In The News

Helena Independent Record: Capital High seniors build custom fly rods for charity

Glancing back over his shoulder at 15 gleaming fly rods, Capital High senior Kreston Stevens told the crowd assembled in the machining shop Tuesday evening that he and the five other rod builders had learned more than just job skills. “We’ve been part of some really great, amazing projects, but by far this project has outdone anything we’ve ever done both in complexity and meaning,” he said. The fly rods built by the Capital High machining program will go to Big Hearts Under the Big Sky, a charity dedicated to taking veterans, children with life threatening illnesses and women recovering

Missoulian: Missoula remembers fallen servicemembers at 11 Memorial Day events

“We’re very proud, very blessed to have such a strong legacy of service in our state,” Senator Steve Daines told the crowd in front of him. Small flags had been planted into the ground in front of each headstone at the Western Montana State Veterans Cemetery, where Daines spoke at one of 11 different Memorial Day events held in Missoula on Monday. Along the pathway through the cemetery was an avenue of more flags, part of a senior project by Aleesha Aasved while she was a student at Hellgate High School. Starting in 2013, Aasved raised more than $5,000 to

ABC FOX: Sen. Daines Calls on NSA to Stop Obtaining Phone Records

Montana’s newest senator is calling out the National Security Administration for collecting phone records.  Along with Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, Senator Steve Daines is calling on the NSA to end its ‘bulk meta-data collection program’. Under this program, millions of Americans’ phone records are obtained and stored by the NSA for intelligence purposes. It’s part of the Patriot Act, which congress is currently debating whether to reauthorize.  Senator Daines says he has had his doubts with the program and questions its effectiveness. “This program is a direct threat to our constitutional rights. It has jeopardized our civil liberties with little

KMMS: Daines Introduces Bill to Roll Back EPA Regs Read More: Daines Introduces Bill to Roll Back EPA Regs

Senator Steve Daines recently joined a bipartisan group of senators to introduce legislation that ensures Montanans have access to affordable energy and protects good-paying coal jobs. “The Obama administration’s war on American energy is a war on American families and a war on American jobs,” Daines stated. “This commonsense, bipartisan legislation will protect good-paying union jobs, our tribes’ ability to develop their energy resources and Montana families’ access to affordable and reliable energy from the EPA’s misguided, one-size-fits-none regulations.” The Affordable Reliable Energy Now Act (ARENA): Prevents mandates for unproven technology: Before EPA can set a technology-based standard for new

Billings Gazette: Daines: Fast-tracking trade agreements right for Montana’s economy

Because exports to the Asian Pacific are crucial to Montana’s economy, Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines said Thursday he will support fast-tracking trade agreements for President Barack Obama. The announcement made between votes on the Senate floor was the first time Daines publicly confirmed granting Obama trade promotion authority, or TPA. TPA would bind Congress to an up or down vote on two major upcoming trade agreements, meaning Congressional amendments would be off limits on agreements negotiated by the Democratic president. The first trade agreement coming up, the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, would have the biggest effect on Montana, particularly agriculture,

KRTV: Tester and Daines working for C-130 upgrades for the Montana Air National Guard

GREAT FALLS -U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Steve Daines (R-MT) are working to keep the Montana Air National Guard flying.  During a recent meeting of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, Tester announced he was introducing legislation to make sure the C-130 fleet of the 120th Airlift Wing is upgraded.  Tester said, “My fear is we end up with a fleet of C-130s that is incapable of operating in domestic air space, and they will end up sitting on a runway somewhere until they are mothballed.”  The Federal Aviation Administration has set a deadline for the upgrades for 2020.  Tester’s

Flathead Beacon: Montana Delegation Lauds Secure Rural Schools Funding

On April 14, the U.S. Senate passed legislation that would require the federal government to issue SRS payments beginning in June. The House of Representatives voted on a similar measure last month. Sens. Steve Daines and Tester and Rep. Ryan Zinke all supported the legislation. In 2014, Montana counties received $21 million in SRS funds, part of more than $300 million doled out nationally.