In The News
Sen. Daines receives briefing on Beeskove Fire north of Missoula
MISSOULA - Fire officials are confident a wildfire north of Missoula will not grow significantly even though the weather is supposed to get hotter. However, they have a plan in place in case that does happen. Senator Steve Daines attended a briefing at the incident base on Wednesday to receive an update on firefighting progress and what to expect in the near future. "We've got excellent leadership working together. And consequently that combined with -- we have had a few breaks here in the wea… Continue Reading
08.14.19
Touring the state: Daines talks wildfire, more during Belgrade stop
While Congress is in recess, Sen. Steve Daines is traveling the state discussing topics from wildfires to the Endangered Species Act to gun violence. At Bridger Aerospace in Belgrade on Tuesday, Daines, a Bozeman Republican, spoke about a bill he plans to introduce this fall aimed at reducing wildfire risk. The legislation, which he will cosponsor with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, will include efforts like more aggressively thinning trees near roads and trails because he sa… Continue Reading
08.13.19
Daines defends environmental record; supports LWCF, opposes land transfers
Sen. Steve Daines this week defended his environmental voting record by expressing support for funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund at its full amount while opposing the transfer of federal lands back to the states. But he remained noncommittal on the appointment of William Pendley to lead the Bureau of Land Management. Pendley has advocated for transferring or selling public lands and is viewed by some as an ideological extremist on the issue. "You have a director in Interior Secretar… Continue Reading
08.12.19
Sen. Daines in Missoula: 'If you can't pass a balanced budget, you shouldn't get paid'
Montana's Republican lawmaker in the U.S. Senate touted Monday his bipartisan work to a crowd in one of the state's most Democrat-voting cities. Sen. Steve Daines spoke at City Club Missoula's monthly luncheon at the DoubleTree Hotel about everything from gun control to public land ownership to the federal deficit to Mexican meth during a question-and-answer session. He was met with protesters outside the building who want him to work toward funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund full… Continue Reading
08.07.19
Daines promotes wildfire protection bill on tour of Helena fire that led to 500 homes evacuated
NORTH HILLS - Standing yards above the makeshift range where a person shooting exploding targets sparked a wildfire last month, Tri-Lakes Fire Chief Bob Drake grabbed the top of one of the 3 ½-foot tall Ponderosa pine saplings populating the area that he said presented a huge problem when trying to fight the fire. "It was a really difficult initial attack," Drake said. " … (Firefighters were) doing everything they can, and this is what they're dealing with and they can't even … Continue Reading
08.06.19
Sen. Steve Daines holds Senate subcommittee hearing live at Grant-Kohrs Ranch Thursday
Wanting to highlight Montana's lesser visited national parks, Sen. Steve Daines will host a National Parks Subcommittee Senate hearing live at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Grant-Kohrs National Historic Site north of Deer Lodge. The Republican senator has invited a list of officials, from Powell County Commissioner Ralph E. Mannix, Jr., to Toby O'Rourke, president and chief executive officer of Kampgrounds of America Inc., to hold a conversation about how to increase visitation at all of Montana's… Continue Reading
08.05.19
Daines pushing forest management reform measure
MISSOULA - US Senator Steve Daines says new forest management reform legislation will take "concrete, meaningful steps" to improve forest health and reduce the risk of wildfires. The Republican also hopes teaming up with veteran Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California will convince Congress the issue is critical and needs to be addressed across party lines. Word came late last week that Daines and Feinstein are working on legislation that would protect public safety by expediting and… Continue Reading
08.02.19
“High priority:” Daines places support behind Mullan BUILD project in Missoula
With traffic rushing by on Flynn Lane, Sen. Steve Daines on Friday placed his support behind Missoula's application for a $15 million federal grant that would set the stage for future growth through new connector roads and vital infrastructure. Joined by city and county officials, Daines described the Mullan BUILD project as key to Missoula's future. If the grant were successful, it could guide future growth and create new housing stock, something that's needed to combat rising housing costs. … Continue Reading
08.01.19
Daines, Feinstein to introduce wildfire protection bill
Senators from California and Montana said Thursday that they plan to introduce a bipartisan bill that aims to protect communities from wildfires like the one that killed 85 people and destroyed much of the Northern California town of Paradise last year. Democrat Dianne Feinstein of California and Republican Steve Daines of Montana told The Associated Press they will introduce the bill after the Senate's August recess, but wanted to announce their plans now as the western U.S. states enter t… Continue Reading
08.01.19
Exclusive–Steve Daines Proposes Bill to Better Project Federal Spending
Sen. Daines introduced the Budgetary Accuracy in Scoring Interest Costs (BASIC) Act Thursday, which would require both the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation to include projected interest expenses associated with legislative proposals. Daines said that including interest is necessary to accurately account for the budgetary cost of the legislation. Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and David Perdue (R-GA), two fiscal hawks, also cosponsored Daines' BASIC Act. Daines' leg… Continue Reading
07.29.19
Daines introduces resolution condemning socialism, saying 'pivotal' moment has arrived
Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines introduced a resolution forcefully condemning what he called the "failed experiment" of socialism on Monday, warning that the United States had "two paths to take" -- with one leading to "freedom," and the other, "complete government control, undermining our constitution and our American way of life." The resolution comes as a new Fox News poll showed 54 percent of voters thought the U.S. moving from capitalism toward socialism would be a "bad thing" -- eve… Continue Reading
07.27.19
Daines' bill on breastfeeding signed by president
President Donald Trump signed the Fairness for Breastfeeding Mothers Act on Friday, a bipartisan piece of legislation introduced by Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., which requires designated breastfeeding rooms in federal buildings. The law requires federal buildings that are open to the public and contain a public restroom provide a lactation room, other than a bathroom, that is hygienic and is available for use by federal employees or members of the public who are breastfeeding, Daines said. The… Continue Reading
07.25.19
Prescription drug pricing reform bill shows bipartisan support
BILLINGS, Mont. -- Senator Daines announced in a press conference this morning that the U.S. Senate Finance Committee passed a bill that could potentially lower the cost of prescription drugs. Daines says months of work with the U.S. Senate Finance Committee have turned into the passing of a major bipartisan prescription drug reform package, "What we saw today is that bipartisan compromise isn't dead. Today was about making life easier for Montanans. It's about cutting out of pocket costs and … Continue Reading
07.25.19
Senators, state AARP praise advance of prescription drug bill
Sen. Steve Daines said a prescription drug pricing bill passed Thursday by the Senate Finance Committee will save Montanans and other taxpayers in the United States more than $100 billion for their medications. The Montana Republican spoke to reporters shortly after the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019 moved out of the committee, where it is now headed to the Senate floor. He was joined by Tim Summers, state director of AARP Montana. Daines, who sits on the committee, said lawma… Continue Reading
07.25.19
Major prescription drug cut earns early vote, Daines support
A bipartisan attempt to cut prescription drug costs more than $100 billion passed out of Senate Finance Committee with the support of the U.S. Sen. Steve Daines. The bill intended to save the Medicare program $85 billion and individuals $27 billion over 10 years passed on a 19-9 vote. Much of the savings comes from drug price caps. The savings estimate comes from the Congressional Budget Office. The bill is known as the "Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019." "What we saw t… Continue Reading
07.25.19
'It's a great scam': Montana hotel owners push Daines to revive bill to regulate phony booking sites
About every five days, a traveler shows up at the counter of Best Western Clocktower Inn in downtown Billings, insisting reservations have been made and prices agreed upon, but owner Steve Wahrlich will know nothing of it. The traveler will insist he's been to the hotel's website, or seems to have been on it. There will have been photos of the hotel, photos of the rooms, and the illusion of booking with the actual hotel. The website won't be Wahrlich's. There are five different booking… Continue Reading
07.24.19
Daines secures funds for asbestos research in Libby
LIBBY - Although the primary phase of federal cleanup is completed, health concerns continue in Libby, where residents continue to deal with the aftereffects of asbestos contamination. The US Environmental Protection Agency completed its major cleanup operations at properties around Libby and Troy last year. EPA removes a portion of Libby from the federal Superfund site Now, cleanup responsibilities have transitioned to state and local agencies to deal with the remaining contamination in … Continue Reading
07.24.19
Daines honors Miles City 2-Star General
Senator Steve Daines is honoring one Montana native for her achievements in our armed forces. Major General Barbara Holcomb is the first female commanding general at the US Army Medical Research and Development Command at Fort Detrick. She's also the chief of the US Army Nurse Corps. Major General Holcomb grew up in Miles City. She first joined the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps following her first year of nursing school. Senator Daines is calling her a trailblazer and a Montana leader… Continue Reading
07.23.19
Daines says Lewistown worker faced retaliation
Sen. Steve Daines told a Senate panel Tuesday that at worker at a state-run nursing home in Lewistown told him she resigned after believing her supervisors retaliated against her for raising questions about quality issues. Daines, a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, made his comments about the Montana Mental Health Nursing Care Center during a discussion the panel had on "Promoting elder justice: A call for reform." It was a discussion on the quality of care and safety for Medicare and… Continue Reading
07.22.19
Sen. Daines: Trump Has Constitutional Authority to Enforce Immigration Laws
-- When it comes to the Constitution and illegal immigration into this country, Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) said President Donald Trump has the constitutional authority "to enforce the law." Daines added that he is "very concerned" about the "radical leftists" in the House of Representatives. At the U.S. Capitol on July 16, CNSNews.com asked Sen. Daines, "Article 2 section 3 of the Constitution says that the president must make sure that laws are faithfully enforced. Do you believe that the… Continue Reading
