rachel_dumke@daines.senate.gov, Author at Senator Steve Daines

Daines Slams Biden Administration for Mishandling of Chinese Spy Balloon, Demands Answers on China’s Acquisition of American Technology Used on Balloon

July 11, 2023

To watch Daines’ remarks, click HERE. U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today delivered remarks at the weekly Republican Senate Leadership press conference slamming President Biden for his mishandling of the Chinese spy balloon debacle and called on the Administration to provide answers on how China was able to acquire American technology that was used to spy on Montanans. “We’ve seen over the course of the first half of the year that a circus clown is better at handling balloons than the Biden administration. As if a Chinese spy balloon flying over Montana over our nuclear missiles and over the entire country wasn’t enough, we

Daines: China’s Brazen Use of U.S. Technology on Chinese Spy Balloon is Outrageous

July 11, 2023

Sends letter demanding Biden administration investigate China’s acquisition of American technology for military end-use U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today sent a letter to the Biden administration highlighting concerns with the recent reports that China used American technology to spy on the United States. In the letter, Daines demands the U.S. Departments of Defense, Commerce and Treasury investigate the situation and provide Congress a report of their findings in order to prevent future violations of U.S. national security interests. Read the full letter below. Secretaries Austin, Yellen, and Raimondo, I am alarmed by recent reports that the Chinese spy balloon was

Ahead of NATO Summit Next Week, Daines Joins Colleagues in Calling on NATO Allies to Meet Defense Spending Commitments

July 7, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines recently joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues in sending a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to stress the importance of NATO members fully meeting spending commitments ahead of the NATO summit next week. Since 2006, NATO member nations have agreed to commit a minimum of 2 percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense spending. The letter notes that despite increasing levels of aggressive behavior by authoritarian nations, particularly Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many member states continue to fail to meet their treaty obligations. “Failure of many of our allies- including some of NATO’s largest members- to meet

Daines Lauds Supreme Court Ruling Protecting Free Speech

June 30, 2023

6-3 Ruling Protects Right Not to Speak U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today issued the following statement today lauding the 6-3 ruling by the Supreme Court in 303 Creative v. Elenis that reaffirmed the government may not compel Americans to express messages they don’t believe. The case the Court heard targeted Lorie Smith, a graphic designer who did not want to create a website for a same-sex wedding based on her religious beliefs. “Today’s Supreme Court ruling is a great victory for freedom in America and freedom in Montana. In this important ruling, the Court protected freedom of speech, specifically the freedom not to speak.

Daines Statement on SCOTUS’ Decision to End Biden’s Unconstitutional Student Loan Bailout

June 30, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Biden administration’s student loan bailout. “Today’s Supreme Court ruling rejecting President Biden’s student loan bailout is a victory for hard-working American taxpayers and the rule of law in America. At its core, this bailout was one of the most extreme examples of executive overreach in history. The President himself even said he wasn’t sure he had the power to forgive $400 billion in student loan relief. “For too long Democrats from the White House to Congress have invented and abused

Daines Commends Supreme Court Ruling Removing Racial Discrimination from College Admissions

June 29, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision to remove racial discrimination from college admissions. “Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court is also a victory for a civil rights movement built on the belief that discriminating based on race is morally and ethically wrong and runs contrary to the bedrock American principle that we are all created equal. It also rights a grave mistake by institutions of higher education that have been placed more value in political battles than free thought and the wellbeing of students. Harvard and UNC turned away qualified Asian American and white students solely on the basis

Daines, Hoeven Demand EPA Rescind Rule That Would Force Colstrip to Shut Down

June 27, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines (Mont.) and John Hoeven (N.D.) today sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan demanding the EPA’s proposed Mercury and Air Toxic Standards (MATS) be reversed. The MATS proposed rule would force the Colstrip Generating Station to close, and as forty-two percent of Montana’s electricity comes from coal-fired plants, Colstrip’s closure would kill good-paying jobs, decrease grid reliability and increase in energy costs for Montanans. “We write to express our strong concerns regarding the proposed rule from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Mercury and Air Toxic Standards (MATS) published in the Federal Register on April 24, 2023. EPA’s proposed rule will threaten grid reliability and drive

Daines Provides Update on Train Derailment

June 25, 2023

Daines’ Staff Visits Site, Receives Update, Provides Assistance to Federal, State, Local Officials Click HERE for photos and HERE for TV elements. REED POINT, MT – U.S. Senator Steve Daines provided the following update today regarding the train derailment over the Yellowstone River Saturday. Daines spoke to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg yesterday and Daines’ senior staff toured the scene of the accident today with Montana Governor Greg Gianforte and his team. Below is a statement from Daines and an update on the situation on the ground from Daines’ staff. “My top priority is protecting our Montana way of life and that means ensuring the health and safety

Daines Statement on Anniversary of Dobbs Decision

June 23, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines, founder of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, today released the following statement ahead of the anniversary of the historic Dobbs decision. “Across our country we have seen great victories for Life in the year since the Supreme Court empowered the American people and their elected representatives to resolve this issue. But the fight for Life is far from done as radical demands for abortion-on-demand until birth grow fierce. I will continue to fight against abortion extremism and advocate for the most vulnerable among us until all Americans are afforded the most fundamental right—the Right to Life.”

Daines Statement on Sun Mountain Lumber Purchase of R-Y Timber in Livingston

June 23, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement after Sun Mountain Lumber announced the purchase of R-Y Timber in Livingston. “This is great news for the Livingston community, forestry jobs and Montana’s economy. Montana is rich in natural resources, including timber, and the reopening of this mill will help supply our nation with high-quality, Montana-grown lumber.”

Author: rachel_dumke@daines.senate.gov