Daines Honors Montanan of the Week: Pete Gardzina of Montana City
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today honored Pete Gardzina from Montana City. Pete is the current Transition Assistance Advisor for the Montana National Guard and works to help Montana veterans transition to civilian life after returning from deployment. 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
Daines: President Obama’s Rejection of the Keystone XL is an Affront to the American People
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today admonished President Barack Obama for rejecting TransCanada’s application to build the job-creating Keystone XL pipeline: “It has taken more than seven years for President Obama to come clean with the American people and admit his anti-energy and anti-American jobs agenda. President Obama had an opportunity to help create good-paying jobs with the construction of the Keystone pipeline, but instead he chose to blatantly disregard the economic needs of this nation, the need for good-paying jobs, like union jobs, energy costs for Montana families and the will of the American people. The rejection of
Daines Helps Reintroduce “Audit the Fed”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today helped reintroduce the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015, widely known as “Audit the Fed.” The bill eliminates restrictions on Government Accountability Office audits of the Federal Reserve and mandates that the Federal Reserve’s credit facilities, securities purchases, and quantitative easing activities be subject to congressional oversight. “The Federal Reserve System was established one hundred years ago with the intent of managing our country’s money supply for greater financial stability. We need to conduct a serious review of our nation’s monetary policy with a view of returning to normalcy,” Daines stated. “We must have an open and
Daines Announces Over $500,000 in Education Funding for Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today announced more than $500,000 in federal funds for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) to bolster their educational programs and provide additional tools to advance self-determination in an educational setting. The Salish Kootenai College (SKC) was awarded $220,000 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) the Tribal College Research Grants Program (TCRGP), which was created by the 2014 Farm Bill. The tribe was separately awarded $287,769 through the Department of Education’s State-Tribal Education Partnership (STEP) program. “These grants will provide Salish Kootenai College and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes with additional resources to
Daines: Bipartisan Vote to Move Forward Veterans Funding Bill Is How Washington Should Work
Daines urges Senate Democrats to end block of critical defense funding legislation WASHINGTON, D.C. —Senator Steve Daines today applauded the bipartisan Senate vote to move forward debate on legislation to fund critical veterans’ services and noted that bipartisan cooperation on spending bills is “how Washington should work.” Daines also reaffirmed the need for Senate Democrats to end their political block on Defense Appropriations legislation, which Democrats doubled-down on earlier today by voting to block consideration of the funding bill. “It is welcome news that Senate Democrats are joining Republican in prioritizing the needs of our nation’s veterans. These selfless men and women
Daily Inter Lake: Tribes to receive $500,000 for education
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will receive more than $500,000 in federal funds for educational programs, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., announced Thursday. Salish Kootenai College was awarded $220,000 through the Department of Agriculture’s Tribal College Research Grants Program. The program helps tribal colleges build institutional research capacity through applied projects that address student educational needs and solve community, reservation and regional problems. The tribes also were awarded $287,769 through the Department of Education’s State-Tribal Education Partnership program. The grant provides funding from 2015 through 2019. The program provides funding to five Native American communities in Idaho, Montana and Oklahoma
Daines Calls for Montanans’ Feedback on Trans Pacific Partnership
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today posted the complete text of the newly released Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and is encouraging Montanans to read the trade agreement and provide him with feedback. The bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority legislation passed earlier this year was an important first step in establishing clear guidelines that enforce transparency, maintain Congress’ important role in the process and ensure Montanans’ voices are heard in all trade negotiations. The full text of the Trans Pacific Partnership is available here. The text will be available for several months before Congress considers it for a vote. “I’m pleased that the
Daines Statement on State Department’s Rejection of TransCanada Request to Suspend Keystone XL Application
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today denounced the State Department’s decision to reject TransCanada’s request to suspend their application’s review to build the job-creating Keystone XL pipeline: “President Obama has made clear that he has no intention of approving the Keystone XL pipeline. The State Department’s rejection of TransCanada’s request to suspend the Keystone application’s review is just another political move in the Obama administration’s long-standing war on American energy. Once again, President Obama is working directly against American energy independence, American jobs and the will of the American people.” Daines has been a vocal proponent of building the
Billings Gazette: State gets $2.3 million in additional PILT money
WASHINGTON — The Department of Interior has allocated nearly $2.3 million in additional Payment in Lieu of Taxes funds to rural Montana counties. Nationwide, nearly $34.5 million in additional PILT funds were issued last week by the department. “These payments are welcome news for numerous Montana communities who have suffered from severe economic challenges due to declining timber harvests and natural resource production,” Sen. Steve Daines said in a news release. “The PILT program provides critical support for Montana’s rural and forested counties.” The new payments boost the 2015 total to more than $29 million paid to Montana counties due