Flathead Beacon: Montana Congressional Delegation Urges Senate Leaders to Fully Fund LWCF
With bipartisan support, proponents are hopeful for revival of expired conservation fund Both of Montana’s U.S. Senators and the state’s lone U.S. House Representative have joined in a unified front to advance a measure that would permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which expired Sept. 30. U.S. Sens. Jon Tester, a Democrat, and Republican Steve Daines stood among 14 senators from both sides of the aisle this week, calling for Senate leaders to permanently reauthorize the LWCF by attaching mandatory funding to a must-pass bill facing Congress before the session clock winds down. Tester and Daines both signed the
Missoulian: Study: EPA’s Clean Power Plan could lead to closure of Colstrip plants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan, if enacted, could lead to the closure of the four-unit power-generating station in Colstrip, according to a study released last week by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana. “If you look at the emissions of Colstrip and the amount of tonnages that Montana has to eliminate, it does not mathematically show that Colstrip has to go. But it clearly indicates that it’s going to affect Colstrip in some way,” said Patrick Barkey, BBER’s director and the lead author of the report. The EPA released the final rule for
Daines Honors Montanan of the Week: Mary Crawford of Stevensville
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In honor of National Adoption Month, Senator Steve Daines today honored Mrs. Mary Crawford, an adoptive parent from Stevensville, Montana. Mary and her husband have selflessly opened their homes and hearts to nine foster children, six of whom they have since adopted. Daines is an original cosponsor of S.Res. 315, a resolution to designate November as National Adoption Month and November 21 as National Adoption Day. The resolution passed the Senate unanimously this week. There are 415,000 children currently in the United States foster care system and 108,000 of those are waiting to be adopted. Through his “Montanan of the
KULR8: $350,000 in grants for rural Montana mental health services
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On National Rural Health Day, Senator Steve Daines announced more than $350,000 in funding for rural Montana telehealth and mental health services. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants have been awarded to Western Montana Mental Health Center and St. Patrick Hospital Foundation. Daines wrote a letter of support for St. Patrick Hospital’s plan to build the Western Montana Telepsychiatry Network – a partnership between St. Patrick Hospital and rural Montana hospitals. By providing access to high-quality behavioral health professionals and services through telepsychiatry and distance learning, St. Patrick Hospital can
KULR8: Sportsmen’s Act ready for Senate decision
The Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015 passes out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee Thursday morning. The “bill promotes and protects access to Montana’s public lands and increases recreational opportunities for hunters and anglers” according to a press release from Senator Steve Daines. Additionally the bill creates an online database that lays out recipients and payments from the Equal Access to Justice Act. The goal of this section of the act is to create more transparency on forest management projects in the the state. The Sportsmen’s Act and the reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund have
Daines Announces $350,000 in Grants to Improve Rural Montana Mental Health Services
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On National Rural Health Day, Senator Steve Daines announced more than $350,000 in funding for rural Montana telehealth and mental health services. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants have been awarded to Western Montana Mental Health Center and St. Patrick Hospital Foundation. Daines wrote a letter of support for St. Patrick Hospital’s plan to build the Western Montana Telepsychiatry Network – a partnership between St. Patrick Hospital and rural Montana hospitals. By providing access to high-quality behavioral health professionals and services through telepsychiatry and distance learning, St. Patrick Hospital can address
Daines Helps Move Forward Key Legislation to Reauthorize LWCF, Expand Access to Public Lands
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today helped move forward critical bipartisan solutions to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and protect and preserve Montana’s outdoors heritage. The Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015 passed out of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this morning on a large bipartisan vote. This bill promotes and protects access to Montana’s public lands and increases recreational opportunities for hunters and anglers. Additionally, the Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015 would shine a light on how the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) payments are empowering obstructionists who frequently litigate forest management projects in Montana and the
Daines, Capito, King Call on FCC to Increase Transparency, Enforcement for Rural Broadband Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Angus King (I-ME) today urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to consider strict enforcement measures and increase transparency for the recently announced Connect America Fund funding. The FCC recently announced more than $1.5 billion in annual funding as part of the second phase of the Connect America Fund to expand and support broadband service in rural areas. “We believe strict enforcement measures, coupled with transparency around how, where, and when the funds are used are necessary to ensure the integrity of the [Connect America Fund] program and the success
Daines: UM BBER Report Reaffirms Devastating Impact of Obama’s War on Affordable Energy
Announces telephone townhall to discuss alarming UM report, Daines’ efforts to block anti-coal regulations WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today called a new report on the impact of President Obama’s anti-coal regulations “devastating for Montana” and announced that he will hold a telephone townhall meeting this evening to discuss the alarming report with Montanans. The University of Montana (UM) Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) today released a study on the economic implications of implementing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan in Montana. The study shows that the EPA’s new regulations will likely lead to the full