Category: Press Release

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that the U.S. Department of the Interior will be directing $36.2 million in Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) to Montana’s small and rural counties. “I’m glad to see this funding going to Montana communities where it will be put to good use,” Daines said. “The PILT program helps provide essential services in Montana’s rural counties, and I will continue to support this critical program.” The federal government directs PILT funds to local governments to offset the loss of property taxes from federally owned lands in that county. Montana’s small and rural counties use PILT funds to

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) reintroduced the bipartisan “Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act” to stop the abuse of conservation easements, save taxpayers billions of dollars and promote conservation in the United States.  “Montana farmers and ranchers work hard to conserve our lands while scam artists are taking advantage of the conservation easement program,” Daines said. “This type of abuse cannot continue. My bipartisan bill will go after bad actors and help save taxpayers billions of dollars while promoting conservation across the nation.” “Our bill preserves the integrity of the conservation easement program which plays an important role

U.S. CONGRESS — U.S. Senator Steve Daines and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik today introduced a bicameral bill to require the Biden administration open the northern border and revitalize American jobs and tourism. “It is unacceptable that President Biden continues to ignore the needs of Montanans and keep the northern border closed while supporting the southern border being wide open to a surge of illegal immigrants and a flood of illegal drugs into our Montana communities,” Daines said. “Access to the northern border is critical for Montana jobs, agriculture and tourism. We cannot wait any longer for Biden to do what’s right—it’s time to reopen the northern border for Montana.” “The Biden administration’s inability to establish a plan to restore cross-border

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that $3,666,500 will be allocated to the Missoula Urban Transportation District’s “Two Agencies, One Goal: All-Electric, Zero Emission Fleets” project. “This is great news for Missoula and will help Missoula’s Urban Transportation District follow their fleet replacement plan.” The funding will be used to replace four diesel busses with four all-electric, zero-emission busses and associated charging infrastructure. Daines wrote a letter of support for this program funding. Click HERE to read it. Daines voted for this funding in December 2020.  ### Contact: Katherine McKeogh, Katie Schoettler

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today voted against Senate Democrats’ partisan election takeover bill, S.1, to help preserve state-run elections in Montana, prevent taxpayer dollars from being used to fund political campaigns, and ensure commonsense election integrity provisions like voter ID requirements remain in place.   “The Democrats’ partisan election takeover bill isn’t ‘for the people’ it’s ‘for the politicians,’” Daines said. “I voted against this political power grab by Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, which would undo Montana’s photo ID requirements and force Montana taxpayers to fund political ads. Last election, Montanans were overwhelmed with hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign ads—the last

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines is urging Department of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to prioritize cybersecurity of the Treasury and the entire banking system. Daines pressed Yellen in a Senate Finance hearing about whether her focus on climate change risks is coming at the expense of strengthening cyber defense in the financial sector. Watch and download video of the exchange HERE. “Secretary Yellen, at the most recent Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) meeting last Friday, June 11, you outlined three key priorities: 1. vulnerabilities in nonbank financial intermediation, 2. climate change, and 3. Treasury market resilience,” said Daines. “I am concerned

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized federal funds to help the State of Montana with the firefighting costs for the Robertson Draw Fire that is currently burning in Carbon County. “I’m glad to see Montana receive the help it needs to ensure our firefighters and first responders are able to fight this growing fire,” Daines said. “I will continue to monitor the situation and work with local officials to protect our communities and secure critical resources to help contain the Robertson Draw Fire.” Montana requested a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) declaration yesterday and it was