In The News

Senator Steve Daines spent his afternoon on Capitol Hill speaking with the Bureau of Indian Affairs about the ever growing Missing and Murdered Indigenous People epidemic. Sen. Daines questioned the BIA’s practices, specifically in Indian Country when it comes to communicating with families. “One of the most frustrating experiences for families is the lack of information being shared from federal law enforcement agencies.  It seems like there is a black hole,” said Daines Tara Sweeney, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Indian Affairs told the committee that information is sometimes hard to share. “Daines: Does the Office of Justice services

In what may have set a record for customer scandal/service, Google restored a paid ad from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation it had initially rejected because of animal cruelty issues hours after it received a letter from Montana’s Republican congressional members. The Missoula-based hunting advocacy group was notified April 25 that its ads were disapproved, according to RMEF spokesman Mark Holyoak. The group appealed to Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Greg Gianforte, who sent a joint letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Friday. RMEF also contacted Democratic Sen. Jon Tester who sent a letter to Google, according to RMEF.

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) on May 2 sponsored a bipartisan bill to certify that America’s first responders don’t have to pay taxes on disability payments received from any on-the-job injuries. “Montana’s first responders risk their lives every day to protect our communities,” Sen. Daines said last week. “This legislation will ensure these brave men and women will no longer endure unfair taxes or audits from the IRS as a result of the sacrifices they have made for our safety.” Sen. Daines introduced the bipartisan Putting First Responders First Act, S. 1278, with U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) and two

On Sunday, President Donald Trump declared May 5 as Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day. “I call upon Americans and all Federal, State, tribal, and local governments to increase awareness of the crisis of missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives through appropriate programs and activities,” the president wrote in his proclamation. A bipartisan congressional coalition, including both Montana senators, also recently passed a resolution marking May 5 as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls. Senate Resolution 144, introduced May 2, cited overwhelming supportive data to communicate a need for the declaration. Statistics

Citing concerns for incidents reported at a state-run nursing home in Montana, Sen. Steve Daines on Friday asked the head of a federal agency overseeing these facilities when a review will be completed of nursing home regulations and guidelines. And the Montana Republican asks Seema Verma, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services (CMS) if her agency will provide a list of audits and findings and what steps the agency is taking to improve its rating system. “I am committed to shedding a light on the current systematic deficiencies that allow substandard care in nursing homes and fail to protect

MISSOULA, Mont. — Sen. Steve Daines and Rep. Greg Gianforte are reaching out to Google after the company rejected a hunting advertisement for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. A Google representative told the congressmen the advertisement is considered “animal cruelty and deemed inappropriate to be shown on our network.” Daines and Gianforte are demanding Google reverse its decision on the prohibition of hunting advertising.  You can read their full letter and Google’s response below:

A U.S. senator is seeking to ban convicted child molesters from receiving government pensions after a U.S. Indian Health Service doctor was revealed to be drawing a six-figure retirement income following his conviction for sexually abusing patients. The Wall Street Journal and the PBS series Frontline reported in March that the doctor, longtime Indian Health Service pediatrician Stanley Patrick Weber, stood to get more than $1.8 million in U.S. pension payments during his prison sentence, which began in September. Sen. Steve Daines (R., Mont.) disclosed the legislative proposal at a Senate hearing Wednesday at which lawmakers again questioned the IHS’s

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines pushed ahead Wednesday an attempt to cut retirement benefits to Indian Health Service pediatrician Stanley Patrick Weber, who sexually assaulted Blackfeet children. The Republican senator for Montana questioned Assistant Surgeon General Michael D. Weahkee on Wednesday about Indian Health Service’s handling of reports against Weber. The questions came as the assistant surgeon general appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee to make his case for the IHS 2020 budget. After the hearing Daines introduced a bill to cut off retirement benefits for federal workers convicted of on-the-job child sexual assault.  “Despite numerous reported suspicions of Weber’s inappropriate

U.S. Senator Steve Daines is co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill to shed light on the drug pricing process and the middlemen responsible for negotiating prescription drug costs.  The Bipartisan bill, “The Prescription Pricing for the People Act of 2019”, helps shed light on the pharmacy benefit manager industry by examining the effects of consolidation on pricing and other potentially-abusive behavior. Specifically, the bill requires the Federal Trade Commission to study the role and recent merger activity of PBMs as well as possible anti-competitive behavior.  The bill requires the FTC to provide policy recommendations to congress to improve competition and protect consumers.