In The News

Sen. Steve Daines has co-sponsored a bill to push more research and development on using wood for tall building construction. The Timber Innovation Act, S. 2892, was authored by Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan. It will be heard by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. Fellow Republican Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho and Democratic senators Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Maria Cantwell of Washington also co-sponsored the bill. The bill would look for ways to use timber framing in buildings more than 85 feet or seven stories high. State and federal building codes typically call for concrete or metal framing

Former Montana Sen. Conrad Burns, a former cattle auctioneer whose folksy demeanor and political acumen earned him three terms and the bitter disdain of his opponents, died Thursday. He was 81. Burns died of natural causes at his home in Billings, Montana Republican Party Executive Director Jeff Essmann said. “He was a colorful figure who loved people, politics and to serve,” Essmann said. “He brought a common-man, common-sense approach to his work in the Senate and returned to his home in Billings when his work was done.” Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat, said he and wife Lisa would join other

Montana Senator Steve Daines recognized Wyatt Zylawy on April 22, for his outstanding achievements in his recent Coast Guard training and for his noble commitment to serving our country. Zylway graduated from Superior High School in 2015, and joined the Coast Guard. Zylawy was recognized through Daines “Montanan of the Week” initiative, where each week he will highlight a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the official Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress. The following is the statement submitted to the Congressional Record: MONTANAN OF THE WEEK “Mr. PRESIDENT, I would like to

Senator Steve Daines today, April 27, urged Department of Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to tour Colstrip and the Crow Reservation during her upcoming travel to Montana. “Secretary Jewell needs to hear directly from the people impacted by Interior’s actions and come to communities like Colstrip and the Crow Reservation to see what it means for Montana families,” said Daines. “We’ve already seen layoffs in coal communities across our state as a result of the Obama administration’s war on coal. I encourage Secretary Jewell to meet with folks in Colstrip and the Crow tribe to hear directly from them about the impact of

The Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has provided more than half a billion dollars in federal funding to Montana during the past 50 years, would be permanently reauthorized under a sweeping energy reform bill passed by the U.S. Senate Wednesday. The Energy Policy Modernization Act passed on an 85-12 vote and now heads to conference committee, where members of the House and Senate will work to hammer out a compromise between the energy bill and a similar bill passed in the House last December. The upper chamber’s overwhelming approval of the bill was hailed by Montana’s two senators Wednesday

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy said to Congress Wednesday that there’s “absolutely no reason” to measure the impact of the Clean Power Plan by looking at global temperature reductions. McCarthy admitted during questions by Republican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana that her agency can’t measure the impact of its proposed Clean Power Plan on global temperatures, because it would likely be incredibly small. McCarthy specified that the plan’s influence on the environment cannot be quantified.  The Clean Power Plan would eliminate most cheap coal and natural gas power with expensive sources like solar and wind, costing America an expected $41 billion annually. Yet, the plan likely

When Congressional budget hawks look to attack, the federally subsidized Essential Air Service is usually a sitting duck. The program responsible for connecting small rural communities with airports that have commercial fight connections always seems at risk of having its funding plucked. Cheap flights to Billings from Glasgow, Glendive, Havre, Wolf Point and Sidney depend on EAS. The program also connects airports in Butte and West Yellowstone to Salt Lake City. In 2015, Montana passengers boarded Cape Air, the EAS provider for rural Eastern Montana airports, 43,663 times. The funding comes from federal general funds and fees collected from commercial

Airport officials will begin a two-year study of the Ronan airport after the Federal Aviation Administration funded a grant for the work. The $202,642 Aeronautical Survey and Airport Masterplan Update grant will be used to define whether the airport is in demand enough to expand it for use of larger firefighting aircraft that could potentially save lives. Lake County Joint Airport Board Chairman Rick Newman said that nothing will change in the Ronan area surrounding the airport. “No shovels will go into the ground in the next two years,” he said. The study is to determine if a need exists

The Armed Forces Readiness Center in Great Falls is getting a new name. Legislation passed both houses of Congress to rename the facility as the Capt. John E. Moran and Capt. William Galt Armed Forces Reserve Center to honor the Montana men who received the Medal of Honor. The bill is now awaiting President Barack Obama’s signature. Moran served in the Army’s 37th Infantry during the Philippine-American War and was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1910 and died in Great Falls in 1930. Galt of Great Falls served in the Army’s 34th Infantry during World War II and was