3) authored and voted for several important pieces of legislation, 
including the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.), 
which provided much-needed relief for State and local governments burdened 
by Federal regulations; and

(4) led in writing the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 
(Public Law 104-741; 110 Stat. 1613), a bipartisan effort the Senate passed 
unanimously and President Bill Clinton signed into law that gave local 
communities and water systems the flexibility to meet local needs while 
protecting public health, which was emblematic of Dirk's unique ability to 
build consensus and deliver real results;

Whereas, in 1998, Dirk Kempthorne returned to his home State and was elected the 
30th governor of Idaho;
Whereas Governor Kempthorne built upon the strong foundation set by his 
predecessor and mentor, Phil Batt, and guided Idaho into the era of 
prosperity and resilience that residents enjoy today;
Whereas Governor Kempthorne balanced States' rights and proven, community-based 
solutions and prioritized the responsible stewardship of Idaho's natural 
resources, including by establishing the Department of Environmental 
Quality and Office of Species Conservation, which developed wolf and 
grizzly bear management plans;
Whereas Governor Kempthorne also championed the historic Grant Anticipation 
Revenue Vehicles (GARVEE) bond program, which provided unprecedented 
funding for long-overdue transportation improvements across the State;
Whereas Governor Kempthorne implemented numerous economic development and 
education efforts, including an initiative focused on ensuring every 
Idaho child could read at grade level by the third grade;
Whereas Dirk Kempthorne led Idahoans through the economic recession of the early 
2000s and the aftermath of 9/11 with steadiness and compassion;
Whereas Dirk Kempthorne was confirmed as the 49th United States Secretary of the 
Interior under President George W. Bush on May 26, 2006;
Whereas, as Secretary of the Interior, Dirk Kempthorne brought Idaho's common 
sense and shared values to the executive branch, as he spearheaded the 
Department's work to ensure America's public lands were preserved and 
managed wisely, balancing conservation with the needs of the communities 
that depended on them;
Whereas, as he had done throughout his life, Dirk Kempthorne prioritized 
collaboration and local input, particularly when it came to forest 
health, species management, and wildfire prevention, and his dedication 
to the outdoors continued to his last day, through his support for the 
World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise and The Peregrine Fund;
Whereas Dirk Kempthorne was guided by the belief that cooperation, not 
confrontation, should be the hallmark of conservation efforts;
Whereas Dirk Kempthorne's steadfast advocacy for the men and women of the Armed 
Forces of the United States was another core pillar of his leadership;
Whereas, most recently, Dirk Kempthorne had devoted his talents to initiatives 
supporting the families of servicemembers, including Operation Military 
Blessings, and the commissioning of the USS Idaho;
Whereas Dirk Kempthorne's leadership on the USS Idaho Commissioning Committee 
helped to ensure the success of the ship and to raise enough to provide 
scholarships to every crew member and their family for the life of the 
ship;
Whereas Dirk Kempthorne's incredible legacy will live on in the heart of the USS 
Idaho, as its engine room is named in his honor and bears a plaque that 
reads, ``The Honorable Dirk A. Kempthorne, A Driving Force for the Great 
State of Idaho, Whose Legacy Endures, Above and Below the Waves'';and
Whereas Idahoans owe a debt of gratitude to Dirk Kempthorne for a lifetime spent 
shaping what he called the ``43rd star in the galaxy of states that make 
up the greatest nation in the world'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That--
(1) the Senate--
(A) has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret 
the announcement of the death of Dirk Kempthorne, 
former Member of the Senate;
(B) mourns the loss of Dirk Kempthorne and prays 
for his loved ones, including his children Heather and 
Jeff, and his wife of nearly 50 years, Patricia;
(C) remembers Dirk Kempthorne as a friend, a 
dedicated public servant, and an advocate for Idaho, 
veterans, the great outdoors, and more;
(D) directs the Secretary of the Senate--
(i) to communicate this resolution to the 
House of Representatives; and
(ii) to transmit an enrolled copy of this 
resolution to the family of Dirk Kempthorne; 
and
(2) when the Senate adjourns today, it stands adjourned as 
a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Dirk 
Kempthorne.
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