Category: Press Release

(U.S. Senate)—Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines today pushed the authorization of the Blackfeet Water Compact through the U.S. Senate. As members of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Tester and Daines worked together to include authorization for the Blackfeet Water Compact in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which passed the Senate 95-3.  The Blackfeet Water Compact will resolve all claims to water rights on the Blackfeet Reservation and ensure access to reliable and clean water for the communities within the Reservation, as well as farms, ranches, and businesses in the surrounding area.  “Today marks a major milestone for the

U.S. SENATE – United States Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement upon the announcement that the average final rate filings for Obamacare insurance plans will be as high as 58 percent. “It is unconscionable that Montanans will be stuck with such astronomical increases on their individual health insurance plans because of the train wreck that is Obamacare,” Daines stated. “These rates confirm that Obamacare is broken and needs to be repealed and replaced with a Montana-driven solution.” Average increases for Montana’s top three insurance providers range from 27 to 58 percent, with the highest increase for Blue Cross

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) today 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 Environmental and Economic Benefits Restoration Act of 2016 would encourage a landscape approach to forest management.   “I’ve been working closely with Montanans to make sure that we have locally-driven management of our forests,” Daines stated. “This bipartisan solution will help create healthy forests and more good-paying jobs.”   The Environmental and Economic Benefits Restoration Act of 2016, a part of Daines’ effort to improve forest management: Bolsters the use of Good

GREAT FALLS, Mont. – United States Senator Steve Daines today announced that Horses Spirits Healing, Inc., based in Billings, received funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help assist veterans and improve the ability of returning service members to integrate back into their communities. The funding is part of the VA Adaptive Sports Program for Disabled Veterans and Disabled Members of the Armed Forces. Daines wrote a letter of support for the grant which is available to read here.  The funds will cover 700 session hours for veterans.  “When the men and women return from their service to their communities

GREAT FALLS, Mont. — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today recognized Sanders County Sheriff Tom Rummel. Thanks to Sheriff Rummel’s initiative and hard work, Montanans affected by the Copper King Fire have been kept safe and up to speed on the latest fire activity.    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

U.S. CONGRESS — U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester and U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke today worked to move their bill to honor the life of renowned Montana conservationist, Alex Diekmann by naming an unnamed peak in his memory through the legislative process.  The delegation wrote to the leaders of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources urging them to hold a legislative hearing on their bill.  “We respectfully request that S. 3192 and H.R. 5778, the Alex Diekmann Peak Designation Act of 2016, be included in a legislative hearing before your respective Committees

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced $200,000.00 in funding for Central Montana Medical Facilities, Inc. to improve healthcare services in Lewistown.   “I want to congratulate Central Montana Medical Center on earning this funding for their delivery of quality healthcare,” Daines stated. “This funding will help them to continue to improve as one of the top Critical Access Hospitals not only in Montana, but the nation.”  The Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Grant Program provides three years of funding support to rural primary care providers for implementation of quality improvement activities. The program is administered by the Health Resources and

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today demanded that that the federal government stop paying ransoms, to enemy states or state sponsors of terror. Following reports of the Obama administration paying a $1.7 billion settlement to Iran shortly after Iran released unjustly detained US citizens, Daines helped introduce the No Ransom Payments Act. This legislation would prohibit any future settlement payments to Iran until it returns the ransom money it received and pays the American victims of Iranian terrorism what they are owed.  Additionally, this legislation would impose sanctions on Iranians involved in the detention of US citizens and prohibits the President or U.S. officials from paying a

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced $953,954.00 in funding to make needed safety improvements at the Amtrak stop in Shelby.  “Improving the safety and reliability of Montana’s rail network is critical to connecting people in our communities,” Daines stated. “Folks depend on public transportation and these funds will go a long way towards ensuring that Shelby is able to maintain their Amtrak stop.” Daines authored a letter of support for this critical project on June 9, 2016. The letter is available HERE.  This project will upgrade two pedestrian and motor vehicle crossings in Shelby, by extending the existing Amtrak platform and installing

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced $1,050,217 in funding for 17 community health centers across Montana.   “Community health centers play a critical role in delivering quality care close to home for Montanans,” Daines stated. “This additional funding will help these centers to continue to improve primary care service delivery to our local communities.”  Grants awarded today from the Department of Health and Human Services include: Billings: Yellowstone City-County Health Department: $92,615.00 Helena: Lewis & Clark County: $46,032.00 Missoula: Missoula County: $120,395.00 Great Falls: Cascade County: $53,788.00 Billings: Montana Migrant & Seasonal Farm Workers Council, Inc.: $95,456.00 Livingston: Community Health Partners Clinic: $57,015.00 Butte: Butte-Silver Bow Primary