Author: Alison Perfater

Daines Announces Service Academy Nominees

U.S. Senator Steve Daines today officially nominated six Montana students applying for enrollment into U.S. military academies. “Montana has a long legacy of service, and it’s one of my greatest honors to nominate the next generation of servicemembers for enrollment into our nation’s great military academies. These young Montanans have earned remarkable grades, exhibited leadership skills and have a passion for giving back to their country, and I wish them the best as they embark on the next step toward their bright future of service,” said Daines. A congressional nomination is a critical step in the process for Montanans seeking admission

Daines, Smith Introduce Bill to Combat Drug Trafficking in Tribal Communities

U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) today announced the bipartisan “Protection for Reservation Occupants Against Trafficking and Evasive Communications Today (PROTECT) Act” to combat drug trafficking in tribal communities. The “PROTECT Act” would expand the Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction (STCJ) program to allow tribal nations to prosecute non-Native offenders for drug crimes and gun crimes in furtherance of STCJ covered crimes. The “PROTECT Act” would also allow tribal courts to execute warrants for electronic material to better combat drug traffickers and other criminals. “As deadly drugs like fentanyl and opioids flow across our open southern border,

Daines Blasts Biden Admin for Killing Montana Mining, Slashing Jobs

Will Introduce Legislation to Reverse Biden Prohibition on New Coal Leasing in Powder River Basin U.S. Senator Steve Daines today issued the following statement after the Biden administration published their Miles City Resource Management Plan (RMP) Record of Decision which will prohibit any new coal leasing in the Powder River Basin of Montana. “At every turn the Biden administration has launched attack after attack on made in Montana energy and the people of Montana and the rest of the country rebuked the administration for it at the ballot box. Yet the Biden administration still did not get the message, issuing

Daines Warns Against Unchecked Use of Facial Recognition Technology in Airports Nationwide

Senator Steve Daines joined a bipartisan group of senators in urging a thorough investigation into the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) unchecked and expanding use of facial recognition in airports across the United States. “We urge you to conduct thorough oversight of the Transportation Security Administration’s (“TSA”) use of facial recognition technology for passenger verification from both an authorities and privacy perspective. This technology will soon be in use at hundreds of major and mid-size airports without an independent evaluation of the technology’s precision or an audit of whether there are sufficient safeguards in place to protect passenger privacy,” the senators wrote.

Daines Presses FAA, Serco to Address Montana Airport Control Tower Staffing Shortages

U.S. Senator Steve Daines sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Serco expressing serious concerns regarding ongoing staffing shortages at Montana’s three contract towers. Serco is contracted by the FAA to provide air traffic control services at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, Glacier Park International Airport, and Missoula Montana Airport. The shortages have resulted in limited hours of operation at these towers, which threatens to weaken Montana’s economy, delay air traffic, and poses a serious threat to the safety of the flying public in Montana.  “I write today regarding my serious concerns with the persistent and harmful shortage of air traffic controllers

Daines, Pfluger Call on Congress to Fully Fund Rip and Replace Program

U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) led a letter urging Congress to pass the “Supporting National Security with Spectrum Act” to fully fund the Rip and Replace program. “It is estimated that there are over 6,000 sites across the United States in need of this funding. Without it, Chinese equipment will continue to pose a significant national security risk to the United States homeland. Additionally, several recipients of previously deployed funding would have to shut down their networks, leaving many rural and remote areas of the country without access to basic broadband services,” they wrote. Read the full

Daines Joins Amicus Brief to Overturn Unlawful Biden-Harris Emissions Rule

U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined a bicameral amicus brief to overturn the Biden-Harris Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) rule that requires state governments to measure greenhouse gas emissions on the highway system and set declining targets. “This rule is just another example of the Biden-Harris administration’s executive overreach that attacks our Montana way of life and does nothing but fuel climate alarmism. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress and the incoming Trump administration to reverse the radical climate agenda that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris tried to force on Montanans,” said Daines. Read the amicus brief HERE. Background:

Daines Calls Out Biden-Harris Administration for Destroying Commonsense Immigration Policies

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines, together with his colleagues, sent a letter calling out President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for not only causing the national security crisis at the southern border on day one, but fueling it throughout their entire Administration by destructive executive orders. “Instead of addressing the flow of illegal immigration and illicit drugs across our borders, your administration has turned its back on those who wish to immigrate here legally and welcomed illegal aliens with open arms. Instead of directing resources to securing our borders and processing legal immigrant applications, your administration has crippled our immigration

Daines Calls Out Biden-Harris’ DOJ for Silence Following Evidence of Illegal Aliens Registering to Vote

U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined several colleagues in demanding answers from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) efforts after reports of thousands of cases of illegal aliens registering to vote have emerged. “We are deeply concerned by reports of non-citizens registering to vote and voting in federal elections,” the Members of Congress wrote. “As of today, there has been no response from you or your Department regarding the inquiry on July 12, 2024, seeking information on efforts undertaken by your Department to enforce laws prohibiting non-citizen voting.  Given that the 2024 Presidential Election is in

Daines Calls Biden-Harris Regulation Affecting Mining “Cynical and Desperate Attempt to Get Votes Before Election”

“If Biden and Harris were serious about helping our miners, they would have reversed their anti-mining policies years ago.” U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued new guidance for the Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit (45X). Last month, following the layoff of 700 employees at Stillwater Mine, Daines called on the Treasury to reverse course on their anti-mining draft guidance and include extraction costs in the tax credit. Despite making minor changes the Department of the Treasury failed to adequately ensure all mining is allowed or put restrictions in place to ensure that