Daines Introduces Bills to Support Montana Rural Counties
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure Montana’s rural communities get a fair opportunity to apply for federal grants to help them support local economies. “This legislation will help ensure Montana’s rural counties have better access in competing for, and securing, federal resources that are important to help grow their local economies,” Daines stated. The federal government manages roughly 28 percent of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States, the majority of which is found in Western states, including in many counties in Montana. This can limit localities’
Daines Honors Montanan of the Week: John Laird of Liberty County
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines last week recognized John Laird of Liberty County. John embodies the American dream and exhibits strong Montana values. Through his “Montanan of the Week” initiative, each week Daines 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: HERE. The following is a statement submitted to the Congressional Record: TRIBUTE TO
Daines Votes Against Massive Wasteful Spending, Liberal Priorities Disguised as COVID Relief
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today voted against a massive $1.9 trillion package filled to the brim with wasteful, non-COVID-19 related spending. “I voted against wasting over $1 trillion of taxpayer money on liberal wish list priorities for President Biden, Schumer and Pelosi disguised as COVID relief. Shoveling all this money into an economy that is on the rebound is deeply irresponsible and will cause our debt to soar to new heights. Its partisanship is exceeded only by its recklessness. Montana taxpayers deserve better,” Daines said. While only 9% of the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion package actually went to combatting the core health needs of the pandemic, it did include billions of dollars
Daines: We Must Stand for Life, Prevent Taxpayer Dollars from Funding Abortion
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today fought to prevent taxpayer dollars from funding abortions. Senate Democrats blocked this prohibition from being added to the $1.9 trillion spending package disguised as COVID-19 relief. “Senate Democrats voted to allow billions of taxpayer dollars to be used to fund abortions and voted against applying a 44-year-old prohibition called the Hyde Amendment. We have had five bipartisan COVID relief packages and not one of them included any provisions that would undermine pro-life protections,” Daines said. “Preventing taxpayer dollars from funding abortions is something a majority of Americans agree with. I’m very disappointed to see
Daines: Democrats are Using COVID-19 Relief Package to Expand Obamacare, Inch Closer to Government Takeover of Healthcare
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today slammed Democrats for attempting to expand Obamacare in the COVID-19 relief package. The Obamacare expansion will cost over $40 billion and is a stepping stone towards a government takeover of healthcare. “Obamacare has been a disaster for Montana and is too expensive for most Americans. Despite this, Biden, Schumer and Pelosi are attempting to throw more taxpayer dollars toward it and inch closer to a complete government takeover of healthcare. What’s worse is that the Democrats are trying to trick Montanans and the American people into accepting this by disguising it as ‘COVID relief,’” Daines said. “This
GOP Sen. Daines introduces amendment to ensure $130B in federal COVID-19 relief for schools is spent in 2021
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., is introducing an amendment to the Senate Reconciliation Bill to ensure the nearly $130 billion in federal COVID-19 relief for U.S. schools is spent in 2021. The Senate is holding a marathon “vote-a-rama” session on Friday for President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package during which Republicans can offer unlimited amendments to the bill and force Democrats to take politically tough votes on everything from abortion to border security. Daines condemned President Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in a Friday statement to Fox News, saying the three “are throwing billions
Daines: Amtrak is Critical for Montana Jobs, Montana Travel Sector
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today cosponsored legislation to restore daily long-distance Amtrak service and reinstate employees who have been furloughed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Amtrak supports Montana jobs, helps connect Montanans across the state and brings visitors from all over the country to Big Sky Country. The Empire Builder is critical to the Hi-Line and I will continue fighting to restore this much needed service,” Daines said. Read the full text HERE. Background: In December, Daines supported the COVID-19 relief package that included $1 billion in emergency funding for Amtrak. In September, Daines sent a letter to Senate leadership to stop
Daines Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Support Montana Energy Manufacturing Jobs
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced the bipartisan “American Jobs in Energy Manufacturing Act” that would incentivize American manufacturing facilities to expand to energy producing communities that have suffered from economic turndown. “This bipartisan bill will support Montana jobs and increase investment in coal and other energy producing communities in Montana. We must protect and grow Made in Montana and Made in America energy,” Daines said. Read the full text HERE. This bill will revive the Section 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit by investing $8 billion in American manufacturing. $4 billion of the $8 billion will be set aside for communities where coal mines
Daines Votes No on Haaland for Interior, Urges Colleagues to Oppose Nomination during Full Senate Vote
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today voted AGAINST President Biden’s Interior Secretary nominee Deb Haaland in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “Rep. Haaland is a far-left ideologue who is out of touch with Montana. She opposes the Keystone XL pipeline, supports the Green New Deal, has called for a ban on all pipelines and new energy development, would not commit to maintain current access to our public lands, and refuses to follow the science when it comes to wildlife and land management decisions,” Daines said. “Rep. Haaland has made it clear that she will not be able to separate her radical views and ideological agenda from what’s best