SRES-723-119
Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2205; text: CR S2203)
Sponsored by Mike Crapo (R-ID)
What it does
This resolution honors the life and public service of Dirk Arthur Kempthorne, who served as Mayor of Boise, U.S. Senator from Idaho, Governor of Idaho, and U.S. Secretary of the Interior. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit a copy of the resolution to Kempthorne's family and orders the Senate to adjourn as a mark of respect upon passage.
Who benefits
The Kempthorne family receives formal recognition and an enrolled copy of the resolution. The state of Idaho and its residents receive a formal congressional acknowledgment of a prominent former public official. Veterans' organizations and military families connected to Kempthorne's advocacy work, including Operation Military Blessings and the USS Idaho Commissioning Committee, receive indirect recognition.
Who is hurt
No group is materially harmed by this resolution. It carries no regulatory, fiscal, or legal effect.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that honoring former Members of the Senate upon their passing is a longstanding congressional tradition that affirms the dignity of public service. They contend that Kempthorne's record — including authoring the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 and leading the bipartisan Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996, which passed the Senate unanimously — represents a legacy of cross-partisan accomplishment worthy of formal recognition.
Opponents argue
Opponents could argue that commemorative resolutions consume limited Senate floor time that could be devoted to substantive legislation, and that the chamber's practice of adjourning as a mark of respect, however briefly, represents a minor but real interruption of legislative business. Some may contend that such honors are better expressed through other means, such as private correspondence or state-level memorials, rather than formal federal action.
Constitutional context
No significant constitutional issues are raised by this resolution. Commemorative resolutions are a well-established exercise of each chamber's authority to govern its own proceedings under Article I, Section 5, which grants each house the power to determine its rules.
Checks and balances
The Senate retains full authority over this resolution; it requires no action by the House or the President, and no branch gains or loses any substantive power.
Historical precedent
The Senate regularly passes commemorative resolutions honoring deceased former Members; this follows the same form and procedure as hundreds of prior resolutions of this type.