In The News

It’s a museum of national scope geared to start telling a very national story — the history of the United States Forest Service. On Thursday it opens to the public right here in River City, or rather 6.5 miles outside of it. The National Museum of Forest Service History will hail the opening of its new visitor center and interpretive trail a mile west of the Missoula International Airport with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. There’ll be cake and coffee, the mayor, and representatives from the offices of Gov. Steve Bullock and U.S. Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines.

HELENA – As U.S. Senate Republicans’ latest plan to repeal and replace “Obamacare” crashed and burned, two of the state’s top GOP officeholders said Tuesday they support a straight repeal of the health-care law – with a delayed effective date. Both U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and state Auditor Matt Rosendale, whose office regulates insurance, told MTN News that the Affordable Care Act should simply be repealed, without a replacement. The repeal can be delayed for two years while Congress works on a replacement, they said. “I think ultimately we have got to have (health) insurance regulation turned back over to

A new amendment aims to lift the current gag order that prevents VA doctors from discussing medical cannabis with their patients.  Whether U.S. military veterans should have access to medical cannabis is up for debate again—for the treatment of pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more.  Last Thursday (July 13), the Senate Appropriations Committee voted 24-7 to adopt an amendment in a budget bill allowing vets to obtain medical cannabis recommendations from VA physicians.  Tom Angell at MassRoots notes that the committee adopted a similar measure in last year’s budget bill, which outlines funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Proponents of the measure say

— The National Indian Gaming Association is in town this week for their summer legislative summit. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and Reps. Todd Rokita (R-Ind.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Tom Cole (R-Okla.),Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), Rob Bishop(R-Utah), Chris Collins (R-N.Y.), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) all plan to address the group.

President Donald Trump will host a dinner at the White House on Monday night with Republican senators for a discussion on the health care bill, which has been delayed while Sen. John McCain recovers this week from a surgery. So far CNN has confirmed that at least seven GOP senators will be at the dinner: Lamar Alexander of Tennessee James Lankford of Oklahoma John Thune of South Dakota Roy Blunt of Missouri Steve Daines of Montana John Cornyn of Texas Richard Shelby of Alabama White House press secretary Sean Spicer said during Monday’s press briefing that the President “is going to

The Republican Party’s efforts to gut former President Barack Obama’s legacy health care law came to an abrupt — if temporary — halt Monday night. Just hours after the Senate was gaveled back into session, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was handed two more public defections on his health care bill to overhaul Obamacare. The dramatic and simultaneous announcement from Sens. Jerry Moran of Kansas and Mike Lee of Utah means McConnell officially does not have the votes to even begin debate on his legislation to overhaul the Affordable Care Act. The development deals a devastating blow not only to

President Trump plans to host a group of Republican senators at the White House on Monday night as he seeks to persuade them to back the Senate’s new healthcare bill.  White House press secretary Sean Spicer announced the meeting but declined to provide a list of senators expected to attend.  Later in the evening, a White House official said the following GOP senators were attending: No. 2 Senate Republican John Cornyn (Texas), Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Roy Blunt (Mo.), Steve Daines (Mont.), James Lankford (Okla.), Richard Shelby (Ala.), and John Thune (S.D.). Senate leaders face a tough task in generating momentum for their plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare.    Two Republicans, Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Susan

The delegation for Montana and North Dakota have displayed its support this week for the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project. Oral arguments that will determine the fate of the proposed project at the Intake Diversion Dam to make the project more fish friendly are scheduled to be heard during this month. “Especially with the current drought and especially in far eastern Montana, the irrigation is critical,” U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said during a press conference call on Wednesday. The senator added, “We really do need to more forward with the construction. We need to have people come together and make

One major problem with the care system for veterans was people who did a bad job could not get easily fired. Stories of bad treatment, waiting months to see a doctor and workers who didn’t do their jobs where widespread. One of the first things President Trump did, which was supported by Montana Senator Steve Daines, was to make it easier to get rid of people not doing their jobs. Senator Daines helped secured provisions in the FY 2018 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act that will increase Montana veterans’ ability to get care for injuries they sustained