Daines, Zinke Work to Ensure Healthcare Delivery for Rural Montanans
U.S. CONGRESS —U.S. Senator Steve Daines and U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke today worked to ensure equitable healthcare delivery for rural Montanans. In a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt, Daines and Zinke seek to clarify why certain Montana zip codes are not designate as rural for ground ambulances despite meeting qualifications and having rural designations for most other Medicare programs. There are currently 16 zip codes throughout Montana, which meet criteria, but have not been designated as rural for purposes of ground ambulance reimbursement. “With lower population density and increased travel times, it is
Daines, Tester Fight for Montanans’ Right to Privacy
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester today stood up for Montanans’ right to privacy and pressed Attorney General Loretta Lynch to provide Congress with more information about a proposed expansion of government hacking and surveillance powers. In the letter to AG Lynch, Daines and Tester ask for more information about how the government would use the new hacking authority, formally known as amendments to Rule 41 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Unless Congress acts, these new amendments are scheduled to go into effect on December 1. “We are concerned about the full scope of the new
Great Falls Tribune: Senators Push for ICBM Upgrade at Malmstrom
Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines said Tuesday they are pushing the Obama administration to take steps to update the ICBM fleet at Malmstrom Air Force Base. In a letter to President Barack Obama, they reiterated their support for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program, which is scheduled to replace the Minuteman III fleet and provide a next-generation land component of the U.S. nuclear triad. They said modernizing Malmstrom’s ICBM fleet is the best way to ensure that the United States maintains a safe, reliable and cost-effective deterrent that aids national security. “Given the wide array of strategic challenges facing
Daines and Tester Push Obama to Update ICBM Fleet
(U.S. Senate)—Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines are pushing the Obama Administration to take steps forward and update the ICBM fleet at Malmstrom Air Force Base. In a letter to President Obama, Montana’s Senators reiterated their support for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program, which is scheduled to replace the Minuteman III fleet and provide a next generation land component of the U.S. nuclear triad for decades to come. Tester and Daines both agree that modernizing Malmstrom’s ICBM fleet is the best way to ensure that we are able to maintain a safe, reliable, and cost-effective deterrent that contributes to
Daines Statement on Obamacare Rate Increases
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement after the Obama administration announced that premiums for Obamacare will increase by an average of 25 percent next year. “Montanans are stuck with insurance rate hikes that are more than the jaw dropping 25 percent national average for next year,” Daines stated. “Obamacare isn’t affordable and needs to be replaced with state-driven solutions that puts patients at the center of the healthcare equation.” Average increases for Montana’s top three insurance providers range from 27 to 58 percent, with the highest increase for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana policies. ###
Obama Administration Confirms Double-Digit Premium Hikes
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Obama administration is confirming that premiums will go up sharply next year for health insurance sold to millions of consumers through HealthCare.gov. Before taxpayer-provided subsidies, premiums for a midlevel benchmark plan will increase an average of 25 percent across states served by the federally run online market. The number of insurers serving the federal market will drop from 232 to 167, a loss of about 28 percent. Administration officials say that despite the sobering numbers, subsidies designed to rise alongside premiums will insulate most customers from sticker shock. And they add that consumers who are willing
Daines Demands Response to Lapsed Softwood Lumber Agreement
Moratorium on litigation related to U.S. – Canada softwood lumber trade lapsed at midnight, October 12, 2016 U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined 26 Senators in urging President Obama to prioritize ongoing negotiations to obtain a new softwood lumber trade agreement with Canada. In a letter to President Obama, Daines underscored the need to reach a new deal to prioritize American jobs and help forested counties. “We are disappointed that Canada appears reluctant to follow through on this commitment which has significantly undermined USTR’s efforts to reach a final agreement,” Daines wrote. “We urge you to encourage Canada to fulfill Prime
Missoulian: Senators Back Push to Renew Softwood Import Agreement
Montana’s Senate delegation co-signed a letter to President Barack Obama asking for continued pressure to get a new Softwood Lumber Agreement with Canada. “We are disappointed that Canada appears reluctant to follow through on this commitment, which has significantly undermined (the U.S. Trade Representative’s) efforts to reach a final agreement,” Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester wrote on Friday, in a bipartisan message joined by 24 fellow senators. The Softwood Lumber Agreement was originally signed in 2006 and set limits for Canadian lumber imports to the United States. It expired in 2015, but had a one-year “stand-still” clause allowing time
KTVQ: Billings Crime Victims Rally Behind Marsy’s Law, Opponents Warn of Hidden Complications
A constitutional initiative that will appear on the Montana ballots hits home for one Laurel woman, whose son was the victim of a brutal assault on the Billings Rims last spring. “My son was in an assault,” said Kristen Dawes, the victim’s mother. “He was the victim of an unprovoked assault in which he thought he was going to die. Throughout this whole process, I’ve really felt like I didn’t have a voice.” Since the arrest of the two men who allegedly assaulted her son Zach, Dawes said she has felt helpless. “The offender has priority over the victim, because every