Daines Introduces Legislation Authorizing Move of BLM Headquarters to the West
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines this week introduced the Bureau of Land Management Headquarters Relocation Act, legislation that would authorize the move of the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) headquarters from Washington, D.C. to one of the following Western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming. “The folks who make decisions about our land should have a solid understanding of what it means to have the federal government as your largest neighbor,” Daines stated. “In the West, federal land makes up a lot of our states but those who make decisions
Helena Independent Record: House passes GOP health plan that could eliminate Medicaid expansion in Montana
After legislation that could spell the end for Medicaid expansion in states like Montana cleared the U.S. House on a close vote, some are calling on Montana’s senators to defeat a Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The Montana Budget and Policy Center, a nonprofit that researches budget, tax and economic issues, said Thursday the revised version of the American Health Care Act would effectively end Medicaid expansion in Montana, which has extended coverage to more than 70,000 people. “The bill passed by the US House of Representatives is even worse for Montanans and our state
WaPo: Senate approves measure to fund the government through September
The Senate voted Thursday to approve a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September, preventing a government shutdown. President Trump is expected to sign the measure, which passed 79 to 18. It includes more than $15 billion in new defense spending and $1.5 billion in money for U.S. border security, ahead of a deadline to keep the government open past Friday. The five-month spending measure clears the way for Congress to begin talks over spending priorities for the fiscal year that begins in October. Trump has already outlined a request for GOP lawmakers to slash
Daines Calls for Funding for State Veterans Homes
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues in a letter to the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies urging them to support robust funding for State Veterans Homes that help provide long-term care to our nation’s veterans. Federal funds provided by the State Veterans Home Construction Grant Program allow states to make critical facility upgrades or construct new facilities to serve aging veteran populations. For fiscal year 2017, only 10 of the 57 highest priority projects were funded, resulting in a backlog of facilities requiring upgrades or
Washington Examiner: Pence: Obamacare repeal a ‘defining victory for life’
Vice President Mike Pence called a House vote set for Thursday to repeal and replace portions of Obamacare as “one of the defining victories for life.” “When we vote to repeal and replace Obamacare we will finally vote to defund Planned Parenthood,” Pence said to a standing ovation. Pence was speaking at the 10th anniversary “Campaign for Life” gala in Washington, held by Susan B. Anthony List, an organization that lobbies in favor of abortion restrictions. Roughly 650 guest gathered for the event. The bill the House is voting on Thursday to repeal and replace parts of Obamacare, the American
Daines: We Need to Remove Uncertainty from SRS & PILT
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today remarked about the uncertainty in the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) and the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) programs and the need to provide certainty for Montana counties. Daines today participated in a U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on federal payments to local governments provided through SRS and PILT, and the need to provide greater fiscal certainty for resource-dependent communities with tax-exempt federal lands. Click HERE to watch Daines’ questioning. Click HERE to download Daines’ questioning. “I hear from Montana counties every year about their frustration with the uncertainty
Daines: Perdue Coming to Montana
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today took to the Senate floor to highlight Montana Ag Summit 2017 that will take place May 31-June 1 in Great Falls. Click HERE to watch. Click HERE to download. Daines’ remarks as prepared are below: “I have good news for Montana – a week ago yesterday, the Senate voted to confirm former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue as our next Secretary of Agriculture. “Secretary Perdue and I discussed Montana ag and the need to expand agricultural access to foreign markets when we met prior to his confirmation hearing. “I believe that he will
Daines, Peters Introduce Bill to Protect Americans’ Personally Identifiable Information
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced legislation to require U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to remove personally identifiable information (PII) from vessel manifest sheets before making them available for public disclosure. The Moving Americans Privacy Protection Act would simply amend the manifest disclosure process to explicitly require the removal of individuals’ PII, such as, residential addresses, social security numbers, and passport numbers. The bill retains the original intent of manifest disclosures and protects PII. “We need to protect Americans’ privacy and automatically remove this personal information, rather than requiring folks to make a request
Politico: Dawdling Congress tests Trump’s patience
The congressional GOP’s protracted efforts to repeal Obamacare could exact a heavy toll on the rest of Donald Trump’s legislative agenda. If repeal in the House is successful, action on some of the president’s top legislative priorities is expected to be pushed back to late this year or even next year, when lawmakers will be up for reelection and more reluctant to cast tough votes. The delay also threatens to sap whatever Republican momentum remains from the election, in the midst of what’s often the most prolific stretch of a new presidency. Tax reform is the most prominent issue expected