Sen. Daines: We must never forget horrors of 9/11
It has been 15 years since the horrific terror attack of Sept. 11, 2001, that rocked our nation and forever changed our world. With the barbaric acts of terrorists, 2,977 people’s lives were taken when four jet planes were hijacked and crashed into some of our nation’s most emblematic landmarks. In the wake of the collisions, 411 brave responders lost their own lives while attempting to rescue survivors and fight fires. I don’t revisit these facts lightly, nor do I think that any American could ever forget the loss and terror of that day. Rather, I begin this way because
Great Falls Tribune: Great Falls, Malmstrom remember 9/11
For Col. Ron Allen, the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, “started like any other.” He was a captain at the time, working at the Pentagon. Now he’s the commander of the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom. That morning, he woke up at 6 a.m. as usual and headed to work. Not long after arriving, office chatter turned to the attack on the World Trade Center happening in New York City. “We all knew then our nation was under attack,” Allen said during a ceremony in the Malmstrom chapel Friday. But work continued at the Pentagon, and he was headed to
Havre Daily News: Little Shell recognition moves forward in Congress
The Little Shell Band of Chippewa Cree Indians won a key victory Thursday in their longtime effort to become a federally recognized tribe. The Little Shell Tribe of the Chippewa Cree Restoration Act of 2015, introduced by Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont ., would grant the Montana tribe federal recognition. It passed through the House Committee on Natural Resources Thursday. The same legislation passed the Senate Indian Affairs Committee last year. “I am fairly happy with today’s outcome, and I am happy that we were able to move it forward in a significant manner,” Zinke said during a telephone press conference. The legislation is part
Daines Announces Funding for Veteran Horse Therapy Program in Billings
GREAT FALLS, Mont. – United States Senator Steve Daines today announced that Horses Spirits Healing, Inc., based in Billings, received funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to help assist veterans and improve the ability of returning service members to integrate back into their communities. The funding is part of the VA Adaptive Sports Program for Disabled Veterans and Disabled Members of the Armed Forces. Daines wrote a letter of support for the grant which is available to read here. The funds will cover 700 session hours for veterans. “When the men and women return from their service to their communities
Daines Honors Montanan of the Week: Sanders County Sheriff Tom Rummel
GREAT FALLS, Mont. — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today recognized Sanders County Sheriff Tom Rummel. Thanks to Sheriff Rummel’s initiative and hard work, Montanans affected by the Copper King Fire have been kept safe and up to speed on the latest fire activity. 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
Billings Gazette: Zinke bill to end coal leasing ban, add community input, advances
A bill to overturn a temporary ban on federal coal leases — while also giving state and local governments a bigger say in leasing — was approved Thursday by the House Natural Resources Committee. Western lawmakers have been demanding for months that federal officials end the coal-leasing ban, which Department of Interior officials imposed last spring while they tried to determine whether the public is getting a fair royalty payment on federal coal. U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., authored the bill, which added a twist to the leasing ban debate by creating a royalty policy committee from which state, tribal and energy
Great Falls Tribune: Mont. Indian tribe closer to recognition by federal govt
WASHINGTON – A House panel approved legislation Thursday that would grant Montana’s Little Shell Tribe recognition by the federal government. The House Committee on Natural Resources voted 23-13 to approve legislation that includes the Little Shell federal recognition bill, bringing the tribe headquartered in Great Falls one step closer to receiving the designation it has spent more than 35 years trying to obtain. The Little Shell recognition was introduced by Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont. If the legislation is eventually signed into law, the Little Shell would become the last tribe in Montana to be federally recognized. Instead of being an
Montana Delegation Formally Requests Hearing to Name Peak in Alex Diekmann’s Honor
U.S. CONGRESS — U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester and U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke today worked to move their bill to honor the life of renowned Montana conservationist, Alex Diekmann by naming an unnamed peak in his memory through the legislative process. The delegation wrote to the leaders of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources urging them to hold a legislative hearing on their bill. “We respectfully request that S. 3192 and H.R. 5778, the Alex Diekmann Peak Designation Act of 2016, be included in a legislative hearing before your respective Committees
KLYQ: Hamilton’s Community Health Clinic Receives More Funds
The Bitterroot Valley’s Sapphire Community Health Clinic has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The funding was announced by U.S. Senator Steve Daines of Montana this week. The funding is part of over a million dollars awarded to 17 Montana community health centers. Other centers included facilities in Billings, Livingston, Chinook, Miles City, Shelby and Hardin. The Sapphire health center is at 303 North 3rd Street in Hamilton and has recently added mental health services. They also offer many medical services including: acute care for minor illnesses and injuries, urgent care, DOT