Daines Statement on Keystone XL Pipeline Lawsuit
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines issued the below statement regarding Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s announcement to pursue legal action against the Biden administration for revoking the permit for construction on the Keystone XL pipeline. “President Biden decided to ignore science, ignore our rural communities and instead side with environmental activists and shut down construction on the Keystone XL pipeline,” Daines stated. “This Day One action has already cost hardworking Americans their jobs and will cause Montana to lose out on over $60 million in tax revenue. I’m glad to stand with Attorney General Knudsen in support of the Keystone XL pipeline and thankful for
Daines Introduces Bill to Punish Criminals for Targeting Law Enforcement
U.S. SENATE—U.S. Senator Steve Daines cosponsored the “Protect and Serve Act,” to help protect law enforcement officers by creating federal penalties for individuals who deliberately target local, state, or federal law enforcement officers with violence. “Montana law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every single day to keep our families and communities safe,” said Senator Daines. “We should return the favor by doing everything we can to ensure they are protected from senseless violence. Anyone who chooses to target law enforcement officers and cause harm must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” To read the full text, click HERE. The “Protect and Serve
Daines Pushes to Protect Montana Cities
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today defended Montana cities against proposed changes by President Biden’s administration that would redefine “metropolitan areas” and lead to less federal funding for cities like Bozeman, Missoula and Great Falls. “The implications of this shift would be significant, as up to half of the federal funding these cities normally receive would be redirected. I urge you to not adopt this change and carefully consider what effect this will have on communities that are metropolitan centers by all reasonable measure. Great Falls is a major agricultural hub, as well as being home to the main economic development and
Daines Urges Biden to Listen to Montana Leaders, Stakeholders Before Enacting Ambiguous Land Grabbing Program
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today demanded clarification from President Biden on his vague Executive Order establishing a mandate to put restrictions on 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 and urged him to include Montana stakeholders in future conversations. “Conservation remains a top priority for Western congressional members, and our constituents’ lives and livelihoods rely upon a healthy, actively-managed landscape. However, the 30 by 30 initiative displays a dangerous thoughtlessness and far too many of our questions have been left unanswered. It is also our understanding that key constituencies have yet to be engaged on this initiative. As
Daines Statement on Stanley Patrick Weber Losing Tax Payer Benefits
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the below statement regarding the termination of pension and benefits for convicted predator and former Indian Health Service pediatrician Stanley Patrick Weber. “I’m glad to see the Indian Health Service deny Mr. Weber’s federal benefits and cut off his pension. It is outrageous that a convicted pedophile was receiving taxpayer funded pension checks while serving time in prison. I will be reintroducing my bill to fix this horribly flawed system and ensure no predator receives a dime of taxpayers’ money,” Daines said. Background: In 2019, Daines introduced legislation to prevent convicted pedophiles from receiving a federal government
Daines, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Reverse Ban on State Tax Cuts in $1.9T Package
U.S. SENATE—U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced the “State Fiscal Flexibility Act” to remove a section in the massive and wasteful $1.9 trillion package that prohibits states from providing tax relief. This legislation will give power back to the states to decide when to cut taxes and get Montana’s economy back up and running. “The Democrats used the ‘COVID relief’ package as a way to usher in a new era of big government and crush the independence of state governments in the process,” Daines said. “To punish states that offer their citizens tax relief is a shameful federal overreach and has nothing to do with combatting the
Daines Votes No on Haaland Confirmation
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today voted against confirmation of President Biden’s Interior Secretary nominee Deb Haaland. “Representative Haaland has a hostile record toward made in America energy, natural resource development, and wildlife and land management. She has enthusiastically called for a ban on all new pipelines and is a leading cosponsor of the Green New Deal. I have serious concerns about how Rep. Haaland will use this position in ways that negatively impact the Montana way of life,” Daines said. “In Montana, we have a rich history of balanced wildlife and land management that allows us to enjoy recreation and
Daines, Tester, Rosendale Bill to Fund Dam to Provide Water to Farmers and Ranchers
U.S. CONGRESS – Today, U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester and Congressman Matt Rosendale introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to provide much needed funding to Montana water infrastructure. The bill, “St. Mary’s Reinvestment Act,” legislation will ensure the St. Mary’s Diversion Dam receives $52 million for rehabilitation efforts, and require the Bureau of Reclamation’s (BoR) to use an ability-to-pay study on what the current water users could afford to pay for the project and set the cost share for the rehabilitation based on that study. “Farmers and ranchers’
Daines Introduces Bill to Create and Protect Montana Coal Jobs, Reduce Emissions
U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today reintroduced legislation to help create Montana coal jobs while reducing emissions. The bill, the “Carbon Capture Modernization Act,” supports the use of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology by modernizing the Section 48A tax credit for coal facilities. “With American innovation, we can support our coal jobs and still reduce our carbon footprint. As the Biden Administration launches attack after attack on traditional American energy, it’s important we support Montana coal facilities and provide incentives to use this technology,” Daines said. Background: Daines has been an outspoken supporter of carbon capture technologies during his time in Congress. Last September, Daines