Daines Launches Bills to Mitigate MMIW Crisis in Indian Country
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today in a U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing continued his fight to combat the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis occurring across Montana’s Tribal communities and the West. In conjunction with the hearing, Daines introduced two pieces of legislation, the Finding and Investigating Native Disappearance Act (FIND) and The Tribal Reporting and Accountability to Congress Act (TRAC). Click HERE to download. “I want to thank you all for coming before us today as we continue to work to put an end to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis,” Daines said. “[T]oday I
Daines Celebrates New Affordable Clean Energy Rule
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today praised the actions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to repeal and replace the Clean Power Plan (CPP) with the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule. “The new ACE plan is great news for Montana’s rural communities,” Daines said. “The Obama EPA Power Plan would have wiped out Colstrip immediately, killing high paying jobs, local and state tax revenue that helps pay for our schools, and affordable reliable energy that keeps the lights on. This ACE Rule would instead provide flexibility to states and power plants to innovate to reduce pollution rather than eliminating coal
Little Shell Federal Recognition Bill One Step Closer to Becoming Law after Push by Daines & Tester
(U.S. Senate) – Federal recognition for the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians has advanced further than ever before after a push by U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester to successfully include their bill as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act—the Senate’s must-pass annual defense legislation. The Little Shell Tribe has sought federal recognition for nearly four decades, and has been recognized by the State of Montana since 2000. “Great news today for Montana’s Little Shell Tribe,” Daines said. “After decades of fighting for the federal recognition they deserved, we’re one step closer to making it a reality. I’m honored to have
U.S.-Japan trade, crucial to Montana, expected to improve
Struggling U.S. agriculture exports to Japan, which have cost Montana farmers millions in sales since the start of 2019, are a few months away from being resolved, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer testified Tuesday. Lighthizer, taking questions from Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., before the Senate Finance Committee, said his office was working with Japan to smooth out tariff troubles brought about by the United States’ 2017 exit from the multinational Trans-Pacific Partnership. Nations who stuck with the U.S.-initiated TPP are seeing tariff reductions in Japan that the United States isn’t. Montana wheat producers expect their 2019 trade losses in Japan
Daines, Tester advance Senate bill to federally recognize Little Shell Tribe
Montana’s congressional delegation made a successful bipartisan push Wednesday to advance legislation that would, for the first time, federally recognize the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians. According to a press release sent to MTN News, Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester have stapled their tribal recognition bill as an amendment to must-pass defense spending legislation in the U.S. Senate. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), to which the recognition bill has been attached, must pass Congress annually to determine national defense appropriations. At this point, the logistics would safeguard the recognition bill’s passage. While the Little Shell Tribe has
Senate panel focuses on missing, slain indigenous women
Lawmakers pressed the Trump administration on Wednesday to respond with urgency in addressing violence against Native American women and children after they say two officials arrived at a key U.S. Senate hearing unprepared to take concrete positions on a slate of legislation. The U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held the hearing in Washington to review five bipartisan measures aimed at tackling domestic violence, homicides and disappearances on tribal lands. The hearing followed recent pledges among Justice and Interior department officials to address gender violence in tribal communities as concerns mount over high rates of victimization. It also came amid
Trapper Creek and Anaconda Job Corps centers to stay open
Bowing to pressure from Congress and communities across the country, the Trump Administration announced Wednesday that it will not close or transfer any of the Job Corps Centers operated by the U.S. Forest Service, including Montana’s Trapper Creek and Anaconda centers. “Following a robust engagement with stakeholders and members of Congress regarding the future of the USFS Job Corps centers, USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) has notified DOL (Department of Labor) that the USFS will evaluate the feedback while reviewing its role in Job Corps management and operation,” said a joint statement from the two agencies released late Wednesday. For
‘No Brainer!’: Trump Supports Sen. Daines’ Proposed Amendment to Ban Flag Burning
“All in for Senator Steve Daines as he proposes an Amendment for a strong BAN on burning our American Flag,” Trump tweeted Saturday morning. “A no brainer!” Daines reintroduced the controversial proposal in a press release Friday, on Flag Day. “Our United States flag is a timeless symbol of liberty that tells the story of America, the story of our enduring pursuit of freedom,” Daines said. “Remembering the sacrifices of all who carried its colors into battle, our nation should always render the flag the honor and dignity it is due,” he continued. The wording itself is short and straightforward: “The Congress
Steve Daines Proposes Amendment to Ban Flag Burning
Daines introduced his constitutional amendment to prohibit burning of the American flag as America celebrates Flag Day. “Our United States flag is a timeless symbol of liberty that tells the story of America, the story of our enduring pursuit of freedom,” Daines said in a press release Friday. “Remembering the sacrifices of all who carried its colors into battle, our nation should always render the flag the honor and dignity it is due.” The Montana Republican has led the way for the movement to prohibit flag burning via a constitutional amendment. Last year on Flag Day, Daines highlighted his constitutional amendment on