Tag: Canada

Daines, Zinke Request USTR to Prioritize Montana Issues with Canadian PM

U.S. CONGRESS — In advance of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s first state visit to Washington, D.C., Montana Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke are urging the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to prioritize Montana issues in discussions with Canada.  In a letter to Ambassador Michael Froman, Daines and Zinke requested that the USTR prioritize Montana issues as they prepare for Prime Minister Trudeau’s upcoming state visit including the renegotiation of the expired Softwood Lumber Agreement and wheat grading.  “As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s state visit to Washington, D.C. on March 10 is rapidly approaching, we request that you prioritize

Daines, Zinke Fight Latest Effort to Terminate Port of Raymond 24-Hour Operating Status

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Montana Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke today urged U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials to reverse their latest plans to reduce operating hours at the Port of Raymond and terminate the northeastern Montana border crossing’s 24-hour operating status.   CBP recently announced new plans to implement a pilot program closing the Port of Raymond for six hours per day, between 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.  In a letter to CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske, Daines and Zinke criticized CBP for their short-sighted efforts to once again reduce operating hours following their failed efforts to do so last November. “Past

Daines, Zinke Urge Canadian PM to Prioritize Montana Issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Montana Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke are reaching out to newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to emphasize Montana priorities and ensure continued economic growth on both sides of the northern border.  In a letter, Daines and Zinke congratulated Trudeau on his recent election and underscored the treasured and crucial relationship between Canada and Montana. “The state of Montana has a great appreciation for the conducive working relationship we have fostered with our neighbors to the North,” Daines and Zinke wrote. “We not only share a border, but we frequently work together to address pertinent

Daines, Zinke Work to Protect Port of Raymond Operational Hours

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Montana Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke today urged U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials to reverse plans to reduce operating hours at the Port of Raymond and terminate the northeastern Montana border crossing’s 24-hour operating status.   In a letter to CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske, Daines and Zinke highlighted the important role that the Port of Raymond holds for regional economic activity and the overwhelming local concern surrounding CBP’s recent decision to reduce operating hours.  “Terminating the Port of Raymond’s 24-hour status would create costly route diversions and impair the flow of goods in an important economic corridor,” Daines

Daines: President Obama’s Rejection of the Keystone XL is an Affront to the American People

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today admonished President Barack Obama for rejecting TransCanada’s application to build the job-creating Keystone XL pipeline:  “It has taken more than seven years for President Obama to come clean with the American people and admit his anti-energy and anti-American jobs agenda. President Obama had an opportunity to help create good-paying jobs with the construction of the Keystone pipeline, but instead he chose to blatantly disregard the economic needs of this nation, the need for good-paying jobs, like union jobs, energy costs for Montana families and the will of the American people. The rejection of

Daines Statement on State Department’s Rejection of TransCanada Request to Suspend Keystone XL Application

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today denounced the State Department’s decision to reject TransCanada’s request to suspend their application’s review to build the job-creating Keystone XL pipeline: “President Obama has made clear that he has no intention of approving the Keystone XL pipeline. The State Department’s rejection of TransCanada’s request to suspend the Keystone application’s review is just another political move in the Obama administration’s long-standing war on American energy. Once again, President Obama is working directly against American energy independence, American jobs and the will of the American people.” Daines has been a vocal proponent of building the

Daines Statement on TransCanada Suspension of Keystone XL Application

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today expressed his disappointment following TransCanada’s decision to suspend their application to build the commonsense Keystone XL pipeline: “The Obama administration has waged a full on assault on American energy independence that has resulted in TransCanada’s decision to suspend its application to build the commonsense Keystone XL pipeline. This pipeline would have created new opportunities for good-paying jobs, helped advance American energy independence and lowered American energy prices. While this suspension is bad news, it is not the end of the line – I will keep fighting for this shovel-ready project that has the overwhelming

Tester, Daines, and Zinke meet with Canadian ambassador regarding timber concerns

Montana delegation calls for new Softwood Lumber Agreement (U.S. Senate) – Senator Jon Tester, Senator Steve Daines and Congressman Ryan Zinke are working together with Montana’s neighbor to the north to ensure the state’s lumber mills are treated fairly. Montana’s Congressional delegation today sat down with Canadian Ambassador Gary Doer to urge him to begin negotiating a new Softwood Lumber Agreement.  The agreement expired on October 12 and is creating uncertainty for mills in Montana and across the country.  The delegation requested that the Canadians come to the table to hammer out a deal to avoid future litigation and take

Daines, Zinke Work to Protect Montana Sawmills

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke today worked to provide much needed certainty for Montana sawmills, which are facing the expiration of the Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA) on October 12, 2015. In a letter to US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell, Daines and Zinke highlighted the economic benefits that sawmills provide Montana and called on Tidwell to provide mills with needed relief and flexibility as they face concerns surrounding the impact of foreign demand and exchange rates on the timber industry.  “We are writing to request that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) provide appropriate relief and flexibility