Press Releases

Daines Statement on Government Shutdown

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today made the following statement after the government funding bill failed to pass the Senate before the Friday midnight deadline.  “While I voted to fund the government, 44 Democrats chose to shut it down, failing 24,000 Montana children, compromising our national security, and letting down our veterans and active service members.” said Daines. The funding bill would have kept the government open for four weeks and would have included a six-year reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which gives 24,000 Montana children access to critical health care. Background: On January 19, Daines

Daines Calls on Colleagues to Protect Montana Children

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate, calling on his colleagues to keep the government open and support a six-year reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides access to health care for 24,000 Montana children and nine million children across the country.  To watch the video click HERE. To download the video click HERE. “Here’s the choice we have before us today,” said Daines. “A choice we have less than seven hours to make: we can either keep the government open and fund health insurance for 24,000 Montana kids

Daines Urges vote on Pain Capable Legislation

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined Senators Lindsey Graham (SC), James Lankford (OK), Joni Ernst (IA) and Roy Blunt (MO) in sending Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell a letter, urging him to announce his commitment to bring the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to the floor for a vote in the near future. The announcement would coincide with today’s 45th Annual March for Life. The legislation would prohibit abortion after 20 weeks—the point at which scientific evidence shows that unborn children can feel pain. The United States is currently one of only seven countries in the world that permit elective

Daines Votes to keep Government Open and Protect 24,000 Montana Children

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today voted to protect vital health care services for 24,000 Montana children provided under the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and to avoid a government shutdown. “It’s ridiculous that we are on the verge of a government shutdown over controversial immigration legislation,” said Daines. “We have a funding bill that will keep the government open and reauthorize CHIP for six years, which impacts 24,000 kids in Montana. Now is not the time to back down. I hope my colleagues will join me and vote to keep the government open and fund CHIP.” Today’s

Daines Urges Colleagues to Support Critical Children’s Health Care Services

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke on the floor of the U.S. Senate, urging his colleagues to join him in preventing a government shutdown and supporting a six-year reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides critical health care services to 24,000 Montana children. To watch the video click HERE. To download the video click HERE. Background: The U.S. House and Senate are expected to vote this week on legislation that would prevent the government from shutting down on January 19th.   CHIP provides vital health services for over eight million children and 370,000 pregnant women across

Daines Lambasts FISA Reauthorization

U.S. SENATE — Today, U.S. Senator Steve Daines lambasted legislation to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which failed to make the necessary reforms needed to protect Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights. “Today, the U.S. Senate passed a flawed bill that encroaches on Americans’ privacy and civil liberties,” said Daines. “Montanans should be able to talk on the phone and send messages to their friends and loved ones without fearing the government will collect data on their private conversations. I will continue to stand up for Montanans’ right to privacy.” Daines actions to protect Americans’ privacy: Daines is a cosponsor of the USA RIGHTS Act of

Daines Applauds TransCananda Commitment to Keystone XL Pipeline

U.S. SENATE — Senator Steve Daines today applauded TransCanada’s announced 20-year commercial commitments to transport at least 500,000 barrels of oil daily through the recently-approved Keystone XL pipeline. “This long-overdue project will inject millions of dollars in tax revenue to our rural communities and create thousands of jobs,” said Daines. “With permitting now in final stages of approval, I’m excited that after years of unnecessary political delays, construction of Keystone XL is moving forward.” As Chairman of the Senate Western Caucus, Daines has been a leading Senate advocate of the Keystone XL pipeline’s construction, which President Donald Trump authorized last year. The Keystone XL pipeline

Daines Commits to Long-Term Reauthorization of CHIP, to Keep Government Open

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced his support for a proposal that would reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for six years and keep the government open. To watch the video click HERE. To download the video click HERE. “24,000 Montana children depend on CHIP for vital health care services,” said Daines. “I am announcing my full support for a bill now moving through Congress that reauthorizes this critical program while avoiding a damaging government shutdown. It is inexcusable to let partisanship deny Montana families the certainty that this long-term CHIP reauthorization brings.” Background: The U.S. House

Daines Calls for Protections to Americans’ Privacy

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) for a bipartisan press conference regarding reforming Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) to protect Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights. Watch the video HERE. Download the video HERE. “As Americans we are grateful we are born with certain rights outlined in our Constitution under the Bill of Rights,” said Daines. “Montanans should be able to talk on the phone and send messages to their friends and loved ones without fearing the government will collect data