In The News

Several Western lawmakers are headed to Big Sky Country this weekend to discuss wildfires, conservation and the challenges facing the beleaguered National Park System. Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), the respective chairmen of the Senate and Congressional Western caucuses, will host the group of members, congressional staffers, agency officials and a handful of industry guests in Bozeman, Mont., for a “Summer Western Policy Roundtable.” Other confirmed members attending are Republican Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Greg Gianforte of Montana, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Dan Newhouse of Washington and Bruce Westerman of Arkansas. Staffers from multiple personal

Montana Sen. Steve Daines said Friday that the state and federal governments need to better manage forests to reduce the risk and severity of wildfires. Daines pushed that message at a roundtable discussion at the Baxter Hotel in Bozeman along with members of the Senate Western Caucus and other agencies across the state. Daines apologized to the group inside the hotel for the haze that covered the view of the Bridger Mountains because of wildfire smoke. Years ago, he said, if you came to Montana in August the horizon was clear. That was around the same time the state had

 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines spent his afternoon back on Capitol Hill fighting to build an education center at the heart of one of the nation’s most recognizable memorials.  Nearly 58,000 names don the wall that was built nearly two decades after one of the most divisive times in America’s history with thousands coming home from Vietnam only to be spit upon, shamed and even attacked for fighting for our country.  President and CEO of Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Wall, Jim Knotts told KFBB, “The repercussions of that experience are still being felt by our country today in lots of different ways.” In order to

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today sponsored a resolution denouncing the radical calls for the dissolution of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement performs vital functions that protect American families. Last year, agents worked tirelessly around the clock to rescue 1,422 victims of human trafficking.  More than 900 of those victims were children.  ICE agents also removed a million pounds of narcotics and more than 4,800 gang members from the streets of this country.  Those numbers are just a small fraction of the nearly 127,000 arrests made by ICE agents last year against people

The U.S. Senate version of the farm bill delivers for Montana agriculture and forests, the state’s two senators said Tuesday. Sens. Steve Daines, Republican, and Jon Tester, Democrat, say they have amendments to the 2018 farm bill as the bill goes to the floor for debate, but mostly they see the state’s interests protected. The bill passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee last week on a 20 to 1 vote. Daines, an Agriculture Committee member, said the bipartisanship that got the farm bill through committee should assure its passage in the Senate. “We’re off to a very good start.

MISSOULA, Mont. — Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester, Congressman Greg Gianforte along with Montana Attorney General Tim Fox released statements slamming the Supreme Court decision on internet sales tax. The office of Senator Steve Daines sent out the following release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today condemned the United States Supreme Court decision allowing states to implement an Internet sales tax on small businesses physically located outside of the state’s borders. The 5-4 decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair will increase tax burdens on small businesses and raise prices for consumers. This decision could lead to Internet retailers in all states

Montana Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines on Wednesday joined a group of lawmakers at the U.S Capitol to urge Congress to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The fund, established in 1964 to safeguard public lands, water resources and cultural heritage, is set to expire on Sept. 30 without congressional reauthorization. “Today marks 100 days until the LWCF expires,” Daines said. “It’s time we permanently reauthorize this critical conservation and recreation program for Montana. I support the full and permanent funding of LWCF.” Several conservation groups launched a $1 million digital ad campaign earlier this month to pressure lawmakers to reauthorize

All three of Montana’s delegates in Washington, D.C. said they oppose the Trump Administration’s strategy of separating families at the border. But they disagree on how to move forward to change that practice. Democratic Senator Jon Tester maintains a specific bill isn’t even necessary to keep those families together. “The Secretary of Homeland Security could stop it, (U.S. Attorney General Jeff) Sessions could stop it, they could stop it, and it would be stopped within minutes. But, assuming they’re not going to do that let’s stay here Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday – however long it takes to get this stopped.

Malmstrom Air Force Base will receive federal funding to help modernize its ground-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) infrastructure and replace UH-1N Huey military helicopters at the base, Sen. Steve Daines said Monday. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 OKs a $69.4 million increase for the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program, a Daines spokeswoman said Monday. The GBSD will replace the Missileman III missile at Malmstrom in the mid-2020s and the funds are for public and private research nationwide, Daines said. It also requires the Air Force to increase staffing to ensure the project stays on schedule and to