KUMV: Culbertson Works to Re-Establish Amtrak Stop
Montana has plenty of open roads, but some people don’t want to drive long distances. They’d prefer to fly or ride a train. Gordon Oelkers has been the mayor of Culbertson for 18 years. He has seen the town grow and he know it takes time. “It kind of goes in steps. You don’t nothing for six months then you get something going on,” Oelkers said. For last four years, Culbertson has been working on re-establishing an Amtrak stop that disappeared 40 years ago. And he’s optimistic he’ll succeed. “Some people say the oil boom is over and why are
Daines Announces over $3.9 Million DHHS Grant for Yellowstone County Health Center
US. SENATE – Senator Steve Daines today announced over $3.9 million in funding for Montana community health centers in Yellowstone County. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will provide RiverStone Health Center in Yellowstone County with funding to improve community health and public healthcare services. “Montana’s community health centers provide critical health care services to thousands of Montanans,” Daines stated. “This grant will give the Yellowstone County community the needed resources to better serve Montanans with reliable, quality care.” RiverStone Health will receive $3,925,417 in discretionary funding for administrative changes that will help the health center provide Yellowstone
Daines Announces Over $500,000 Grant for Miles City Vocational Training Program
U.S. SENATE – Senator Steve Daines today announced that Miles Community College (MCC) was awarded an economic development grant for more than $529,000 to stimulate jobs and economic growth in Montana. The Economic Development Administration grant will go towards required renovations, environmental mitigation and Community Development Block Grant – Economic Development (CDBG-ED) matching funds, on a workforce training facility that will allow MCC to expand its vocational training curriculum to include the Commercial Driving License and Heavy Equipment Operators (CDL/HEO) program. “I commend the efforts of Miles Community College to address the growing local and regional need for skilled heavy equipment
Daines Helps Introduce Veterans Choice Improvement Act
U.S. SENATE —Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) today introduced legislation to improve health care services for America’s veterans. Daines’ bill, the Veterans Choice Improvement Act of 2016 makes major changes to the Veterans Choice Program, which was created in 2014 to allow veterans to get needed health care outside of the VA system, and creates a permanent program with advance funding. It makes changes and reforms to address the bureaucratic delays, hassles and confusion that veterans continue to experience in attempting to get health care. “Problems with the Choice Act is the number one concern I hear from veterans in Montana,” Daines stated. “We need to
Daines Honors Montanan of the Week: Sergeant Tim Lingle of the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office
U.S. SENATE — Senator Steve Daines today recognized Sergeant Tim Lingle of the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s office who was recently named the Montana American Legion Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. 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’ recognition in the Congressional Record is available here. 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’
Daines’ Bipartisan Pipeline Safety Bill Passes Senate
U.S. SENATE — This evening, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed Daines’ bipartisan legislation to help ensure the safety of America’s pipeline network. The Securing America’s Future Energy: Protecting Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (SAFE PIPES) Act, would reauthorize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) through 2019. The SAFE PIPES Act is also sponsored by Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA). “A safe, secure and efficient pipeline infrastructure is critical to our nation and essential to Montana – for energy security, jobs and environment protection,” Daines stated. “Today’s passage of
Daines Presses FDA Commissioner on Importance of Biotechnology to Food Supply
U.S. SENATE — Senator Steve Daines worked to ensure that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) upholds its duty to ensure that the U.S. has a safe food supply and abstains from marketing or labeling mandates that it determines have no bearing on food safety. During a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration FDA and Related Agencies hearing on the President’s Fiscal Year 2017 funding request for the Food and Drug Administration, Daines pressed FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf on allowing sound science and the free market to continue driving innovation and rejecting harmful regulations
Daines Hails Recovery of Yellowstone Grizzly Bear
U.S. SENATE — Senator Steve Daines today hailed the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) announcement concerning the recovery of the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear: “It’s great news that the Fish and Wildlife Service is taking the important step forward in working to delist the Yellowstone Grizzly Bear after their population has significantly rebounded. I hope this announcement helps clear the way for responsible management of the species and more responsible management of our natural resources, including our National Forests. I will continue to encourage the Fish and Wildlife Service to reconsider the listing of the other populations of grizzly bears across
KGVO: Montana Senator Daines Questions FCC, Advocates For Rural Areas and Small Businesses
On March 2, all five FCC Commissioners testified before the Commerce Committee. During the hearing, Montana Senator Steve Daines asked the commissioners to ensure an equal distribution of Universal Service funds to help close the gap in broadband access between urban and rural areas. “I see the commission awarding money to entities and areas that already have access to fiber, consistently upgrading speed in urban areas while certainly for many of us who are looking and repressing rural areas, we are undeserved,” said Daines. “Can you really say that is an efficient use for Universal Service funds and should the