President signs Daines’ bipartisan PIRATE Act into law
The president on Jan. 24 signed into law a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) in his chamber to increase penalties for pirate radio. “Honored to have gotten this important bipartisan bill signed into law on behalf of Montana local radio and rural broadcasters,” Sen. Daines said on Jan. 26. “Thankful to President Trump for taking action to stop illegal pirate radio operations and hold them accountable to the law.” Sen. Daines in April 2019 sponsored the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (PIRATE) Act, S. 1228, with U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), which is the identical
Pai Happy He Has New Tools To Defeat Pirates
Shortly after President Donald Trump signed the Pirate Act into law, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai issued a statement thanking everyone in Washington that supported the new law. Pai said pirate radio is unlawful, period. “These transmissions can interfere with licensed radio signals — including broadcasters’ sharing of vital public safety information with their communities. To enforce the law and protect American radio listeners and lawful businesses, the FCC has made a concerted effort in recent years to step up our enforcement efforts against pirate radio stations. I’m very proud of this work, led by our Enforcement Bureau and its outstanding
Daines intends to introduce bill to reform PATRIOT Act
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) on Jan. 23 said he plans to introduce bipartisan legislation to help protect the privacy of his home-state constituents and all Americans. “Montanans want their privacy protected,” Sen. Daines said. “That’s why I’m fighting to protect our civil liberties and stop the federal government from interfering in our lives.” Sen. Daines intends to introduce the Safeguarding Americans’ Private Records Act of 2020 with U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR). In the U.S. House, U.S. Reps. Warren Davidson (R-OH) and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) introduced legislation, H.R. 5675, on Jan. 24 to reform Section 215 of the sweeping
Little Shell celebration packs the house
Hundreds of members of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana gathered Saturday to celebrate recent federal recognition, lining up outside the Holiday Inn and filling the banquet room until it nearly burst at the seams. “Tonight we commemorate an effort that no tribe should have to go through,” Tribal Chair Gerald Gray said, adding it is a “nation we can all be proud of.” The celebration came about one month after President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act, which contained an amendment giving the Little Shell Tribe the federal recognition it had long coveted. “Waiting
The FISA court has taken steps to correct the Carter Page abuses. But more reform is needed.
THE SHOCK waves continue to reverberate from Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s Dec. 9 report on major flaws in the federal government’s secret surveillance of former Trump campaign official Carter Page. Mr. Horowitz found that FBI officials repeatedly misled or misinformed judges of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) to obtain its permission for the surveillance of Mr. Page. Now the FISC has revealed that the Justice Department itself has acknowledged it had no legitimate legal basis for at least the last two of four surveillance warrants it obtained against Mr. Page in 2016 and 2017. That admission came in a previously classified letter
Daines’ Bipartisan Bill to Stop Pirate Broadcasters Signed into Law
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced that his bipartisan Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement (PIRATE) Act was signed into law by President Trump. “Honored to have gotten this important bipartisan bill signed into law on behalf of Montana local radio and rural broadcasters,” Daines said. “Thankful to President Trump for taking action to stop illegal pirate radio operations and hold them accountable to the law.” Daines’ legislation: Gives teeth to existing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) action to reduce pirate radio broadcasters. Defines Pirate Radio broadcasting as unlicensed transmission in the AM/FM frequencies Allows for enforcement sweeps, creates a
Daines Statement on the Passing of Lt. Col Ian McBeth
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today issued the following statement after learning Lt. Col Ian McBeth of Great Falls tragically died while battling Australian wildfires. “I am saddened to hear about the passing of Lt. Col Ian McBeth,” Daines said. “Lt. Col McBeth passed in service to others, helping the people of Australia battle their wildfire crisis. My prayers are with his wife and family in Great Falls.” ###
Daines Fights to Protect Montanans from Government Spy Programs
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced he will be introducing bipartisan legislation to protect the civil liberties and privacy of Montanans from government spying programs. Daines’ bipartisan bill reforms Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act which the National Security Agency has used to create a secret mass surveillance program that swept up millions of Americans’ phone calls. “Montanans want their privacy protected. That’s why I’m fighting to protect our civil liberties and stop the federal government from interfering into our lives,” Daines said. Daines’ bipartisan Safeguarding Americans’ Private Records Act reforms Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act
Daines criticizes impeachment trial, says case ‘incomplete’
Sen. Steve Daines on Wednesday criticized the impeachment proceedings now under in the Senate against fellow Republican President Donald Trump, saying it was the most partisan impeachment proceeding in the country’s history. “It reminded me of when I went to high school in Bozeman, Montana. If I turned in a term paper and it was half complete, my teacher would toss it back to me and say ‘You didn’t get it done, it’s incomplete,’” the Montana Republican said during remarks shown on CSPAN2. “That is what I felt like what we saw last night was an incomplete case, they have not