Press Releases

Daines Joins President at White House to Roll Back Dodd-Frank Regulations

U.S. SENATE – Today, President Donald Trump invited U.S. Senator Steve Daines to a bill signing ceremony at the White House for legislation that will roll back disastrous Dodd-Frank regulations. “Montana’s rural banks, credit unions and customers have been the biggest victims of Dodd-Frank,” said Daines. “It was great to join the President at the White House to finally takes steps to provide relief to our rural communities.” The Dodd-Frank Act has done tremendous harm to Montana by eliminating small community banks and credit unions and by limiting consumer access to their services, such as mortgages and depository services. Since

Daines Introduces Legislation to Protect Tribes from Costly Obamacare Employer Mandate

Senator Steve Daines today announced the introduction of legislation to protect Native American tribes from Obamacare’s costly employer mandate. The Tribal Employment and Jobs Protection Act will exempt tribes and tribal employers from Obamacare’s employer mandate. The bill prevent massive fines that tribal employers would incur under Obamacare’s employer mandate. The employer mandate places an undue burden on tribes, leading to lost jobs and increased unemployment. Instead of bolstering tribal economies, it drives out opportunities and wages. Tribal members were already exempt from the individual mandate in the original Obamacare law. This legislation upholds the United States’ trust responsibility to

Senate Sends Bill to Overhaul VA, Deliver on Promises to Our Veterans to President’s Desk

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today supported and the Senate passed, the VA MISSION Act, which will overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs and fix many of the shortcomings in the VA Choice Program. “Under the Choice Program, our veterans did not receive the healthcare they deserved,” said Daines. “The bipartisan VA MISSION Act will follow through on the promises that were made to our Veterans.” This week, Daines took to the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to join him in supporting the VA Mission Act. Watch video HERE. Download video HERE. The bipartisan MISSION Act will

IHS Director Concedes to Daines More Must be done to Combat Suicide in Tribal Communities

U.S. SENATE — During a hearing in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Rear Admiral Michael Weahkee, the Acting Director of the Indian Health Service (IHS), conceded to U.S. Senator Steve Daines that IHS is not doing enough to combat the suicide epidemic in Indian country. During the hearing, Daines confronted Admiral Weahkee with the startling statistic that American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest rates of suicide of any demographic group in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Daines asked Admiral Weahkee that in light of these statistics, did he believe IHS was

Secretary Mnuchin to Daines: CFIUS Modernization Must Cover Joint-Ventures

U.S. SENATE — During a hearing in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told U.S. Senator Steve Daines that congressional modernization of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) must include jurisdiction over joint-ventures. CFIUS’ jurisdiction over joint-ventures is critical as China regularly requires U.S. companies to create joint-ventures with Chinese counterparts to do business in China. These joint-ventures often result in mandatory technology transfers, equity limits, and other onerous regulations that can restrict market access, impede U.S. innovation, and serve as a long-term threat to national security. During the hearing,

Daines, Bipartisan Group of Senators Urge Administration to Safeguard Critical Military and Dual-Use Technology from China

‘There can be no question that China seeks to surpass the U.S. both economically and militarily and become the world’s foremost superpower, and neither the Federal Government nor private U.S. companies should aid and abet that effort. As such, we implore you to reject any proposal to soften restrictions on the transfer to China of U.S.-made military technologies and advanced dual-use technologies, including semiconductors.’  ‘Export control and sanctions laws should not be negotiable, because fidelity to the rule of law is a key part of what distinguishes the U.S. from a country like China that is ruled by a Communist

Secretary Mnuchin Commits to Daines: Administration Will Not Relax Export Controls on Sales to China, Will Protect Sensitive Technology

U.S. SENATE — During a hearing in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin committed to U.S. Senator Steve Daines that the Administration will not relax export controls and allow sensitive technologies to be sold that compromise U.S. security when negotiating trade deals with China. During the hearing, Daines urged to Secretary Mnuchin that it is critical that during these ongoing negotiations with the Chinese the Administration reject any trade proposals with China that would loosen or weaken existing restrictions on the export or transfer of U.S. military technologies and advanced dual-use technologies. Secretary

Daines, Tester, Gianforte Bill to Designate Three VA Facilities in Honor of Montana Veterans Heads to President’s Desk

U.S. SENATE — Today, U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester and Congressman Greg Gianforte’s legislation to designate three Department of Veterans Affairs facilities passed the U.S. House of Representatives and will now head to the President’s desk to be signed into law. This legislation recognizes the commitment to duty and personal courage of three Montanans by naming VA facilities in Missoula and Billings in their honor. The Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Missoula will be designated in honor of David J. Thatcher, the Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Billings will be designated in honor of Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow (Dakaak

Daines Calls for Greater Flexibility for Montana Agriculture and Livestock Haulers

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines sent a letter signed by a bipartisan group of Senators to Administrator Raymond Martinez of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), calling for greater flexibility within hours of service (HOS) regulations for commercial motor vehicle drivers, which help maintain the safety on Montana’s roadways.  Daines and the bipartisan group of colleagues wrote, “The trucking industry provides for over three million jobs in the U.S. and is the backbone of our economy, ensuring our nation’s goods get to market. It is important that HOS regulations provide for a commonsense framework for drivers, rather than