Author: Reilly Lowery

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines challenged the United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai on President Biden’s proposal to waive vaccine patents and called on the Biden administration to re-engage with the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) for the benefit of Montana.  To watch the exchange, click HERE.   “China has long been a serial abuser of IP, and the China Phase One deal made progress in that space. Our focus needs to be on fully and aggressively enforcing that deal. We need to strengthen and enforce our IP protections, not weaken or waive them,” Daines said. “I am very concerned that the recent decision

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines is leading efforts in the U.S. Senate to help incentivize getting Montanans back to work as the state continues to recover from the pandemic. Daines cosponsored the “Back to Work Bonus Act,” which would give currently unemployed workers who return to work a one-time payment similar to a hiring bonus, and he introduced the “Get Americans Back to Work Act,” which would end the federal unemployment pandemic enhancement payments.  “Businesses across Montana and the country are struggling to find workers and some are even being forced to close,” Daines said. “We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of this pandemic and Montanans can safely return to work. We need to be

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines is calling on President Biden to protect American innovation and not give away COVID-19 vaccine patents and IP protections to foreign countries that were made possible because of American science and ingenuity. Daines’ request comes after the Biden administration announced its support for waiving IP protections for COVID-19 vaccines earlier this month.  “Suspending World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations to protect IP on COVID-19 vaccines would not only fail to significantly speed up vaccine distribution to the rest of the world, but it would set a dangerous precedent on IP protection at the international level and undermine American innovation,” the letter states.  “IP protections

U.S. SENATE– U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that $12,031,247.00 will be allocated to various airports across Montana to strengthen air travel infrastructure. “These grants will help local Montana airports with infrastructure projects and improve their ability to accommodate the high travel demand that Montana faces each summer. I’m glad to see these airports receive the support that they need,” Daines said. The $12,031,247.00 will be distributed to the following airports: $708,363.00 to Bozeman Yellowstone International in Bozeman, MT to acquire aircraft rescue & firefighting safety equipment, acquire aircraft rescue & firefighting vehicle $2,475,968.00 to Frank Wiley Field in Miles City, MT to install airport beacons, rehabilitate taxiway,

U.S. SENATE– U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that the National Museum of Forest Service History in Missoula will be receiving a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant of $250,000. “I’m glad to see the National Museum of Forest Service History in Missoula receive resources that will contribute to community outreach and education on the importance of our forests, timber jobs and timber products. This funding will help support and maintain Montana’s rich timber legacy,” Daines said. The funding was secured in the spending package which passed in December 2020.