As a lifelong sportsman, I am committed to protecting the right to bear arms for law-abiding individuals in Montana and across our country. I strongly oppose any efforts from Washington to restrict our Second Amendment rights and our way of life in Montana, and I will work to ensure that Congress protects the Constitutional rights of the thousands of Montanans who safely and lawfully possess or use a firearm.
I believe private-sale background checks, banning modern sporting rifles, semi-automatic pistols, semi-automatic shotguns, high capacity magazines, and other attachments, among other proposals, would not change the underlying problems behind violent crimes. I believe we need to strictly enforce current laws forbidding potentially dangerous persons from possessing a firearm, but I will continue to stand firmly against any proposal that undermines Montanans’ Second Amendment rights.
Daines Statement on Obama’s Unlawful Gun Grab
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today slammed President Obama’s latest unlawful executive action on gun control as yet another power grab that threatens the Constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans: “President Obama is jeopardizing the Constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans with his latest efforts to undermine the Second Amendment. It is a gross abuse of executive authority for the President to unilaterally move forward his ineffective, anti-gun agenda with the stroke of his pen. As Montana’s voice in the United States Senate, I will continue to fight against President Obama’s endless assault on Montanans’ Second Amendment rights.” ###
Daines Honors Montanan of the Week: Rocky Mountain Rifle Club
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today recognized the Rocky Mountain Rifle Club (RMRC) for their efforts to support the Teton County 4-H Shooting Sports Air Rifle and Air Pistol clubs. The Rocky Mountain Rifle Club has been a strong supporter of the Teton County 4-H Shooting Sports Air Rifle and Air Pistol clubs, and is currently raising funds to purchase top-of-the-line air rifles and air pistols, in addition to target equipment, for the 4-H program. 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
Daines, Zinke Call on Missoula City Council to Withdraw Proposed Gun Control Ordinance
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke today called on the Missoula City Council to withdraw a proposed ordinance that would intrude upon the Constitutional rights of law-abiding firearm owners in Missoula. In a letter sent today to Missoula Mayor John Engen and the Missoula City Council, Daines and Zinke conveyed their concerns that the proposal would violate Montanans’ Second Amendment rights and place additional burdens on law-abiding Montanans, while doing little to prevent violent crime. “We write to express our strong concerns with the Missoula City Council Public Safety and Health Committee’s substantial intrusion into the
Daines Leads 27 Senators in Urging State Department to Halt Misguided ITAR Changes
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today led a group of 27 Senators in a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Anthony Dearth in response to proposed changes to definitions in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) which has the potential to limit Americans’ freedom of speech and negatively impact Americans’ Second Amendment freedoms. On June 3rd, the State Department proposed changes to modify several definitions in ITAR that would empower the federal government to regulate public use of any content that contains information about defense articles, which includes every common hunting and
In Case You Missed It: Daines on Protecting our Military Recruiters, Latest Developments on Iran Deal
“The fastest way to stop a bad guy with a gun – is a good guy with a gun.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today appeared on CNN, Fox News and Fox Business to speak on the importance of his bill, the SEMPER FI Act, which would allow military officers and non-commissioned officers the ability to carry a firearm at military recruitment centers. Daines underscored the crucial need for our men and women in uniform to be able to protect and defend themselves. Additionally, Daines joined Fox Business to discuss the latest developments on the Iran Deal. In the
Daines, Hunter Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Allow Military to Carry at Recruitment Centers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) and Representative Duncan Hunter (R-CA) today introduced legislation to allow military officers the ability to carry weapons at military recruitment centers. The Securing Military Personnel Response Firearm Initiative (SEMPER FI) Act, which was introduced today in the Senate and the House, allows the military to authorize recruiters to be armed when they’re at recruitment centers or allows them to improve structural security at recruitment centers. The bill also limits the carrying of a sidearm to officers and non-commissioned officers. In February 1992, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued Directive 5210.56, which stated that
Daines, Alexander Introduce Legislation to Halt Over-Regulation of Legal Ivory
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) today introduced legislation to halt the Obama administration’s over-regulation of lawfully owned ivory found in antique firearms, musical instruments and other family heirlooms and antiques often sought by collectors. The African Elephant Conservation and Legal Ivory Possession Act of 2015 ends the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s unilateral moratorium on the importation, exportation, and sale of lawfully possessed ivory, while also making significant efforts to assist anti-poaching efforts in countries with elephant populations. “It’s senseless that the Obama administration wants to retroactively penalize Montanans who have legally owned ivory-containing antique firearms, musical
Daines Works to Expand Recreational Access to Public Lands, Promote Montana’s Outdoors Economy
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today pushed for bipartisan solutions to preserve Montana’s outdoors heritage and protect Montanans’ Second Amendment rights. During today’s Energy and Natural Resources legislative hearing on S. 556, the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015, Daines stressed the importance ofprotecting access to Montana’s public lands and increasing recreational opportunities for hunters and anglers. “This is an important bill to Montana and I am a proud cosponsor. Like so many Montanans, hunting, fishing and access to public lands is a way of life for us. It passed down through my grandfather, to my dad, and to me, as a
Daines: Obama Administration Abandons Ammo Ban Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today announced that at his urging, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has abandoned its proposal to ban M855 ammunition for one of the most common firearms in the United States: the AR-15. “The Obama administration’s decision to abandon its misguided ammunition ban is welcome news for countless law-abiding firearm owners and sportsmen. I’m glad that the ATF has heeded my call and listened to the more than 80,000 Americans who spoke out in opposition to this senseless restriction. However, this is not the first nor the last time the Obama administration