Payton Fuller, Author at Senator Steve Daines

Daines, Smith Renew Push to Permanently Expand Telehealth Services During Telehealth Awareness Week

September 21, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) in honor of Telehealth Awareness Week today reintroduced their bipartisan “Expanded Telehealth Access Act” that would make pandemic-driven expanded access to telehealth services under Medicare permanent. “In rural states like Montana, folks often have to drive long distances just to receive care. Expanded telehealth services help relieve this burden and give folks increased access to quality, affordable care. Now is not the time to cut back on these critical services, and I’ll keep working to ensure Montanans are able to see the providers they need,” Daines said. “The pandemic showed

Daines Effort to Crack Down on Fentanyl Crisis Included in NDAA

July 20, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S.Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, today announced that his “FEND Off Fentanyl Act” was officially included in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Senate began voting on the NDAA this week. “Enough is enough. The fentanyl that is spilling through Joe Biden’s open border and into the Treasure State is destroying our local communities,” Daines said. “I am proud that my ‘FEND Off Fentanyl Act’ was officially included in this year’s NDAA, and included my specific concerns to add transparency to President Biden’s sanctions exemptions. I am working to ensure this legislation passes the Senate and is sent to

Daines: Biden Defense Department Focus on Race and Gender Destroys American Ideals, Morale and Weakens Military Recruitment

July 20, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced an amendment to mandate the Department of Defense (DoD) base its promotion, selection, assignment and other personnel decisions on merit and not race and gender. The Biden Defense Department advocates for using DEI criteria as a “necessity” and considers it a “force multiplier.” It also sets numerical racial quotas in its recruiting applicant pools. “Gender and race-based discrimination has no place in America and especially not in the military. For decades our military has shown the world that people of diverse backgrounds can unite around a common purpose of serving an ideal higher than themselves and protect our freedom.

Daines Calls for Passage of Largest Bipartisan Hydropower Permitting Reform Bill in Two Decades

July 19, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines, at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee hearing, highlighted his bipartisan “Community and Hydropower Improvement Act” and called on the committee to pass his bill that would streamline the permitting and licensing process, boost hydropower in Montana and increase tribal engagement. Listen to Daines’ full remarks HERE. “The ‘Community and Hydropower Improvement Act’ streamlines permitting and licensing as well as increases tribal engagement. The bill creates an expedited licensing process for powering non-powered dams and building closed loop pumped storage. It limits the scope of environmental review and mitigation to real, on the ground and

Daines Touts Bipartisan Fort Belknap Water Rights Settlement as a Win-Win-Win for Montana at Senate Hearing

July 12, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today at a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing highlighted the importance of finalizing Montana’s last Indian water rights settlement with his bipartisan “Fort Belknap Water Rights Settlement Act.” Daines: Today is historic, it really is. I sometimes wondered if we’d ever get to this point, to have this kind of hearing. When I was first elected to the House 2012 over a decade ago, this is one of the first issues I heard about. I heard about it from the Tribe. I heard about it from the county commissioners, Phillips County, Blaine County. Both sides wanted to set me straight on their strong

Daines Honors Montanan of the Month for June: Army Major Robert Bourgeau of Missoula County

July 11, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines recognized Army Major Robert Bourgeau of Missoula County for his heroism on and off the battlefield. Through his “Montanan of the Month” initiative, each month Daines highlights a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the recipient’s honor into the Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress. Daines welcomes anyone to nominate fellow Montanans for Daines’ “Montanan of the Month” program by calling Daines’ office at 202-224-2651 or by filling out the contact form on Daines’ website: HERE. The following is the tribute Daines submitted to the Congressional Record to honor Army Major Robert Bourgeau:

Daines Slams Senate Democrats for Undermining Montanans’ 2nd Amendment Rights

June 22, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement after the United States Senate voted to allow the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) unconstitutional federal registry for firearms with stabilizing braces to stay in place. “The Senate Democrats’ vote today is a slap in the face to disabled individuals everywhere, especially disabled Montana veterans, who count on these stabilizing braces to exercise their Second Amendment rights,” Daines said. “Senate Democrats have proven once again that they are in lockstep with President Biden’s unconstitutional gun grabbing agenda. I’m very disappointed that my colleagues across the aisle have once again sought to undermine Montanans’

Daines Introduces Bill to Help Montanans Make Educated Decisions When Taking Out Student Loans

June 14, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced a bill to help inform Montana students and their families on major financial decisions during the student loan decision-making process. “Montana students should have access to all the information they need in order to make a smart decision about their student loans. My bill helps improve the loan process so students have clear information about the duration of their loan, their expected monthly payment, their expected income after graduation and other important details. While President Biden wants to force Montanans to pay off loans they didn’t take out, I’m focused on addressing real problems—like making sure

Daines, Ambassador McFaul Urge Biden Administration to Prioritize Bringing Marc Fogel Home, Designate Him as ‘Wrongfully Detained’

June 8, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul today sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling on the State Department to deem Marc Fogel as wrongfully detained and prioritize securing his release from Russia. Mr. Fogel has family in Montana and is currently serving a 12-year sentence of hard labor in a Russian prison for possessing medically prescribed marijuana. “We write to urge you to immediately designate Mr. Marc Fogel as wrongfully detained and prioritize securing his release. The top responsibility of any administration needs to be the safety and security of the

Daines Votes Against Debt Ceiling Deal in Name of Fiscal Sanity

June 1, 2023

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines released the following statement after voting against the debt ceiling deal: “Washington, D.C. has a spending problem and as a result, our country faces an existential crisis of a nearly $32 trillion national debt and record inflation. Solving this crisis will require real and meaningful spending reform. Failure to do so will result in terrible consequences for our children and grandchildren. “I opposed the debt ceiling bill because it does not make enough progress toward stopping reckless Washington spending.” For a video statement click HERE. For audio only click HERE. ### Contact: Matt Lloyd, Rachel Dumke, Blake Kernen

Author: Payton Fuller