Press
Daines Lauds Bipartisan Passage of Bill to Address Veteran Suicide
U.S. Senator Steve Daines today hailed the bipartisan, unanimous passage of legislation to help prevent veteran suicide and improve veterans' access to mental healthcare services. Daines is a cosponsor of The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV) Act. This bipartisan legislation aims to improve veterans' access to mental healthcare and suicide prevention resources and increase accountability and quality of care at VA hospitals. "The tragic epidemic of veteran suicide wil… Continue Reading
02.02.15
Daines Statement on Obama's Budget Proposal
Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement in response to President Obama's budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2016: "It's no coincidence that the President is releasing his budget on Groundhog Day - it's yet another budget that never balances, bursting with massive big government spending and burdensome taxes and regulations that have become the unfortunate trademark of the Obama administration. Instead of repeating the same failed agenda that has proven to be wrong for Montana, … Continue Reading
02.02.15
Daines Announces Commerce Subcomittee Assignments
Senator Steve Daines today announced that he was selected to serve on four subcommittees on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee for the 114thCongress. Daines will serve on Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Subcommittees on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet; Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance and Data Security; Space, Science and Competitiveness; and Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security. … Continue Reading
02.02.15
Daines Renews Commitment to Repealing Obamacare
Senator Steve Daines today announced that he has joined his fellow Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to fully repeal Obamacare- a failed law that has raised healthcare costs for thousands of Montanans, harmed Montana jobs and small businesses and limited many Montanans' access to the healthcare plans and doctors they want. "We need to ensure health care is affordable and accessible for all Montanans, and that starts with repealing Obamacare and its costly mandates, burdensome taxes… Continue Reading
01.30.15
Daines Congratulates Two Montana Students on West Point Academy Appointment
Senator Steve Daines today congratulated two distinguished Montana students, Zach Giesecke and Nicholas Loos, for their appointments to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Giesecke, from Greycliff, MT, received a nomination to West Point from Senator Daines and was also nominated by Senator Jon Tester and former Senator John Walsh. Giesecke is a student at Bozeman High School and has been active in football, lacrosse, wrestling and choir. He has previously attended the West Point … Continue Reading
01.30.15
Daines Announces Washington, D.C. Legislative and Administrative Hires
Senator Steve Daines today announced legislative and administrative staff hires for his Washington, D.C. office. "My number one priority is serving the people of Montana and ensuring their voices are heard in Washington, D.C." Daines stated. "Our staff has the experience, enthusiasm and dedication needed to provide Montanans with the service they deserve." Wally Hsueh will serve as legislative director for Daines' office, where he will provide strategic policy guidance and oversee all legislat… Continue Reading
01.29.15
Montana Senators Urge FAA to Address Montanans’ Safety Concerns Over Powder River Expansion
Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester today pressed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resolve Montanans' ongoing concerns regarding the expansion of the Powder River Training Complex (PRTC) before issuing a final Record of Decision. In a meeting today with FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, the Montana Senators called on Huerta to reevaluate the Air Force's plan in light of increased economic activity and air traffic in southeastern Montana. The Senators also urged Huerta to strongly … Continue Reading
01.29.15
Daines Announces Appropriations Subcommittee Assignments
Senator Steve Daines today announced that he has been selected to serve on five Senate Appropriations subcommittees. Daines will serve on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies; Defense; Interior, Environment and Related Agencies; State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies. Daines noted that the subcommittees' focus will address a num… Continue Reading
01.29.15
Daines Applauds Final Passage of Keystone XL Pipeline
Senator Steve Daines today applauded the bipartisan Senate passage of legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline by a vote of 62-36. This long-awaited legislation will create tens of thousands of good paying jobs, bring much needed economic opportunity to Montana and move the nation one step closer to North American energy independence. "Today, the Senate finally took long-awaited action and passed commonsense, pro-growth legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. This job-creating pr… Continue Reading
01.28.15
Daines' Efforts to Stop Unilateral Monument Designations Draws Majority Support
Senator Steve Daines' fight to protect Montana from the Obama administration's efforts to unilaterally designate new national monuments without local support today gained majority support on the Senate floor. Under a vote of 50-47, a majority of U.S. Senators today support Daines' amendment expressing the sense of Congress that that all future National Monument designations should be subject to consultation with local governance and the approval of the Governor and legislature of states in whic… Continue Reading
01.28.15
Daines Stresses Importance of Montana's Freight Rail Network
U.S. Senator Steve Daines today sought to address the critical need for expanded rail capacity to support Montana jobs and key industries, such as agriculture and mining. During today's Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing on Freight Rail Transport, Daines pressed the panel on how to improve track capacity and maximize efficiency on our nation's rail system. "80 percent of our wheat crop is exported overseas, so it's our connection from rails to the ports that all… Continue Reading
01.23.15
Daines Works to Protect Montana From Catastrophic Wildfire
Senator Steve Daines is working to ensure Montana has the resources needed to combat wildfires and invest in much-need fire prevention efforts. Daines joined Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) to introduce the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, which overhauls federal wildfire policy, increases funding for prevention and ensures large forest fires are treated and funded as true natural disasters. "Montanans know firsthand the economic and physical damage caused by catastrophic wildfir… Continue Reading
01.23.15
Daines: Montanans' Voices Must Be Heard in Monument Designations
Daines introduces amendment to help protect Montanans from Obama administration's efforts to unilaterally designate new national monuments without local support WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Steve Daines is fighting to protect Montana from the Obama administration's efforts to unilaterally designate large swaths of land as national monuments, without securing local input and state support. Last night, Daines introduced an amendment to S.1, legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, that wou… Continue Reading
01.21.15
Daines Helps Introduce Bill to Ensure Veterans' Access to Local Healthcare
U.S. Senator Steve Daines has joined Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) and a bipartisan coalition of Senators to introduce legislation to ensure Montana veterans have local access to the healthcare services they need. The bill, the Veterans Access to Community Care Act of 2015 (S. 207), would allow veterans to access community healthcare providers if the veteran lives more than 40 miles driving distance-rather than as the crow flies-from the closest VA medical facility that could provide the services … Continue Reading
01.20.15
Daines Statement on President Obama's State of the Union Address
U.S. Senator Steve Daines today issued the following statement regarding President Barack Obama's 2015 State of the Union address: "Montanans don't need more tax increases and more government spending- we need more good-paying jobs. If the President is serious about creating jobs and growing our economy, his first step would be approving the Keystone XL pipeline. Montanans deserve real solutions and results, not more partisan gridlock. I'll continue fighting for commonsense, bipartisan solutio… Continue Reading
01.15.15
Daines Statement on Air Force Decision to Move Forward with Powder River Expansion
U.S. Senator Steve Daines today called the United States Air Force's decision to move forward with the expansion of the Powder River Training Complex "disappointing and discouraging," and called on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to address Montanans' strong concerns before approving the Air Force's proposal. The Air Force today issued a record of decision on the proposed expansion that failed to address the many concerns that Montanans and the members of Montana's Congressional deleg… Continue Reading
01.09.15
Daines: Montana CBS Programming Restored for DIRECTV Subscribers
Senator Steve Daines today announced that 24 hours following his urging, DIRECTV and Cordillera Communications have struck an agreement that will restore Montana subscribers' access to CBS programming. Yesterday, Daines wrote a letter to DIRECTV and Cordillera Communications officials urging the companies to come to a resolution on a negotiations standstill that had left Montana DIRECTV subscribers without CBS programming since January 1. This afternoon, Daines' office received word from DIREC… Continue Reading
01.08.15
Daines Statement on Nebraska Supreme Court Keystone Decision
U.S. Senator Steve Daines today issued the following statement regarding the Nebraska Supreme Court's decision to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline: "This decision is a win for the people of Montana and the thousands of American families who will directly benefit from the jobs created by Keystone XL pipeline's construction," Daines stated. "This project has strong bipartisan support, will create thousands of good-paying jobs, and will provide struggling … Continue Reading
01.08.15
Daines Urges DIRECTV, Cordillera Communications to Resolve CBS Programming Conflict
Senator Steve Daines today urged DIRECTV and Cordillera Communications to promptly resolve conflicts in contract negotiations that have left thousands of Montanans without access the state's CBS programming since January 1. In a letter to DIRECTV Chief Content Officer Daniel York and Cordillera Communications Vice President Jon Saunders, Daines reiterated Montanans' frustrations with the loss of local news and sports coverage and pressed both parties to quickly find a resolution. "These subscr… Continue Reading
01.07.15
Daines, Senate Energy Committee Approve Keystone XL Bill
Senator Steve Daines joined the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today to approve Daines-cosponsored legislation that would permit construction of the job-creating Keystone XL pipeline, clearing the way for full Senate vote. The bill, S. 1, was introduced earlier this week and has 60 bipartisan cosponsors. It was passed in Committee today with bipartisan support. "Along its way the pipeline crosses through six counties total injecting thousands of jobs to dying rural communities a… Continue Reading
