Category: Press Release

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today remarked about the uncertainty in the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) and the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) programs and the need to provide certainty for Montana counties. Daines today participated in a U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on federal payments to local governments provided through SRS and PILT, and the need to provide greater fiscal certainty for resource-dependent communities with tax-exempt federal lands. Click HERE to watch Daines’ questioning. Click HERE to download Daines’ questioning. “I hear from Montana counties every year about their frustration with the uncertainty

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today took to the Senate floor to highlight Montana Ag Summit 2017 that will take place May 31-June 1 in Great Falls.   Click HERE to watch. Click HERE to download. Daines’ remarks as prepared are below:  “I have good news for Montana – a week ago yesterday, the Senate voted to confirm former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue as our next Secretary of Agriculture.  “Secretary Perdue and I discussed Montana ag and the need to expand agricultural access to foreign markets when we met prior to his confirmation hearing.   “I believe that he will

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced legislation to require U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to remove personally identifiable information (PII) from vessel manifest sheets before making them available for public disclosure.  The Moving Americans Privacy Protection Act would simply amend the manifest disclosure process to explicitly require the removal of individuals’ PII, such as, residential addresses, social security numbers, and passport numbers. The bill retains the original intent of manifest disclosures and protects PII.  “We need to protect Americans’ privacy and automatically remove this personal information, rather than requiring folks to make a request

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that newly confirmed U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will deliver a keynote address at the Montana Ag Summit 2017. The summit, co-sponsored by Daines, will take place in Great Falls on May 31 and June 1, 2017. The Montana Ag Summit will bring the nation’s agricultural leaders to Montana’s Golden Triangle. The summit will focus on strengthening international relationships for Montana agriculture, showcasing technological advancements, promoting the next generation of farmers and ranchers, and discussing the challenges of federal policies and regulations.  “I’m excited to host Secretary Perdue in Montana for

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today recognized Emma Homer of Ashland for the many years she has helped children in eastern Montana.    Daines’ recognition in the Congressional Record is available here.  Through his “Montanan of the Week” initiative, Daines each week will highlight a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the official Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress. Daines welcomes anyone to nominate fellow Montanans for Daines’ “Montanan of the Week” program by calling Daines’ office at 202-224-2651 or by filling out the contact form on Daines’ website: http://www.daines.senate.gov/connect/email-steve The following is the

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) have introduced legislation to encourage cross boundary management of forests to protect water resources, enhance wildlife habitat, restore forest health, and strengthen local economies. The bipartisan Empowering State Forestry to Improve Forest Health Act of 2017 would encourage a landscape approach to forest management. The bill has been endorsed by the American Forest Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters.  “I’ve been working closely with Montanans to make sure that we have locally-driven management of our forests,” said Daines. “This bipartisan solution will maintain healthy forests, increase the role of

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Alexander Acosta for U.S. Secretary of Labor. “Alexander Acosta will work to ensure workers in Montana have the support and protections they need and deserve,” Daines stated. “I look forward to working with Secretary Acosta to provide Montana businesses with relief from burdensome regulations so that we can promote the wellbeing of Montana workers and retirees, and create more opportunities for Montanans looking for work.” On April 25, Daines met with Acosta in his Washington, D.C. office and hand delivered a letter

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced $2,499,999.00 in funding for the Center for Asbestos Related Disease (CARD) Clinic for asbestos health screening.  “The Center for Asbestos Related Disease is a vital nonprofit resource that helps with identification treatment, and research for those with asbestos exposure,” said Daines. “Too many Montana families have suffered at the hands of asbestos and through this additional funding, Dr. Black and his team will be able to continue the excellent work they have been doing and the people of Libby will have the support they need to fight the consequences of this deadly

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) today introduced two bipartisan, bicameral bills to protect and recognize wildland firefighters. First, the Wildland Firefighter Recognition Act requires the federal government to provide a special designation to call wildland firefighters just that, wildland firefighters, rather than their current designation as forestry technicians. Providing wildland firefighters with the proper title will improve recruitment efforts and morale and also give due recognition to those brave individuals who risk their lives to protect others’ and their property.  Second, the Wildland Firefighter Fairness Act addresses several technical problems wildland firefighters face. Currently, many