Press Releases

(U.S. Senate) – Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines are calling on Congress to support Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) and Secure Rural Schools (SRS) which are critical to helping Montana counties balance their budgets.  If Congress doesn’t act before the end of the year, PILT payments will run dry. PILT supported 55 Montana counties last year to the tune of $30 million. Additionally, SRS expired September 30, 2015 and counties have been waiting for nearly a year for Congress to reauthorize this critical initiative.  SRS provided $18 million to more than half of Montana’s counties last year.    

BILLINGS, Mont. — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today recognized Joan Eliel, Investigator/Program Specialist with the Montana Department of Justice for receiving one of three 2016 Outstanding Crime Victim Advocate of the Year Awards.   Daines’ recognition in the Congressional Record is available here. Through his “Montanan of the Week” initiative, Daines each week will highlight a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the official Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress.  Daines welcomes anyone to nominate fellow Montanans for Daines’ “Montanan of the Week” program by calling Daines’ office at 202-224-2651 or by filling out the contact form

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) today led 29 Senators in urging President Obama to refrain from implementing the dangerous and irresponsible ‘no first use’ nuclear weapons policy. In a letter to President Barack Obama, the Senators underscore the strategic importance of the nuclear arsenal to domestic safety and geopolitical strength. “While no American wishes to employ nuclear weapons in conflict, establishing a no first use policy would weaken the nation’s security and make the world less safe by crippling America’s nuclear deterrence posture—a stabilizing agent for the cause of peace across decades—and further incentivize allies and enemies alike to develop nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction and

U.S. SENATE —U.S. Senator Steve Daines today welcomed news that China would be ending the ban on U.S. beef that began in 2003: “This is game-changing news for Montana ranchers,” Daines stated. “The beef market is critical to Montana jobs and the economy.  With over 95% of the world’s consumers living outside the US, opening markets abroad for Montana agricultural exports is essential. Having the ability to access a new market, especially one as large and significant as China, will help keep Montana in business where there are two times as many cattle as people. I was recently in China and repeatedly raised this

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today worked to protect Montanans from the Obama administration’s unilateral efforts to designate large areas of land as national monuments.   During a Committee on Energy and Natural Resources legislative hearing, Daines pressed the Obama administration to ensure that any monument designation secured the input of Montanans who live and work on the land and know best how to protect those resources.  “Too often, unilateral designations completely ignore the needs of the local communities, farmers and ranchers, sportsmen and small business owners directly impacted by new monument designations,” Daines stated. “Any designation that has the potential to

U.S. CONGRESS — U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester and U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke today hailed the first step in the legislative process to honor the life of renowned Montana conservationist, Alex Diekmann by naming an unnamed peak in his memory. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources today held a legislative hearing to name an unnamed 9,765-foot peak as “Alex Diekmann Peak”. The legislation now awaits further action in the Committee. “In the West land projects are not easy tasks—it takes special people to really balance the needs of local landowners—ranchers and foresters—local cities and towns—county commissions, federal and

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) today launched the Congressional Inventions Caucus in the U.S. Senate.                                                           The Congressional Inventions Caucus will provide a forum for inventors to showcase innovative products, have candid and balanced conversations about barriers to economic growth, and educate members and staff about the innovation ecosystem. In addition, the Caucus will seek to provide a platform for inventors, startups, and businesses (large and

U.S. SENATE — Following recent reports of the sky-high price hikes for lifesaving EpiPens, U.S. Senator Steve Daines today sought to ensure that Montanans had access to affordable lifesaving medication. During an Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration & Related Agencies hearing on the Food and Drug Administration’s role in the generic drug marketplace, Daines pressed FDA Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Dr. Janet Woodcock on competition in the medical marketplace.  “We are here because of huge spikes in the price of specific prescription medication. Most significantly, a 400% increase in the price of the