In The News

As the respective chairmen of the Senate and Congressional Western Caucuses, a group of members who work to lift the voice of the rural West in Congress, we have a vested interest in how the federal government’s regulations impact water, agriculture and natural resources across the country – especially when these regulations burden the rural communities we represent. The “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule by then-President Obama and Vice President Biden was a drastic land and water grab that sought to give unprecedented power to unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., at the expense of farmers, ranchers, small business

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines visited the Montana State University Billings campus Friday morning to tour the COVID-19 testing and Military and Veteran Success Center. According to university student health services director, Darla Tyler-McSherry, the former office space used for the testing center took just 30 days to be converted. The testing site will be used to test student athletes before competitions, which is required by NCAA guidelines, and to test students showing symptoms of COVID-19. The testing center uses drive-thru style service. Students can walk up to the window, where they will meet a nurse, self-swab, and have their tests

Montana’s Republican congressmen are asking the Interior Department to remove Endangered Species Act protections for grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone and Glacier national parks. In a letter sent Thursday to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Matt Rosendale joined Idaho and Wyoming’s congressional delegation asking for more information on how the Biden administration will handle grizzlies, including a timeline on when the two populations will be returned to state management. The letter comes after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a recommendation at the end of last month that the species as a

A bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) would create a new job series for federal wildland firefighters to more accurately reflect the hazardous nature of the jobs they perform.  “In recent years Montana’s wildland firefighters have faced more intense challenges,” Sen. Daines said on Tuesday. “This bill will strengthen our preparedness for future wildfires and ensure we are recruiting and retaining the folks who are willing to put their lives on the line to protect Montana families and communities.” Sen. Daines on April 20 sponsored the Wildland Firefighter Recognition Act, S. 1221, with original cosponsor U.S. Sen.

Early Wednesday morning, KGVO spoke to Senator Steve Daines on the phone from his office in Washington, D.C. The first topic covered was the dramatic verdict announcement for Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. “Let’s not forget that what happened to George Floyd was absolutely tragic,” said Senator Daines. “The jury has rendered a verdict. But also, let’s not forget the members of law enforcement in this country who are the victims of violence on virtually a daily basis, and I just hope we can take the temperature down. Protesting is fine, but the rioting and

The debate over earmarks has caused a divide among GOP senators as they prepare to vote on restoring the controversial tactic next week, but Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines has suggestions that could affect how Republicans vote – a public record. “Nothing screams D.C. swamp more than a secret vote to overturn a ban on earmarks that would unleash wasteful spending and make lobbyists rich on the taxpayers’ dime,” Daines said Friday. “If we’re voting on this pay-for-play tactic, it should be public.” Nearly a month after House Republicans voted to reinstate earmarks — a practice that allocates funds for

WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States Senator Steve Daines, R-Mont., has announced he will introduce a bill which would stop states from using funds from the recent $1.9 trillion COVID relief package toward undocumented migrants. The move comes after New York announced it would be providing undocumented migrants close to $2.1 billion, which would be covered by funding from the package. The senator says it provides an incentive for illegal crossings and punishes taxpayers. If passed, the bill would prohibit states from receiving money from the package if they plan on giving payments to undocumented migrants. “These illegals from New York

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The topic of guns and gun control has been debated for decades, now the Biden Administration wants to bypass congress and enact regulations through executive orders for what the president calls a gun and public health crisis. Opponents of the moves feel this is ineffective and a threat towards the 2nd Amendment. But for the president, he feels something needs to be done. “This is an epidemic, for God’s sake. And it has to stop,” President Joe Biden said. The executive orders the president announced last week include requiring background checks for “ghost guns,” regulating pistol stabilizing

At a hearing before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, Montana Senator Steve Daines took IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig to task over an issue regarding a constituent from Billings who was attempting to deal with the estate of his deceased mother, but needed the cooperation of the IRS. “A Montanan from Billings brought an issue to my attention that I’d like to briefly discuss,” said Daines. “This individual lost his mother in January of 2020, and only then found out that she had not filed her taxes for fiscal years 2017, 2018 and 2019 due to