Press Releases

WASHINGTON –Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) this week cosponsored bipartisan legislation to help federal agencies maintain open access to machine-readable databases and datasets created by taxpayer-funded research. The Preserving Data in Government Act, introduced by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Cory Gardner (R-CO), would require federal agencies to preserve public access to existing open datasets, and prevent the removal of existing datasets without sufficient public notice. Small businesses rely on a range of publicly available machine-readable datasets to launch or grow their companies, and researchers and scientists use data to conduct studies for a variety of fields and industries.  “Taxpayer funded

U.S. SENATE —On Flag Day, U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced a Constitutional Amendment to give Congress the authority to prohibit burning the American flag.  On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution making the first stars and stripes our nation’s flag. In 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a narrow decision that protected the desecration of the U.S. Flag under the First Amendment. Their rulings determined that as Constitutional free speech, desecration of the flag cannot be prohibited by federal or state law. “The American flag has been a symbol of hope and freedom for centuries and ought

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that an agreement has been reached to begin shipping U.S. beef to China. “For the first time in 13 years, Montana beef will now be served on menus, plates and in Chinese households,” Daines stated. “China is the world’s second largest beef market. After my two official trade missions to Beijing, including pressing the Chinese Premier and endless conversations with the Trump and Obama administrations – the ban is over. Montanans know U.S. beef is the highest quality in the world and now our producers can compete on a level playing field. On

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today chaired his first U.S. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources’ Subcommittee on National Parks hearing. The topic was improving the workplace in National Parks as it relates to sexual harassment. Daines’ hearing follows a report by the U.S. Department of Interior’s inspector general outlining, “unwelcome conduct toward female workers in Yellowstone National Park.” During Daines’ opening statement, he spoke about the need for accountability to ensure that steps are being taken to combat a hostile work environment. “But marring the successes of the Centennial that same year was the growing number of Park

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today pressed the U.S. Forest Service Chief, Tom Tidwell, on forest management reforms to create much needed revenues for Montana counties.  During a U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies hearing, Daines questioned Tidwell on reversing the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Cottonwood Environmental Law Center v. U.S. Forest Service that negatively impacts forest health, recreation, watershed and habitat protection.  “We can’t get logs to the mills – it’s a sad, sad state of affairs and it is because of these extreme environmental groups

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced legislation that strengthens states’ abilities to provide an additional option within the foster care system in Montana and Michigan and across the country.   Montana has a record 3,400 children in foster care and about a third of those children are there because of methamphetamine use by their parents. Last December, the Montana Department of Justice issued a report detailing fourteen child deaths within a year of contact with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Child and Family Services Division.  This bill responds to that report by allowing

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced how to follow along during the Montana Ag Summit 2017. The Summit will begin at 8AM MT/10AM ET. A live feed available at www.daines.senate.gov. The Montana Ag Summit 2017 will be streamed live HERE beginning at 8AM MT/10AM ET.   Follow the Montana Ag Summit on: Facebook Twitter  The summit, co-sponsored by Daines, will take place in Great Falls on May 31 and June 1, 2017. The Montana Ag Summit will bring the nation’s agricultural leaders to Montana’s Golden Triangle. The summit will focus on strengthening international relationships for Montana agriculture, showcasing technological

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that 20 Montana airports have received $8,989,592.00 in funding for critical upgrades and maintenance. “Montana’s community airport play a critical role in connecting our state,” Daines stated. “Every single dollar make a huge difference to keeping our rural airports reliable and ready to use.” Daines secured the following provisions in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization: Airport Improvement Program (AIP) dollars which build and maintain Montana’s critical aviation infrastructure such as runways. Daines has also engaged the FAA to expedite grants to northern states with short construction seasons.   The funding is provided through