Category: News Article

Health insurers no longer will be immune from federal antitrust laws that prohibit collusion and price-rigging under a bill that President Donald Trump signed into law last week. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, was among a bipartisan group of lawmakers who backed the legislation, known as the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act. It removes a 75-year-old exemption for health insurance carriers in federal antitrust laws that apply to nearly all other sectors of the economy. Supporters say it will deter anticompetitive practices that lead to artificially high premiums and harmful policy exclusions, saving Americans potentially billions of dollars in health-care

MISSOULA, Mont. — All three members of Montana’s Congressional delegation attended the inauguration of President Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States, and Vice President Kamala Harris, the nation’s first woman and first person of color elected to that position. “You know, as Joe (Biden) said — don’t tell me things can’t change, because things have changed. And hopefully this is the first of many women that will be in the executive branch, whether it’s vice president or president,” Sen. Jon Tester said. “I just think it’s a great sign for the country.” “Kamala Harris was also —

MISSOULA, Mont. — President-elect Joe Biden may be planning to put an end to the Keystone XL pipeline on his first day in office through an executive order. The proposed pipeline, which would run through eastern Montana, has been met with several obstacles despite support from the Trump administration. Senator Steve Daines is speaking out against any decision to put an end to the pipeline saying it would be detrimental to Montana’s job growth. In a statement Monday, Daines said he urges Biden “to consider the devastating repercussions for states like Montana” A spokesperson for senator Jon Tester says he

During the battle for the Republican nomination in 2016, President Trump aimed to sway Western voters by praising the nation’s “beautiful” sprawling federal estate, while criticizing its lands managers as “draconian.” Following his election that same year, Trump vowed to honor the legacy of President Theodore Roosevelt in part by protecting public lands for hunters, anglers and other recreational users (E&E Daily, Dec. 7, 2016). As he prepares to exit the White House tomorrow, observers suggest Trump’s legacy on public lands reflects his campaign rhetoric — rolling back environmental regulations, focusing on “energy dominance” — more than his onetime pledge

Brief Background The new law amends the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945, which has long exempted insurers from federal antitrust laws. The McCarran-Ferguson Act was passed in response to a Supreme Court decision in 1944 known as United States v. South-Eastern Underwriters Association. In that case, the Court held that the business of insurance, when conducted across state lines, was interstate commerce and could thus be regulated under the Commerce Clause. As a result, the federal Sherman Act, an antitrust law, applied to insurers. (An earlier Supreme Court decision from 1869, Paul v. Virginia, had reached the opposite conclusion on the Commerce Clause, leaving

President-elect Biden’s Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen appeared before the Senate Finance Committee Feb. 19, fielding questions on the economy, taxes and debt, as well as her views on various retirement security issues.   Yellen is widely expected to be confirmed by the Senate, perhaps as soon as this week, so the hearing was, in large part, more of a formality, but the former Federal Reserve chair and Treasury nominee did share some important insights.   Under questioning by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), she indicated support for efforts to help Americans save more for retirement. Cardin premised his question by noting that, as a result of

A group of western Republican U.S. lawmakers, including Rep. Matt Rosendale and Sen. Steve Daines, are urging President-elect Joe Biden to change his mind about blocking the Keystone XL pipeline shortly after he takes office. Daines co-signed a letter with four other senators, John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, asking Biden to support the pipeline, which would run partially through eastern Montana. Biden, a Democrat, is reportedly planning to block the pipeline as one of his first actions after taking office Wednesday, according to Canada’s CBC News. Daines, Rosendale and the

The U.S. Capitol and the surrounding area is on high alert after the riot that took place just over a week ago. Ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday, Montana legislators are planning on attending the ceremony in person, despite changes. Senator Jon Tester’s (D-MT) office confirmed Monday night that the senator is planning on attending the inauguration in person. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) plans on attending and said it’s a long standing tradition. “I will be attending President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony,” Daines said. “It is a privilege to attend as it is a long-standing tradition, signals a

BILLINGS – Montana State University Billings commemorated the 35th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday in a virtual ceremony Monday. Dr. King was a minister and activist who eventually became the face of the civil rights movement. He led the Montgomery bus boycotts, which ultimately led to a U.S. Supreme Court decision to outlaw segregation. King advocated for non-violent protests, and is famously remembered for his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech he delivered in 1963 in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Stefani Hicswa, Chancellor of MSUB said, “When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement

Word that President-elect Joe Biden might cancel the Keystone XL pipeline permit this week evoked quick a response from Montanans who have fought for years over the Canadian tar sands project. Biden’s cancellation of the permit first appeared on a transaction briefing note for Wednesday, Inauguration Day, initially reported by CBC News. The possibility set off a whirl of responses, including in Montana where Native Americans and environmentalists have resisted the pipeline since it was first proposed 14 years ago. “It is a surprise because Native Americans are always forgotten about, but Biden did sign our promise to protect,” said