Senator Daines has moved up in seniority on the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. As an avid hunter and outdoorsman, Senator Daines is committed to increasing public access to public lands for all Montanans, fostering locally driven common-sense conservation and advocating for high paying wages in Montana’s energy, mining, and forestry sectors. Senator Daines prioritizes strengthening Montana’s rich and balanced energy portfolio that includes coal, hydro-electric, natural gas, wind, solar and biomass. Daines also pushes for sustainable, science based active forest management legislative reforms and policies to prevent catastrophic wildfires, restore active management, create healthy forests, protect wood product careers, and protect wildlife habitats and watersheds jobs in Montana.
Forest Service Chief Calls for Passage of Daines’ Cottonwood 9th Circuit Court Decision Fix at Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing
U.S. SENATE—U.S. Senator Steve Daines today at a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing questioned U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore on common sense forest management and the importance of passing his complete and permanent fix to the Cottonwood 9th Circuit Court decision. Senator Daines: “We need to get that Ninth Circuit Cottonwood fix passed because its looming deadline that now has expired last month and now that has expired, would you agree that a full and permanent Cottonwood solution should be a high priority and a bipartisan priority for this Congress?” U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore: “Yes, sir. I do.”
Daines Pushes for Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Complete the Continental Divide Trail
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee called for passage of his bipartisan bill to complete the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Click HERE to watch and download the full intro. “The Continental Divide Trail Completion Act… is bipartisan, bicameral, will help spur recreation, economic development and grow jobs in Montana and local gateway communities… The tourism and recreation economy that is generated from the trail is a boon to many small towns in Montana. Shuttle services, hotels, restaurants, sporting goods stores and more all benefit from the Continental Divide Trail. In fact, if we look at the state
Daines Calls on Biden to Unleash American Energy Immediately
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today sent a letter to President Biden expressing deep concern over the depletion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and urged him to support more domestic energy production. “The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is the world’s largest stockpile of emergency crude oil with the capacity to store 714 million barrels. The SPR has protected America from major supply disruptions and served as a vital windfall in the event of natural disasters and wars since its creation following the 1973 energy crises, but it was never intended to compensate for domestic policy shortcomings,” Daines wrote. “Manipulating energy reserves to bring gas
Daines Talks Forest Management, Forestry Jobs at Senate Hearing
U.S. SENATE – At a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing today, U.S. Senator Steve Daines discussed his bipartisan bills that would promote active forest management by reversing the disastrous Cottonwood decision and help protect Montana from catastrophic wildfires by supporting Montana Job Corps Civilian Centers’ mission and ensuring graduates have a pipeline to wildfire and forestry jobs. Click HERE to watch and download “Sustainable forest management creates sustainable rural economies. It also leads to more carbon sequestration, important mitigation strategies that relate to warmer summers and longer fire seasons, healthier watersheds and air, and productive wildlife habitat. Better forest management can also help Montana’s housing shortage—at one time
Daines, Tester Push for Hearing on Bipartisan St Mary’s Rehabilitation Legislation
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester today urged the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) to hold a hearing on their St. Mary’s Reinvestment Act, which will provide critical resources to North Central Montana and make rehabilitating the St. Mary’s Diversion Dam more affordable. In a letter to ENR Chair Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Daines and Tester said the project is critical to ensuring the Milk River Project can continue providing water to farmers, ranchers, and Tribes in Northcentral Montana that depend on it. “St. Mary’s Diversion Dam is the
Daines Calls for Passage of Bipartisan St. Mary’s Reinvestment, Sun River Hydro Bills
U.S. SENATE – At a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today U.S. Senator Steve Daines stressed the need to pass his bipartisan “St. Mary’s Reinvestment Act” to support the St. Mary’s Milk River Project along the Hi-Line Montana. Daines also highlighted his bipartisan bill, the “Sun River Hydropower Authorization Act,” which will create jobs, generate revenue and support hydropower production in central Montana. Click HERE to listen to the Senator’s opening remarks. “Inflation has driven up construction costs and the severe drought has made it all the more important we pass my bill this year. As you can see from the map behind me, the
Daines Discusses Impacts of Cancelling Keystone XL, Irresponsible Forest Management at Senate Hearing
U.S. SENATE – At a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Steve Daines questioned Alberta Premier Jason Kenney on the widespread effects of the Biden administration’s cancellation of the Keystone XL Pipeline on energy security, the economy and the United States’ relationship with Canada. Click HERE to watch and download “Premier, you know better than most what the Keystone XL Pipeline meant for jobs, revenue and energy security…That’s why Alberta filed a suit against the United States seeking $1.3B in damages. Let me just read a line from that filing: The Biden Administration’s decision to revoke the Keystone XL Pipeline
Daines: Biden, Woke Green Groups Killing American Mining Production Needed for Renewable Energy
U.S. SENATE – At a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Steve Daines spoke about the importance of increasing American energy and mineral security. Daines opened his remarks sharing the story of Montana’s Rock Creek Mine’s never-ending cycle of permitting and litigation that has left the mine nonoperational for over 35 years. Daines stressed that the impact of the permitting and litigation nightmare is killing jobs, tax revenue and economic activity in Montana. Click HERE to watch and download “In 1987 when this process started, Ronald Reagan was President. In fact, that was the year he stood before the
Daines Introduces Bill to Fight FERC’s Partisan, Anti-Energy Policies and Combat Rising Energy Costs
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced a bill, the “Ensuring National Security Using Reliable Energy (ENSURE) Act,” to help ensure Montanans have access to reliable and affordable energy. “What’s typically seen as a nonpartisan agency, FERC has become the latest arm of Biden’s partisan, woke green agenda,” Daines said. “While pipelines are the safest, most environmentally friendly way to transport natural gas, FERC is creating new burdensome barriers preventing new ones from being built. For the sake of Montana families and our national security, we need to be supporting American energy and American pipelines—not setting up new roadblocks.” This legislation will stop the Federal Energy Regulatory