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Author: Reilly Lowery

Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Diekmann Peak bill headed to president’s desk

January 18, 2018

A bill to name a peak in the Madison Range for a prominent conservationist has cleared both the U.S. House and Senate, and will now be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature. The bill will dub an unnamed peak in the Madison Range for the late Alex Diekmann, who worked as a project manager for the Trust for Public Land out of its Bozeman office. Diekmann died of cancer in 2016. The bill cleared the U.S. Senate in late December and was passed out of the U.S. House on Tuesday. In a news release issued by the Trust

Daines Commits to Long-Term Reauthorization of CHIP, to Keep Government Open

January 17, 2018

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced his support for a proposal that would reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for six years and keep the government open. To watch the video click HERE. To download the video click HERE. “24,000 Montana children depend on CHIP for vital health care services,” said Daines. “I am announcing my full support for a bill now moving through Congress that reauthorizes this critical program while avoiding a damaging government shutdown. It is inexcusable to let partisanship deny Montana families the certainty that this long-term CHIP reauthorization brings.” Background: The U.S. House

The Washington Free Beacon: Eight Senate Republicans Join Attempt to Derail Crucial Surveillance Program

January 17, 2018

A coalition of privacy-minded senators nearly succeeded Tuesday night in blocking the path to extend a critical government surveillance program that allows the National Security Agency to target foreign communications without a warrant. Eight Senate Republicans joined more than two-dozen Democrats in an attempt to derail the extension of the program, but their efforts ultimately fell short by one vote. The final vote count was 60 to 38. The Senate Republicans who voted against advancing the measure to renew the spying authorities for six years were Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Steve Daines of Montana, Cory Gardner of Colorado, Dean

KBZK: Cloud Peak lands major deal to ship Montana coal to Japan

January 17, 2018

GILLETTE, Wyo. – Coal from the Powder River Basin will soon be on its way to Japan to fuel two new coal gasification plants in Fukushima Prefecture. Gillette, Wyo.-based Cloud Peak Energy, which operates the Spring Creek Mine near Decker, will begin to ship up to 1 million tons of coal a year to Japan by the end of 2019, the company announced Tuesday. The coal will power two, state-of-the-art, coal gasification plants that will begin operation in 2020. These types of plants use combined-cycle technology to power the plants with reduced carbon emissions and more efficient generation. Japan is building the new next-generation coal technology plants in response

Daines Calls for Protections to Americans’ Privacy

January 16, 2018

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) for a bipartisan press conference regarding reforming Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to protect Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights. Watch the video HERE. Download the video HERE. “As Americans we are grateful we are born with certain rights outlined in our Constitution under the Bill of Rights,” said Daines. “Montanans should be able to talk on the phone and send messages to their friends and loved ones without fearing the government will collect data

Daines, Gianforte Announce West Point Nominee from Two Dot

January 16, 2018

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Congressman Greg Gianforte announced the following West Point Nominee of appointment: Amanda Lynn Martin who attends Harlowtown High School and is from Two Dot Montana. “I commend Amanda on making it into West Point, I know she will represent Montana well,” said Daines. “As an outstanding student and leader, she will continue to excel in all she does.” “I congratulate Amanda for her offer of appointment to West Point. Given her tremendous background, Amanda will represent Montana and serve our country with great honor and pride,” said Gianforte.   ###

Daines Applauds Agreement between Cloud Peak Energy and JERA Trading

January 16, 2018

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today applauded the announced agreement between Cloud Peak Energy and JERA Trading to supply coal from Montana-based Spring Creek Mine to two power plants currently under construction in Japan. “This is exciting news for Montana jobs, including tribal jobs, and state and local tax coffers as well. Montana coal is high quality and low sulphur, high efficiency, and it’s playing an important role in meeting global demand for low-cost energy,” said Daines. “Unfortunately, the lack of export infrastructure is holding back our Montana mines from being able to fully meet the growing demand. It’s time

Daines Files Amicus Brief Defending Freedom of Speech, Affirming Life

January 16, 2018

U.S. SENATE – Senator Steve Daines today led the filing of a bipartisan, bicameral amicus brief calling on the Supreme Court of the United States to protect Americans’ constitutional right to freedom of speech and religious liberty as it considers National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) v. Becerra. National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) v. Becerra challenges the constitutionality of California law AB 775, also known as the Reproductive FACT Act, which forces California pro-life pregnancy centers to advertise for abortions and requires non-medical pregnancy care centers to publish large disclaimers of their non-medical status. “Pro-life

Daines Marks Religious Freedom Day

January 16, 2018

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today recognized Religious Freedom Day by introducing a resolution to celebrate and reaffirm the role of religious freedom as a fundamental human and Constitutional right. “The first freedom protected under the Bill of Rights is religious freedom, giving every American the right to be free to live and work in accordance with their religious beliefs free from fear of government restrictions,” said Daines. “With all the international and domestic unrest our society faces, this resolution reminds our country that for 232 years, we have stood strong for religious freedom and must continue doing so.”   The resolution

Real Clear Politics: Press Conference: Bipartisan Group of Five Senators Plans to Fillibuster FISA Reauthorization

January 16, 2018

A bipartisan coalition of five senators has announced their intention to filibuster the FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017, a bill that expands warrantless surveillance of American citizens. Last week, the House passed a nearly identical bill. Led by Republican Senator Rand Paul and Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, the group of 3 Democrats and 2 Republicans held a press conference Tuesday about their own version of the bill, the USA Rights Act, which would require intelligence agencies to get warrants to read the communications of U.S. citizens. Elizabeth Warren, Steve Daines, and Patrick Leahy join Paul and Wyden. “I think