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The National Defense Authorization Act, which contains an amendment giving federal recognition for the Little Shell Chippewa Tribe, cleared a congressional conference committee Monday, bringing optimism from Montana’s federal delegation that the bill will finally pass. Reuters reported the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate Armed Services Committees said they reached an agreement on the $738-billion spending bill for the Department of Defense, considered a must-pass piece of legislation, after months of negotiations.  “I am almost without words — the magnitude of this moment,” Little Shell Chair Gerald Gray said Monday night. He said he had been told the news by Montana’s GOP

WASHINGTON, DC — Senator Steve Daines says a newly-developed settlement would bring a permanent solution to the dispute over tribal water rights claims in Western Montana, in a deal worth upwards of $2 billion.  The settlement, which forms the framework of a new agreement with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, would replace the pending Flathead Water Compact . News of the agreement came Thursday after recent statements from Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and US Attorney General William Barr gave new indications of movement in the dispute, which had been stalled at the federal level for the past four years. Sen. Daines

Bipartisan legislation introduced on Dec. 4 by U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) would prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species in America’s western waters, including in his home state of Montana. “Empowering our local communities with the resources they need to ensure our waterways, rivers and lakes remain free from these invasive species is critical to our Montana way of life,” Sen. Daines said. The Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act of 2019, S. 2975, offered by lead original cosponsor Sen. Daines and bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), would authorize funding to prevent invasive species from negatively

An agreement between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and the federal government over long-disputed water rights took a major step forward Thursday when Montana Sen. Steve Daines said he plans to introduce a bill that would implement a new settlement framework. “Today is a really important step. We’ve reached a historic compromise on a century-old dispute that protects the water rights of all Montanans,” Daines said Thursday in a telephone interview from Washington, D.C. “We’ve reached a new agreement that addressed my concerns, that addressed those of many others in the agriculture community, and attempts to address the concerns

Montana’s congressional delegation this week joined a growing list of officials urging Major League Baseball to reconsider its plans to slash a number of minor league teams, including those in Montana – home to the Pioneer League. Under the proposal, MLB would reduce its affiliated teams from 160 to 120. Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines each sent letters to MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred on Tuesday opposing the plan. “Our communities are deeply invested in our minor league teams,” Tester wrote. “These teams keep Montanans connected to (MLB), provide affordable family entertainment, and spur economic development and job growth across

A new bill has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Montana Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester. “Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels Act of 2019” is targeted at such organisms as zebra and quagga mussels in waterways. In a news release the bipartisan bill was explained as a way to strengthen prevention efforts by the Bureau of Reclamation by partnering with states and cities to fund watercraft inspection and decontamination stations, which have become a common sight along Western Montana highways. The bill also attempts to reduce differences between various agencies in the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force