Republicans Call on Leadership To Cancel August Recess
More and more Republican lawmakers are considering canceling their month-long August recess so they can continue pushing their agendas through Congress. “Congress has no business taking a recess when the people’s business remains unfinished,” Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines told The Hill Monday. Daines is one of many Republicans who want to stay and make sure the American people know their elected officials are actually doing work. “I think it’s really important that people understand that Congress is working. We are producing a lot of legislation,” Oklahoma Republican Rep. Tom Cole told The Hill. Alaska Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan is also on board saying
GOP May Be Cancelling Summer Recess to Make More Time for ‘The People’s Business’
Every August, Congress takes a break from the Capitol with a monthlong recess. However, representatives may want to wait before they start packing up their Hawaiian shirts and fanny packs for vacation. The Hill reported that the lack of progress on tax reform, health care, and other bills has resulted in some Republican lawmakers calling for a cancellation of the August break. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) supports canceling the recess and told The Hill, “We have a huge agenda. I think we can get a lot of it done, but what we don’t have is time.” Fortunately, he believes the time issue can be solved because if they
Calls to nix August recess gain steam as GOP agenda hits roadblocks
Struggling to make progress on campaign promises like tax and health care reform, rank-and-file congressional Republicans are stepping up calls for their leaders to cancel or at least shorten the upcoming August recess. The GOP agenda is about to enter a summer slump amid internal disagreements and efforts by Democrats to sideline legislation. These efforts will enter a new phase Monday evening when Democrats plan to start slowing down Senate work even more by making speeches and refusing to let Republicans take procedural shortcuts. President Trump took to Twitter Monday morning accusing Democrats of wanting to “stop tax cuts, good
Trade agreement is good for beef producers
Montana cattle may well show up on Chinese dinner tables thanks to an historic agreement between the United States and China. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reached a final agreement with Chinese officials on final details of a protocol to allow the U.S. to begin the beef exports to China. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has announced the posting of technical documents related to the beginning of shipments. This is welcome news to Montana ranchers, notes Montana Farm Bureau national affairs director Nicole Rolf. “After an almost 14-year hiatus, our members are anxious to start selling our high-quality beef back
Trade agreement with China good for Montana beef producers
Montana cattle may well show up on Chinese dinner tables thanks to an historic agreement between the United States and China. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reached a final agreement with Chinese officials on final details of a protocol to allow the U.S. to begin the beef exports to China. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has announced the posting of technical documents related to the beginning of shipments. This is welcome news to Montana ranchers, notes Montana Farm Bureau National Affairs Director Nicole Rolf. “After an almost 14- year hiatus, our members are anxious to start selling our high-quality
Montana senators co-sponsor bill to honor Capitol cops after shooting
Montana’s U.S. Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines joined the rest of the Senate on Thursday in commending the Capitol Police who responded to a shooting Wednesday involving members of Congress. Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine introduced the bill Thursday in the Senate, where it passed unanimously. Other senators signed on as co-sponsors of the bill. On Wednesday morning, a gunman opened fire on Republicans in Alexandria, Virginia, who were practicing for a charity baseball game against Democratic members of Congress. Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana was shot. Also hurt were police officers and congressional staffers. The Senate passed Kaine’s
Daines Honors Montanan of the Week: Pam Moore of Lewis and Clark County
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today recognized Pam Moore, the Benchmark Plant Manager in Lewis and Clark County. Daines’ recognition in the Congressional Record is available here. Through his “Montanan of the Week” initiative, Daines each week will highlight a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the official Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress. Daines welcomes anyone to nominate fellow Montanans for Daines’ “Montanan of the Week” program by calling Daines’ office at 202-224-2651 or by filling out the contact form on Daines’ website: http://www.daines.senate.gov/connect/email-steve The following is the statement submitted to
Daines’ Rural Water Projects Bill Receives Senate Hearing
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines’ bill to provide much-needed authorization for Montana rural water infrastructure this week received a legislative hearing in the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. The Clean Water for Rural Communities Act authorizes two Bureau of Reclamation rural water projects: the Dry-Redwater Regional Water Authority System and the Musselshell-Judith Rural Water System. The bill will collectively facilitate water treatment and delivery to nearly 36,000 residents in Dawson, Garfield, McCone, Prairie, Richland, Judith Basin, Wheatland, Golden Valley, Fergus, Yellowstone and Musselshell Counties in Montana and McKenzie County, in
Daines Questions Forest Service Chief on Montana Projects
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today questioned U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell on encouraging Montana forest projects. Click HERE to watch Daines’ questioning. Click HERE to download Daines’ questioning. During a U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing, Daines asked Tidwell for an update on the Montanore Mine. The project would provide full employment for 450 people at full production, with an annual payroll of $12 million during the production phase of operations. Additionally, Daines questioned Tidwell on his bill to encourage partnerships between the Forest Service and State Foresters to carry out such landscape restoration