Daines, Hoeven, Gianforte and Gosar Lead Letter to President Trump on Keystone XL Pipeline
U.S. CONGRESS – U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Congressman Greg Gianforte today led 42 Members of Congress in sending a letter to President Trump to urge any immediate action necessary to move construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline forward “The Keystone XL pipeline will bring nearly 6600 high paying jobs in the near-term and nearly $4 billion in new capital investment next year alone,” the letter states. “[O]ne of your first actions as President was to expedite the approval and construction of the Keystone XL pipeline across six western and rural states. While we sincerely appreciate your strong leadership on this issue, we write
Family of missing Blackfeet woman, Ashley HeavyRunner Loring, taking case to Congress
A year and six months after her sister disappeared, Kimberly Loring will tell Congress what went wrong in the search, where law enforcement misstepped and why the nation needs to pay attention. The cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women has become a crisis, she’ll say. Ashley HeavyRunner Loring, 20, disappeared in June 2017. Kimberly Loring has been looking for her ever since. Ashley Loring is one of an unknown number of missing Native women and girls. The AP reported that no one knows how many are missing because the disappearances are sometimes unreported, aren’t documented thoroughly and aren’t part of
Daines to BIA: Time for Answers for Loring Heavyrunner Family
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today in a U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA) hearing on Indian Country’s missing and murdered demanded answers from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) on the epidemic of missing and murdered persons in Indian country. The hearing follows Daines’ request to the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee to hold the hearing. Daines also successfully secured Kimberly Loring HeavyRunner, the sister of missing Ashley Loring Heavyrunner of the Blackfeet Tribe, as a witness at today’s hearing. At the hearing, Kimberly told her sister’s tragic story and the complete disregard and lack of answers for Ashley’s case they
Senate Western Caucus Applauds Trump Administration Rewrite of EPA WOTUS rule
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines, chair of the Senate Western Caucus, and Caucus Members Senator Jim Inhofe, Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Joni Ernst, Senator John Barrasso Senator Pat Roberts, Senator Jeff Flake and Senator Jon Kyl, today applauded the Trump administration’s rewrite of the Obama era “Waters of the US” (WOTUS) rule. The new EPA rule more narrowly defines “waters of the US” to focus on truly public waterways. “The Obama WOTUS rule took federal government overreach in rural America to absurd new levels,” Daines said. “Maybe the Obama administration should have spent more time focusing on economic growth and protecting the
Daines Calls for Passage of Blue Water Bill
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined bipartisan senators and veterans to call for Senate passage of the bipartisan Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act. Click HERE to download audio “The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act is about fairness, about justice and about congressional intent,” Daines said. “The intent of congress was to ensure that those who served in Vietnam and were exposed to agent orange are getting the care they need and deserve. It’s time to make this wrong, right. We need to take away the muddy water of the VA and pass the bipartisan Blue Water bill
Daines Secures Critical Montana Priorities in 2018 Farm Bill
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced the 2018 Farm Bill will include critical priorities for Montana farmers and ranchers and forestry provisions to help prevent catastrophic wildfire. The final compromise must now be passed by the House and Senate before moving to the President’s desk to be signed into law. You can find the text of the Farm Bill here. “I’m glad to see that we’re moving forward with the 2018 Farm Bill and helping our farmers and ranchers get the certainty they deserve. As Montana’s lone voice on the Senate Ag Committee, and as the Chairman of the Senate Western Caucus,
Senate passes bill regarding indigenous women
A bill sponsored by U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., to address a terrifyingepidemic passed the Senate last week. The bill to help address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women epidemic unanimously passed the Senate Thursday night, just a few weeks after the Senate Indian Affairs Committee unanimously voted to send Savanna’s Act to the Senate floor.” The bill is now on its way to the House before it will reach the president’s desk. Roosevelt County Undersheriff, John Summers said, “I don’t know a whole lot about this act, but it’s got to be a good thing.” Summers went on to
Daines Successfully Secures U.S. Senate Hearing on Missing and Murdered Persons in Indian Country
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs will hold a hearing this Wednesday on the issue of missing and murdered persons in Indian country. The announcement comes after Daines sent a letter to Committee leadership requesting a hearing. “We face tragedies from across Montana where tribal citizens, particularly women and girls, go missing without a trace,” Daines said. “We must do all in our power to curb the crisis of American Indians and Alaska Natives who disappear and whose cases never see justice. I’m glad to see that the committee is treating this issue with
Daines Secures Critical Meth, Sex Offender Provisions in Criminal Justice Reform Legislation
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced he will cosponsor and support legislation to reform the criminal justice system after working to ensure meth and sex offender provisions were included in the bill. “Meth use has skyrocketed in Montana. We need to make sure we have every tool available to fight against an epidemic that is tearing families apart and increasing violent crimes in our state,” Daines said. “I’m glad to have worked to ensure high level meth dealers and sex offenders are excluded from the benefits of the First Step Act to help protect Montana families and communities. I’m happy to cosponsor this bill.” The bill,