Daines Urges President Trump to Provide Support for Montana National Guard Responding to COVID-19 Pandemic
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines yesterday sent a letter urging President Trump to provide the State of Montana the same consideration as states like Texas and Florida regarding cost sharing for ongoing National Guard operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “During this time of uncertainty it is important that the men and women fighting this healthcare crisis have access to the resources they need,” Daines said. “With that in mind, I strongly urge you to support the Montana National Guard and extend Title 32 authorization to maintain full reimbursement for its ongoing efforts to fight this pandemic.” To read
Daines urges Postmaster General to rescind delayed mail directive; medications vital
Sen. Steve Daines this week urged the nation’s postmaster general to reverse a decision to hold mail for a full day if distribution is running behind. The U.S. Postal Service is facing a projected $13 billion revenue deficit and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has made a number of moves to shore up funding, including the elimination of overtime pay for postal workers. DeJoy, a former Republican Party fundraiser, also issued a directive to hold mail for delivery until the next day for any pieces if postal distribution centers are running behind. Daines said the decision could hurt rural portions of
Daines’ bipartisan bill prioritizes forest management to prevent wildfires
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) on Aug. 4 introduced bipartisan legislation that would increase wildfire preparedness and response throughout the United States. “We must manage our forests, so they don’t manage us,” Sen. Daines said. The senator signed on as the lead original cosponsor of the untitled S. 4431, which is sponsored by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), to provide the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) with the necessary tools to protect communities from wildfires, according to a bill summary provided by Sen. Daines’ office. “I am very happy to join Senator Feinstein in introducing this strong, commonsense forest management legislation,”
Congress urges Postal Service to undo changes slowing mail
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers from both parties are calling on the U.S. Postal Service to immediately reverse operational changes that are causing delays in deliveries across the country just as big volume increases are expected for mail-in election voting. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday that changes imposed by the new, Republican postmaster general “threaten the timely delivery of mail — including medicines for seniors, paychecks for workers and absentee ballots for voters — that is essential to millions of Americans.″ In separate letters, two Montana Republicans, Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Greg Gianforte,
Daines Honors Montanan of the Week Trista Hovde of Richland County
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines recognized Trista Hovde of Richland County for her accomplishments and ambition. 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: HERE. The following is a statement submitted to the Congressional Record: TRIBUTE TO TRISTA HOVDE Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, this
Daines Urges U.S. Postal Service to Reverse Policy on Delayed Mail
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today sent a letter to the United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General DeJoy urging him to reverse his decision to hold mail for delivery until the next day for pieces that were delayed to ensure Montanans receive their mail, which includes life-saving prescription drugs, on time. “The USPS is critical to Montanans, especially our seniors, veterans, and rural communities across the Treasure State. Last year alone, the Postal Service delivered 1.9 billion prescriptions to Americans’ mailboxes, and nearly 100 percent of all Veterans Affairs prescriptions,” Daines wrote. “Ensuring that the USPS is on
Daines co-sponsors bill to reduce wildfire, halt ‘frivolous’ environmental lawsuits
Montana Sen. Steve Daines has introduced new legislation meant to reduce the risk of large wildfires on federally managed lands, and to make it harder for environmental groups to halt permitted timber harvests by obtaining federal court injunctions. Daines announced his submission of the Emergency Wildfire and Public Safety Act during a news briefing on Wednesday, describing it as “a major bi-partisan breakthrough” in the effort to reform forest management practices. “This is a Democrat from California, (Sen.) Dianne Feinstein, working with a Republican from Montana, myself, because we share a common interest to overcome a problem, and that is
Montana lawmakers push for census deadline extension, urge completion
MISSOULA, Mont. — Montana politicians are urging the U.S. Census Bureau to reconsider a new deadline to end data collection, which is one month earlier than planned. The announcement came Monday, with the bureau saying field data collection will stop Sept. 30 to meet an end-of-year deadline. Gov. Steve Bullock and Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney sent a letter to the U.S. commerce secretary urging the Census Bureau to stick with the original extended October deadline. They say 525,000 Montanans haven’t yet been counted. Montana has one of the lowest response rates in the country. Cooney, the chairman of the Montana
Bureau of Indian Affairs Cold Case Team Office opens in Billings
BILLINGS- A Bureau of Indian Affairs Cold Case Team Office was opened in Billings that will be dedicated to reanalyzing and investigating cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons. This office is the third of seven offices established under the Operation Lady Justice Task Force to investigate cold cases involving missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. The cold case teams will be staffed with law enforcement personnel and newly appointed special agents from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services. According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, they and the Department of the Interior have undertaken