Daines Announces Over $36 Million in PILT Funds for Critical Services in Montana’s Small and Rural Counties
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that the U.S. Department of the Interior will be directing $36.2 million in Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) to Montana’s small and rural counties. “I’m glad to see this funding going to Montana communities where it will be put to good use,” Daines said. “The PILT program helps provide essential services in Montana’s rural counties, and I will continue to support this critical program.” The federal government directs PILT funds to local governments to offset the loss of property taxes from federally owned lands in that county. Montana’s small and rural counties use PILT funds to
Daines Calls for Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Support the St. Mary’s Milk River Project
U.S. SENATE — During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Steve Daines stressed the importance of passing his bipartisan bill to support the St. Mary’s Milk River Project in north-central Montana. To watch Daines’ remarks, click HERE. “Clean and reliable water is fundamental to human life. The Montana delegation has worked for over a decade to adjust the cost-share for the St. Mary’s Milk River project so that much needed reconstruction can take place. Any rural water package must ensure that folks on the Hi-Line get the help they need,” Daines said. “This water system is over one hundred years old and has
Daines, Stabenow Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Conservation Easements, Stop Abuse from Scam Artists
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) reintroduced the bipartisan “Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act” to stop the abuse of conservation easements, save taxpayers billions of dollars and promote conservation in the United States. “Montana farmers and ranchers work hard to conserve our lands while scam artists are taking advantage of the conservation easement program,” Daines said. “This type of abuse cannot continue. My bipartisan bill will go after bad actors and help save taxpayers billions of dollars while promoting conservation across the nation.” “Our bill preserves the integrity of the conservation easement program which plays an important role
Daines, Stefanik Introduce Bill to Reopen the Canadian Border to Revitalize Montana’s Economy
U.S. CONGRESS — U.S. Senator Steve Daines and House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik today introduced a bicameral bill to require the Biden administration open the northern border and revitalize American jobs and tourism. “It is unacceptable that President Biden continues to ignore the needs of Montanans and keep the northern border closed while supporting the southern border being wide open to a surge of illegal immigrants and a flood of illegal drugs into our Montana communities,” Daines said. “Access to the northern border is critical for Montana jobs, agriculture and tourism. We cannot wait any longer for Biden to do what’s right—it’s time to reopen the northern border for Montana.” “The Biden administration’s inability to establish a plan to restore cross-border
Daines Introduces Bill to Lower Prescription Drug Costs, Expand Treatment Options for Montanans
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, introduced the “Lower Costs, More Cures Act,” which will support Montanans by lowering prescription drug prices, increasing transparency in the complex prescription drug pricing process and encouraging American ingenuity in the development of new treatments and cures. “Year after year, Montanans continue to face out of control prescription drugs costs. Folks in Montana and across the country should not have to choose between putting food on their table or paying for their medicine,” Daines said. “Congress should act to address the high out of pocket costs for prescription drugs, and we must
Daines Announces Funding for Missoula Public Transportation Program
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that $3,666,500 will be allocated to the Missoula Urban Transportation District’s “Two Agencies, One Goal: All-Electric, Zero Emission Fleets” project. “This is great news for Missoula and will help Missoula’s Urban Transportation District follow their fleet replacement plan.” The funding will be used to replace four diesel busses with four all-electric, zero-emission busses and associated charging infrastructure. Daines wrote a letter of support for this program funding. Click HERE to read it. Daines voted for this funding in December 2020. ### Contact: Katherine McKeogh, Katie Schoettler
Daines Votes to Preserve Election Integrity, Block Democrats’ Partisan Push for a Federal Takeover of Elections
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today voted against Senate Democrats’ partisan election takeover bill, S.1, to help preserve state-run elections in Montana, prevent taxpayer dollars from being used to fund political campaigns, and ensure commonsense election integrity provisions like voter ID requirements remain in place. “The Democrats’ partisan election takeover bill isn’t ‘for the people’ it’s ‘for the politicians,’” Daines said. “I voted against this political power grab by Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, which would undo Montana’s photo ID requirements and force Montana taxpayers to fund political ads. Last election, Montanans were overwhelmed with hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign ads—the last
Daines Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Increase Access to Montana Public Lands
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced the bipartisan “Modernizing Access to our Public Land Act” to facilitate access and raise awareness of outdoor opportunities on Montana public lands, while protecting private property rights. “Technology revolutionized the ways in which Montana sportsmen navigate our lands. Public lands agencies need to modernize and catch up to the digital age by digitizing and making maps and other public health information publicly and readily accessible,” Daines said. “The MAPLAND Act will facilitate public access, raise awareness for our communities, protect private property rights, and ensure responsible, safe recreation in Montana.” Daines discussed the benefits of this bipartisan bill at a
Daines to Treasury Secretary Yellen: Must Prioritize Cybersecurity of Financial System
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines is urging Department of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to prioritize cybersecurity of the Treasury and the entire banking system. Daines pressed Yellen in a Senate Finance hearing about whether her focus on climate change risks is coming at the expense of strengthening cyber defense in the financial sector. Watch and download video of the exchange HERE. “Secretary Yellen, at the most recent Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) meeting last Friday, June 11, you outlined three key priorities: 1. vulnerabilities in nonbank financial intermediation, 2. climate change, and 3. Treasury market resilience,” said Daines. “I am concerned