The ever-changing growth of technology continues to enhance how we communicate with one another and we must ensure that Americans’ are protected each and every step of the way. At the same time, we must stand united against Washington, D.C.’s attempts to tax the Internet, limit innovation, and put more senseless regulations on Montana-based small businesses.
The Internet is a laboratory of innovation for Montana small businesses – yet Washington, D.C. wants to tie our entrepreneurs’ hands by forcing them to collect internet sales taxes for 9600 different tax jurisdictions, rather than focusing their time and energy on growing their business and creating jobs.
Technology has removed geography as a constraint and has allowed us to grow more good-paying jobs that allow Montanans to stay in the state we love. Yet we must not forget about our rural and underserved communities in Montana. While we continue to innovate, we must work to ensure that all Montanans have access to that technology, by increasing their access to rural broadband.
Daines: Americans Shouldn’t Have to Pay the Price for Obama Administration’s OPM Hack
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, today highlighted the growing cyber-warfare threats facing our nation, and the incompetence of the Obama administration that led to a massive breach of personal and security information at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that resulted in the resignation of Director Katherine Archuleta. Click here to watch Daines’ speech. Click here to download Daines’ speech. Daines made the following remarks on the Senate floor this evening: “Mr. President, the headlines in the past few months have been enough to paint a startling picture of how our nation is handling cybersecurity and technology issues these days. “Before I came to
Daines, Blumenthal Introduce Bill to Protect Students’ Data
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today introduced legislation to ensure proper safeguards are in place to protect students’ data. The Safeguarding American Families from Exposure by Keeping Information and Data Secure (SAFE KIDS) Act protects student privacy by establishing clear parameters for third-party operators when using data collected from students. The legislation empowers parents to control access to their children’s information. The current federal protections for student data, including the tools currently available to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), are woefully inadequate. The SAFE KIDS Act empowers the FTC to oversee and enforce collection, storage and usage of
Daines Speaks at Helena Native Newman’s Swearing-in as NASA Deputy Administrator
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today spoke at the ceremonial swearing-in of Helena native Dr. Dava Newman as the new National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Deputy Administrator. The United States Senate unanimously confirmed Newman on April 27, 2015. Click here to download the picture of Newman and Daines. “Dr. Newman is inspiration for countless of young Montanans who are excited about not only space exploration, but also science, technology, engineering and math,” Daines stated. “I have no doubt that Dr. Newman will be a dedicated and tireless public servant who will continue to exemplify our state’s rich legacy of
Daines Statement on Resignation of OPM Director
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement in response to the resignation of Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Katherine Archuleta. “Director Archuleta’s resignation is an important first step in restoring accountability at OPM—however, OPM’s consistent failure to properly address and react to these cyber attacks results from a much larger, systemic lack of accountability within the Obama administration,” Daines stated. “It’s time for President Obama to place a higher premium on our nation’s security and the privacy of our federal employees and put qualified, competent leaders in place, including a new Chief Information Officer, instead of
Daines: Latest OPM Report Affirms Need for New Leadership
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today reiterated his calls for new leadership at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in light of new reports that more than 21.5 Americans were victims of a mass breach of the OPM’s personnel database. This reported hack is in addition to the more than 4.2 million breached records originally announced by OPM last month. “The systemic failures and lack of accountability at OPM is staggering and completely unacceptable. The breach reported today is five times larger than OPM’s initial reports and not only affects federal employees, but employees’ family and friends, government contractors and countless
Daines Fights for Montana Transportation Priorities
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today helped move forward key provisions important to Montana transportation and public safety. Daines joined the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee today in moving forward the “Railroad Reform, Enhancement, and Efficiency Act,” which reauthorizes Amtrak services. Daines successfully included an amendment requiring Amtrak to evaluate options for establishing additional Amtrak stops that would have a positive financial impact to Amtrak, including a potential station in Culbertson, Montana. Daines’ amendment also requires evaluation of options to enhance economic development and accessibility of Amtrak stations and their surrounding areas. In the “Transportation, Housing and Urban
Daines Joins Cavuto to Discuss OPM Hack
Senator Steve Daines today reiterated his call for Director Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Katherine Archuleta to step down amid serious concerns that under her watch, OPM failed to address major security flaws and systemic problems leading to the largest ever breach of federal employees’ personal information. In the interview, Daines also called for the resignation of Donna Seymour the Chief Information Office (CIO) for OPM. “We need to hold the government accountable to standards we hold people in the private sector accountable to. The director should be let go, I think the CIO as well at OPM should be fired. This is unacceptable, it
Daines: OPM Director Should Step Down
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today called on Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Katherine Archuleta to step down in light of recent reports that due to failures in OPM’s security, an estimated 18 million current, former and prospective federal employees were victims of a mass cyber breach. “Under Katherine Archuleta’s watch, OPM allowed one of the largest breaches of federal employees’ personal information in our nation’s history. More, Ms. Archuleta has refused to take accountability for this great failure – in turn failing the American people, whom she swore an oath to protect and defend,” Daines
Daines Honors Montanan of the Week: Gene Peterson
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today honored Gene Peterson, a native of Culbertson and resident of Missoula, for his fifty successful years of shaping Montana’s broadcasting industry and long history of public service to the state. Peterson was inducted into the Montana Broadcasters Hall of Fame earlier this month. In addition to working in Montana broadcasting for more than fifty years, Peterson has served as president of the Missoula Chamber of Commerce and a member of the St. Patrick Hospital Advisory Board and Grizzly Scholarship Association. Daines’ “Montanan of the Week” initiative highlights a Montanan by submitting a statement of