Daines Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Raise Overtime Pay Cap for Wildland Firefighters
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines helped introduce bipartisan legislation to permanently raise the caps on overtime premium pay for federal wildland firefighters. The “Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act” would increase these overtime pay caps to appropriately compensate Forest Service and Department of the Interior wildland firefighters for the work they do. Despite risking their lives and traveling cross-country for months at a time to protect American communities and forests from catastrophic wildfires, many of the more than 11,000 wildland firefighters live paycheck to paycheck. This has contributed to a firefighter workforce shortage — already, 20 percent of Forest Service permanent firefighter positions are
Daines, Lankford Lead Colleagues in Condemning Biden Admin for Funding Abortions for Minors at the Border
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (Mont.) and James Lankford (Okla.) led seven of their Republican colleagues in submitting a comment letter to the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) condemning the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s (ORR) proposed “Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule,” which blatantly violates prohibitions on the use of taxpayer funds to facilitate abortions on unaccompanied minors at the border. “Instead of adhering to the law, responding to Congressional inquiry, heeding Congress’ warning, and treating unaccompanied minors with the dignity and respect they deserve as young mothers, HHS ORR has decided to codify these flagrant violations of the Hyde Amendment through the proposed rule,” the Senators
Daines Introduces Bill to Redesignate Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced the “Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act” to redesignate Ansarallah, more commonly known as the Houthis, as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) given their actions to destabilize the region, the security threat they pose to the U.S. and most recently, their involvement in the ongoing conflict in Israel, including attacks on Israel this week. Today, Daines also joined a letter led by Senator Hagerty to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the administration re-designate the Houthis as a FTO. “The Biden administration needs to send a strong, decisive message to the Iranian regime that the U.S. will
Daines: Confirmation of Jack Lew as Ambassador to Israel is a “Disgrace”
“We should be standing up to Iran, not coddling it by confirming an ambassador who will go to Jerusalem and represent the interests of Iran over that of the United States and our greatest ally in the Middle East.” U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines issued the following statement today after voting against confirmation of Jack Lew as ambassador to Israel: “The confirmation of Jack Lew as ambassador to Israel is a disgrace. Throughout his tenure in the Obama administration Jack Lew coddled Iran by championing the failed Iran nuclear deal, likely gave Iran access to the U.S. financial system and
Daines Highlights Terror Threat at Southern Border, Condemns Rise in Anti-Semitism Around the World
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today delivered remarks at the weekly Republican Senate Leadership press conference where he highlighted the terror threat at the United States’ southern border and demanded President Biden change policy, including tightening asylum standards, reforming the parole program and finishing the border wall. Daines also raised concerns about the rise of antisemitism in the United States and demanded all instances of antisemitism be forcefully condemned by American leaders. To watch Daines’ remarks, click HERE. “The odds that terrorists are coming across our southern border into the United States are increasing on an hour -by -hour basis. Last week if you remember I spoke about Cuba, Iran, North
Daines Introduces Bill to Improve Indian Health Service for Montanans
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today helped introduce the “Restoring Accountability in the Indian Health Service Act” to address persistent failures and increase accountability at the Indian Health Service (IHS). Consistent shortcomings, unmet staffing needs, lack of oversight and longstanding deficiencies at the IHS have resulted in significant gaps in Montana tribal citizens accessing high-quality care. The bill helpsaddress the many issues recipients of IHS care face by improving patient access to safe and reliable health services. “For too long the IHS has failed to provide Montanans with reliable, quality care. It’s time we enact serious reform and hold IHS accountable in order for tribal leaders,
Daines Introduces Bill to Prevent China, Adversaries from Purchasing Land Near U.S. Military Bases, Sensitive Sites
U.S. SENATE – Senator Steve Daines helped introduce the “Protect Our Bases Act” to ensure the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) can review foreign land purchases near sensitive military, intelligence, and national laboratory sites by requiring member agencies to annually update and review their lists of these sites. “As President Biden’s weakness on the world stage has emboldened our adversaries, we must take action to protect the United States from potential national security threats,” said Senator Daines. “Purchasing land around sensitive intelligence sites and national labs gives foreign nations increased ability to spy on the U.S.—it must be stopped.” BACKGROUND
Daines Calls on FBI, DHS to Prioritize Prevention of Antisemitic Violence
U.S. SENATE – Senator Steve Daines joined a group of bipartisan Senators and Congressmen to send a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray to request their immediate attention on resources that help protect the safety and security of Jewish Americans, religious institutions and organizations that are vulnerable to increased threats and violence as a result of the ongoing terrorist attacks in Israel. “As members of the Senate and House Bipartisan Task Forces for Combating Antisemitism, we write to express our concern about the increase in antisemitic threats and
Daines, Colleagues Sound Alarm on China’s Dominance in Global Payments Market
U.S. SENATE – Senator Steve Daines and Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee urged the Biden administration to confront the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) expanding footprint in the U.S. financial system and global payments market. The senators sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai, in which the senators warn that rapidly expanding Chinese payment networks may undermine U.S. foreign policy, threaten Americans’ sensitive financial and consumer data privacy, and violate international trade practices. In addition to calling for the Administration to examine the infiltration of Chinese payment networks into the U.S., the senators urge the Biden administration