In The News

Plans for a controversial port in Puget Sound for Montana coal will advance under a House rider preventing coastal Indians from stopping the project. House lawmakers lead by Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., voted to keep the permitting process going for the Gateway Pacific Terminal near Bellingham, Wash. The Lummi Nation, which has fishing waters next to Cherry Point, had asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to abandon its review of the port proposal. The Lummi argued that its treaty rights would be violated by the terminal. However, Montana’s Crow Tribe made a counter argument that its treaty rights to

HELENA – Montana’s two Republican members of Congress are hailing the passage of bills blocking the Obama administration’s clean power plan – but the bills face an almost certain veto. “I urge (President Barack Obama) to drop his veto threat and sign into law this common-sense legislation to rein in the unchecked fourth branch of government and protect thousands of good-paying union and tribal jobs,” Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said in a statement Tuesday. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont, also said he is “proud to lead the fight against these onerous Washington regulations,” along with Daines and Montana Attorney General Tim

A little different “blue and gold” descended upon Bozeman, Nov. 12 through the 14, in the form of 1,545 Montana Future Farmers of America (FFA) members, 4-H members, advisers and guests. For the fourth year in a row, the John Deere Agriculture Expo was deemed a success by FFA. Three days were packed with providing students the opportunity to compete in Career Development Events, tour through MSU campus, and participate in elite leadership conferences. The foundation welcomed 40 special guests from around the Big Sky state, including Senator Steve Daines, representatives from John Deere, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Dr.

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, and U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., have urged U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials to reverse plans to reduce operating hours at the Port of Raymond and terminate the northeastern Montana border crossing’s 24-hour operating status. In a letter to CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske, Daines and Zinke highlighted the important role that the Port of Raymond holds for regional economic activity and the overwhelming local concern surrounding CBP’s recent decision to reduce operating hours. “Terminating the Port of Raymond’s 24-hour status would create costly route diversions and impair the flow of goods in an

In recognition of Small Business Saturday, Senator Steve Daines is encouraging his fellow Montanans to “shop small” and join him in highlighting the important contributions that Montana’s small businesses make to Montana’s economy year round. “Small businesses are the backbone of Montana’s economy,” Daines stated. “When small businesses grow, our economy grows. Our country was founded on hard work and entrepreneurship and I’m proud that Montana small businesses continue to lead the way and exemplify the best of our country’s heritage. I encourage my fellow Montanans to shop small and join me in supporting Montana small businesses not just this

Montana’s congressional delegation is joining with dozens of other U.S. senators and representatives in urging their leaders to figure out quickly how to fully fund a program that supplied more than $29 million to Montana counties this year. Payments In Lieu of Taxes help offset losses in property taxes because of nontaxable federal lands: national forests and parks, as well as Bureau of Land Management and Fish and Wildlife Service lands. The U.S. Department of Interior estimates it’ll take $452 million to fully fund it in the nearly 1,900 affected counties across 49 states. U.S. Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Jon

Congressional Republicans in both chambers peppered the FCC with questions about its Enforcement Bureau and the impact of its net neutrality rules on small businesses, in two letters sent to agency Chairman Tom Wheeler late Nov. 19. GOP senators weighed in on the practices of an Enforcement Bureau that has become more aggressive under its current chief, Travis LeBlanc. Against the backdrop of an ongoing legal dispute over the agency’s controversial Open Internet rules, a raft of House Republicans wrote the FCC, urging it to exempt small Internet service providers from transparency requirements. Five members of the Senate Commerce, Science

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Montana Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke today urged U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials to reverse plans to reduce operating hours at the Port of Raymond and terminate the northeastern Montana border crossing’s 24-hour operating status. In a letter to CBP Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske, Daines and Zinke highlighted the important role that the Port of Raymond holds for regional economic activity and the overwhelming local concern surrounding CBP’s recent decision to reduce operating hours.  “Terminating the Port of Raymond’s 24-hour status would create costly route diversions and impair the flow of goods in an important economic corridor,” Daines

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