In The News
Daines honored at Horses Spirits Healing near Billings for veterans grant
BILLINGS - What began as a facility for Rocky Mountain College equine students has morphed into a form of therapy to help veterans, " I've been raised around horses all my life, so I realized the value of horses in therapy," Barbara Skelton, treasurer and co-founder of Horses Spirits Healing. On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines stopped by to celebrate securing a grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans. "We've been working hard, and making requests for getting grants f… Continue Reading
09.30.19
Daines asks FBI not to cut trafficking, Indian Country agents
Sen. Steve Daines said he sent a letter Monday to the FBI Director Christopher Wray urging the agency not to reduce resources on human trafficking in Montana. The Billings Gazette recently reported the special agent who had worked full-time on human trafficking will now spend half his time on Indian Country cases. An FBI spokeswoman said it is not uncommon for agents to focus on different areas during their careers. Some have called the change "a blow" to Montana anti-trafficking efforts. Wh… Continue Reading
09.30.19
Bill to help Kinsey, Sidney water users passed out of committee
Sen. Steve Daines, who is a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, has been successful in passing an issue out of that committee to keep power costs for the Kinsey Irrigation and Sidney Water Users districts at an affordable rate. The two groups have been part of the Pick Sloan power group for going on eight decades, but in 2017 received a notice from the Bureau of Reclamation that the agency would not renew their contracts. Jack Connor, an administrative … Continue Reading
09.25.19
U.S.-Japan trade terms a needed win, Montana farmers and ranchers say
Montana farm and ranch groups described U.S.-Japan trade terms announced Wednesday as a must-have win for the state's agriculture economy, which has been battered by trade disputes. Japan is the biggest foreign buyer of Montana wheat and the largest purchaser of U.S. beef. Tariffs against U.S. wheat have put the state's grain growers at a disadvantage in the key market. The trade terms were released ahead of a scheduled Wednesday announcement by President Donald Trump and Japan Prime M… Continue Reading
09.20.19
Senator Daines Announces Airport Funding
Montana airports, including Hamilton and Stevensville, will be receiving Department of Transportation funding, according to Montana Senator Steve Daines. Daines last week said 11 airports will share over $4 million in air travel infrastructure funding, part of the Airport Improvement Program. The airports are: Conrad, Geraldine, Billings, Lewistown, Stevensville, Sherwood, Twin Bridges, Dawson County, Ravalli County, Missoula and Big Horn. Senator Daines said, "Having the necessary resources to… Continue Reading
09.14.19
Daines visits with award-winning Kalispell robotics team
KALISPELL, Mont. - In August, an all-girls robotics team won at a NASA competition. On Saturday, they showed off their skills to U.S. Senator Steve Daines. The challenge included flying a drone and using a moon map. The moon map pays homage to the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing. The girls made lots of adjustments to the robot to meet the requirements of the challenge. It took a lot of hard work and practice. They learned how to effectively communicate amongst each other because th… Continue Reading
09.10.19
Senators want name of Great Falls sailor added to wall
Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester are part of a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers hoping to find a home for the "Lost 74," a group of U.S. sailors who died in 1969 when their ship collided with an Australian vessel in a training exercise off the coast of Vietnam. The two signed a Sept. 9 letter to the Armed Services committees in the House and Senate asking that the names of the sailors be included on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall. This includes William Fields, who grew up in Great F… Continue Reading
09.04.19
Steve Daines, David Perdue Press China on Trade Policies
Sens. Perdue and Daines concluded a series of high-level meetings with senior Chinese government officials in Beijing, China. Prior to the two senators' trip, Sens. Daines and Perdue spoke with President Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Perdue and Daines plan to brief President Trump when they return to the United States. "Senator Daines and I traveled to China with one goal: to help reinforce President Trump's efforts to level… Continue Reading
09.03.19
Time to stop Rx sticker shock
As U.S. senators representing the Big Sky state and Hawkeye country, we know older Montanans and Iowans keep a watchful eye on spending. Like millions of Americans across the country, they are mindful that they need to stretch their savings in order to pay the bills and uphold their quality of life in retirement. Whenever we hear from folks in Iowa or Montana, we hear widespread concern about the rising costs of prescription drugs. It's particularly upsetting to find out some patients ratio… Continue Reading
09.03.19
Daines meets in Beijing with top Chinese officials
Republican Sens. Steve Daines of Montana and David Perdue of Georgia met Monday in Beijing with top Chinese legislator Li Zhanshu, according to the official state-run news agency for the People's Republic of China. Li, chair of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), according to the news agency Xinhuanet, said history has proven that China and the United States stand to gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation and a healthy China-U.S. relationship meets the com… Continue Reading
08.30.19
Montana beef trade negotiations in China
BILLINGS, Mont. -- Senator Steve Daines is making a trip to China next week to represent Montana in trade negotiations. Senator Daines says there is great potential for Montana Ag to break into the Chinese market. "With 95% of the world's consumer's outside of the United States, when you think about the future of Montana agriculture, it is in these export markets, says Senator Daines, "China represents a tremendous opportunity for Montana agriculture. It's the world's second largest beef mark… Continue Reading
08.28.19
Falls Creek project opens more public lands, access on Rocky Mountain Front
On Tuesday, dozens of people gathered on the Rocky Mountain Front to celebrate a new addition to Montana's public lands. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation held a ceremony to mark the official opening of the Falls Creek property to the public. The foundation purchased the 442-acre property, just off Dearborn Canyon Road southwest of Augusta, and transferred it to the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. Leaders say the agreement permanently protects important wildlife habitat and provides mu… Continue Reading
08.27.19
Daines, Gianforte praise Helena company's work on F-35 fighter jet
A disembodied cockpit and set of screens at Helena's Fire Training Center simulate the world's most advanced fighter jet. The Lockheed-Martin F-35 Lightning II is a state-of-the-art aircraft intended for use by the United States military and by partners overseas. A stealth fighter, bomber and all-round world-beater, the F-35 is intended give America long-term air superiority. "I grew up under President Ronald Reagan and he always talked about 'peace through strength,'" U.S. Sen. Steve… Continue Reading
08.27.19
Montana US Sen. Steve Daines going to China to talk ag trade
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines of Montana says he's traveling to China next week to continue agricultural trade discussions. In 2017, Daines announced a tentative agreement with one of China's largest retailers to import $200 million of beef raised by members of the Montana Stockgrowers Association. That effort has stalled amid the escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and China. Daines said his trip is meant to bring Montana agriculture to the forefront of ongoing … Continue Reading
08.22.19
Daines sees new technology used on northern border
Sen. Steve Daines toured Montana's northern border with Canada on Thursday and said he saw new technology and new methods being used to increase security. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials showed Daines the latest in aerial and terrestrial technologies - including small unmanned aircraft systems, ground sensors and autonomous towers. They said these will help to better protect our border while enhancing the safety of the CBP. "This is a great example of how we are using techno… Continue Reading
08.15.19
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
