In The News

Sen. Daines pushes State Dept for global probe of China over coronavirus, suggests ‘appropriate punitive actions’

Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines, in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday, pushed for a coordinated international investigation of China’s apparent systematic cover-up of COVID-19, writing it’s important to consider “appropriate punitive actions necessary to hold China accountable.” The source of the “real harm to our economy”, Daines wrote to Pompeo, needs to be made clear so that Americans can “truly understand why they are making the sacrifices that they are.” “As you are well aware, China’s initial response to reports of an atypical pneumonia being detected by medical personnel in Hubei province in late 2019 were ham-fisted with government

CBP plans to cut Montana Port of Entry hours

MISSOULA, Mont. — Montana’s Congressional delegation is pushing back against plans to cut hours at the Ports of Entry along the Montana-Canada border. Customs and Border Patrol announced the plans this week. They go into effect on Monday at six ports. Officials say there is neither the passenger car or pedestrian traffic to warrant the current hours. In his letter, Sen. Steve Daines wrote, “While reducing non-essential travel is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting public health, a reduction in hours at these critical ports would harm our farmers and ranchers and disrupt essential services and commerce for

TC Energy announces start of Keystone pipeline

TC Energy announced March 31, a final decision to build the Keystone XL Pipeline Project. According to Montana Sen. Steve Daines, the pipeline will be a huge boost for Montana’s and the United States’ energy economy, bringing in approximately $8 billion as well as providing new job opportunities for Montanans. “This is great news for Montana jobs and for our nation’s energy security,” Daines said. “Construction of the Keystone XL pipeline will create good paying jobs for working Montanans in our energy and construction sectors. I look forward to seeing this important project completed,” the senator said in a release.

Congressional delegation urges National Guard funding approval

WASHINGTON — Montana’s delegates in Congress are urging President Donald Trump to approve federal funding that would allow the Montana National Guard to assist in efforts against the coronavirus. MT Delegation Letter to President Trump National Guard by NBC Montana on Scribd The following is a press release from the offices of Rep. Greg Gianforte, Sen. Steve Daines and Sen. Jon Tester: Congressman Greg Gianforte and U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester today sent a letter to President Trump urging him to swiftly approve federal funding for the Montana National Guard to help combat the COVID-19 outbreak. “We write to urge you to quickly approve

All American Pharmaceutical produces hand sanitizer

BILLINGS, Mont. — Many businesses, both small and large, are being forced to adapt during the coronavirus pandemic.  One of those businesses is a manufacturing company in Billings.  All American Pharmaceutical has completely changed its supply chain to meet Montana’s demand for hand sanitizer. Dr. Jeff Golini of All American Pharmaceutical says, “I just woke up in the middle of the night and realized their was a need and I thought, you know, we produce liquids, we have packaging equipment, large tanks, doesn’t seem like the formulation was that difficult, looked at a bottle of sanitizer, came into the lab,

Daines talks COVID-19 in telephone town hall

Montana has received thousands of masks, gloves and other protective equipment from the National Strategic Stockpile, U.S. Senator Steve Daines said Wednesday during a telephone town hall meeting. At the meeting, Daines also discussed the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief bill and effect on the national debt and economy, social distancing, and frontline workers. Referring to a report from the stockpile, the Republican said that over the past few weeks, Montana has received approximately: 79,000 N95 masks 188,000 surgical masks 39,000 face shields 32,000 surgical gowns 1,900 coveralls 209,000 gloves Nationwide, the New York Times reported, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has

Tester and Daines urge feds for more medical supplies, funding

Montana U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines signed off on a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human services Monday requesting they provide promised medical safety supplies and funding. They were joined by Representative Greg Gianforte and Liz Cheney of Wyoming. Senators Mike Enzi and John Barasso also signed the letter. Supplies in rural Montana hospitals have dwindled since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. These hospitals are mainly in need of the supplies that are used to keep their health care workers safe from the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19. As of Monday afternoon, Montana had 177

TC Energy moving forward with Keystone XL pipeline

TC Energy has announced it is moving forward with construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, even as a legal suit by environmental and tribal groups seeking to stop the pipeline continues. The company said in a media release that it has 20-year transportation service agreements for the pipeline that total 575,000 barrels per day with what it described as strong, credit-worthy counterparties expected to generate about $1.3 billion in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization on an annual basis. Once Keystone XL is operational, an existing contract for 115,000 barrels per day from Hardisty to the Gulf Coast on