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HELENA- Montana’s senators have released statements following the senate’s vote to advance Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett toward final confirmation. Senator Jon Tester released the following statement on the procedural vote to begin debate on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett: “Montanans are already voting in this election, and I believe it is deeply irresponsible to ram a partisan nomination through in the final days before polls close—a precedent my Republican colleagues established four years ago and are breaking now. With health coverage for 120 million Americans with pre-existing conditions soon to be decided by the Court, I cannot support

Montana’s two U.S. Senators sent out comments Sunday solidly along party lines on the procedural vote earlier in the day to advance the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. The vote on Barrett’s confirmation is expected to take place Monday. The 51-48 procedural vote Sunday had two Republicans, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, voting against advancing the nominee. All Democrats who voted were opposed, the Associated Press reported. Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, arrives for closed meetings Wednesday with senators, at the Capitol in Washington.

Montana’s U.S. senators were divided Sunday on a vote that clears the way for the likely nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. Montana’s junior Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican, will vote to confirm Barrett. Senior Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, said he will not and was not given an opportunity to meet with Barrett through the nomination process, something that is normally afforded for senators. Sunday’s vote was procedural and fell mostly along party lines, 51 to 48, with two Republican senators voting with all Democrats. The Republicans who voted no were U.S. Sens. Susan

BILLINGS – U.S. Senator Steve Daines on Friday urged Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield to deploy medical personnel in Yellowstone County to provide contact tracing assistance as the county sees a dramatic spike in COVID-19 cases, according to a press release. Since the beginning of the pandemic in March, Yellowstone County has been one of the hardest hit counties in Montana, reporting the most cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in the state due to COVID-19, the press release states. Yellowstone County makes up 22% of all reported positive cases of COVID-19 in Montana as of Oct. 16.

U.S. Senator Steve Daines is urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct an assessment of Montana’s COVID-19 situation and asking for additional federal assistance to help mitigate the impacts of the pandemic. “Montana is currently experiencing a regional surge of COVID-19 cases. Nationally, we have the third highest rate of new cases and the second highest rate of test positivity. Last week, an average of 84% of hospitals in Montana reported either new confirmed or new suspected COVID-19 patients each day,” Daines wrote. “As Montana is experiencing a record number of positive COVID-19 cases and our hospitals across