Congress, rail passenger association question Amtrak cutting schedule
Amtrak has announced it will reduce service on its long-distance trains including The Empire Builder that runs along Montana’s Hi-Line en route from Chicago to Portland and Seattle. Amtrak plans to reduce long-distance services to three days a week starting Oct. 1. “Due to the long-term impact of COVID-19 on ridership, Amtrak has made the decision to operate with reduced capacity through Fiscal Year 21,” Amtrak Government Affairs and Corporate Communications Public Relations Manager Marc Magliari said. He said Amtrak’s goal is to restore daily service on these routes as demand warrants, potentially by the summer of 2021. Amtrak Executive
Border Patrol Extends Restrictions At Northern Ports Of Entry
Six ports of entry between Montana and Canada will continue to operate at reduced hours through July 21. Travel between the two countries is still restricted to essential only amid the new coronavirus pandemic.U.S. Customs and Border Protection reached an agreement with Canada on June 16 to extend the ban on non-essential travel for another 30 days. The limited hours of operation continue for ports of entry Raymond, Opheim, Morgan, Turner, Del Bonita, and Piegan in Montana and Porthill in Idaho. CPB also announced the port of Wild Horse north of Havre will continue on its winter hours, seven days
Daines’ bill would cut Paycheck Protection loans if Minor League teams get contracted
It was just a matter of time before someone in Congress brought out the heavy artillery in the plight of 42 cities who stand to lose their Minor League Baseball teams if Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has his way. Leave it to someone from Montana to do it. On Thursday, U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R, MT) has introduced legislation which, if passed, would amend the Small Business Act to prohibit MLB teams from receiving loans under the Paycheck Protection Program if any minor league teams are eliminated by contraction. The wording of the bill states that, if the
Sen. Daines introduces bill in effort to save Montana’s pro baseball teams
GREAT FALLS — On Thursday, Senator Steve Daines introduced a bill in an effort to save Montana’s Pioneer Baseball League teams. The bill would amend the Small Business Act to prevent Major League Teams from receiving benefits from the Paycheck Protection Program or any lending programs from the CARES Act. Daines said in a press release that the bill is intended to pressure MLB to keep its minor league affiliations after proposed cuts, including those to the Great Falls Voyagers, Billings Mustangs and Missoula Paddleheads. Great Falls Voyagers president Scott Reasoner said in a statement, “This bill is another great
Daines Introduces Bill to Put Pressure on MLB to Save Montana Minor League Teams
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced a bill that would make Major League Baseball (MLB) teams ineligible to participate or benefit from the Paycheck Protection Program or emergency lending programs within the CARES Act if MLB moves forward with eliminating Montana’s minor league baseball teams. “Montana’s minor league baseball teams are an important part of our community and bring joy to many Montana families during the summer season,” Daines said. “It would be devastating if we lost our local teams. That’s why I’m introducing a bill to help save baseball in Montana and put pressure on MLB to stop shutting
Daines Urges Senate to Pass Bipartisan Bill to Restore St. Mary River Project
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today sent a letter to leaders of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee urging quick consideration and passage of his bipartisan St. Mary’s Reinvestment Act which would help to repair the St. Mary Canal and Conveyance Works system. “The St. Mary Milk River project has been coined the life-line of the Hi-Line, supplying up to 90% of water for the Milk River Basin during a dry year and providing food for over one million people,” Daines wrote. “Reliable water infrastructure is critical for rural economies, recreation, wildlife habitat, and irrigation. I ask for
Daines Introduces Bill to Cut Red Tape to Improve Forest Health, Support Critical Timber Jobs
U.S. SENATE – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced a bill that will address the challenges stemming from the Cottonwood decision that created a new standard for re-consultation on Forest Plans when ‘new information’ is made available. The bill will improve the health of forests, advance wildlife and restoration projects, reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires and support timber jobs. “Even the Obama Administration agreed that the Cottonwood decision was flawed and crippled forest management. This law has tied the hands of our land managers, prevented them from following the best available science in management decisions, and diverted resources for an paperwork exercise yielding
Daines introduces bill in effort to preserve minor league baseball in Montana
BILLINGS — U.S. Sen. Steve Daines is making another push to preserve affiliated professional baseball in Montana. Daines, a Montana Republican, introduced the “Support Baseball in Communities Act” on Thursday in Washington, D.C. The bill would deem Major League Baseball teams ineligible to participate or benefit from the Paycheck Protection Program or emergency lending programs within Title IV of the CARES Act if it moves forward with plans to reduce the number of minor league franchises across the country. The 30-year Professional Baseball Agreement expires in September, and representatives from Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball have held off-and-on negotiations
Guest view: Great American Outdoors Act took bipartisan push
Once again public lands brought a divided government together. We saw this last week as I helped bring my colleagues from both sides of the aisle together to pass the bipartisan “Great American Outdoors Act” out of the U.S. Senate. This is one of the greatest conservation victories in fifty years, and the strong, bipartisan support we saw in the Senate last week shows that even during some of the starkest political divides in our nation, we can come together to do what’s right. As a fifth-generation Montanan, I know how important protecting our public lands is to our way