Daines Fights to Block Obama Administration’s Misguided Anti-Coal Regulations
HELENA, Mont. — Following publication of the Obama administration’s new anti-coal regulations in the Federal Register, Senator Steve Daines today announced several efforts to block President Obama’s anti-coal regulations and any future regulations on coal-fired plants. Daines joined Montana Attorney General Tim Fox in Helena this morning to announce that Montana, along with 23 other states, has filed a lawsuit against the federal government to halt the Obama administration’s so-called Clean Power Plan. Daines also announced that he has signed onto two Senate measures to block the Obama administration’s job-killing regulations on new and existing coal-fired power plans. “America can and
Daines: President’s Disregard for Our Troops is Shameful
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today blasted President Obama’s unprecedented veto of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which provides critical support for the nation’s military and national security and passed both chambers of Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support: “It is reckless that the Commander-in-Chief is holding hostage critical support for the safety and security of our nation’s service members. Congress sent a clear and strong bipartisan message to the President that the American people support prioritizing and protecting the needs of the brave men and women serving our country. To deny our troops needed stability while serving both here
Daines Works to Remove Barriers to Tribal Energy Development
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today investigated the barriers holding back Montana tribes from developing energy resources on their lands and called on the Obama administration to improve meaningful consultation with tribes during the federal decision making process. During a Senate Indian Affairs oversight hearing on the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) report on Indian Energy Development, Daines pressed Larry Roberts, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of Interior on the unnecessary bureaucracy and lack of communication that has long-hindered tribal energy development. “As the GAO reports and our witnesses today tell us, energy development on
Tester, Daines, and Zinke meet with Canadian ambassador regarding timber concerns
Montana delegation calls for new Softwood Lumber Agreement (U.S. Senate) – Senator Jon Tester, Senator Steve Daines and Congressman Ryan Zinke are working together with Montana’s neighbor to the north to ensure the state’s lumber mills are treated fairly. Montana’s Congressional delegation today sat down with Canadian Ambassador Gary Doer to urge him to begin negotiating a new Softwood Lumber Agreement. The agreement expired on October 12 and is creating uncertainty for mills in Montana and across the country. The delegation requested that the Canadians come to the table to hammer out a deal to avoid future litigation and take
Daines Helps Introduce Bipartisan Public Lands Bill
Legislation Would Reauthorize The Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today joined a bipartisan group of senators to introduce legislation reauthorizing the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA). Before it expired in 2011, FLTFA allowed the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service in the western United States to use the proceeds from sales of certain federally designated areas to protect lands of exceptional conservation value. “As an avid hunter and fisherman, I know the importance of having the tools necessary to protect and
Daines Works to Secure Broadband for Rural Montanans
Senator Steve Daines today pressed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development and Rural Utilities Service officials on the need for swift action to provide broadband for thousands of rural Montanans who currently are without service. During an Agriculture Appropriations hearing earlier this morning on “A review of Rural Development in 21st Century America,” Daines reaffirmed his commitment to the deployment of broadband to Montana’s rural and tribal communities and called on USDA leaders to take steps to ensure investments are actually being made in rural communities still lacking broadband service. “Not only does access to broadband connect rural Americans
Daines Condemns Senate Dems’ Refusal to Allow Consideration of Sanctuary Cities Legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today expressed his disappointment after Senate Democrats failed to allow consideration of commonsense legislation that would withhold certain federal funding from cities who deliberately protect illegal immigrants by refusing to cooperate with immigration services: “It is infuriating that Senate Democrats blocked thoughtful and meaningful debate on legislation that goes after real criminals who are not only in the United States illegally, but continuously violate the laws of our nation or repeatedly reenter the country after being deported. Allowing a city to ignore federal immigration statutes while providing a safe haven for criminals who violate
Daines, Zinke Call on Missoula City Council to Withdraw Proposed Gun Control Ordinance
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke today called on the Missoula City Council to withdraw a proposed ordinance that would intrude upon the Constitutional rights of law-abiding firearm owners in Missoula. In a letter sent today to Missoula Mayor John Engen and the Missoula City Council, Daines and Zinke conveyed their concerns that the proposal would violate Montanans’ Second Amendment rights and place additional burdens on law-abiding Montanans, while doing little to prevent violent crime. “We write to express our strong concerns with the Missoula City Council Public Safety and Health Committee’s substantial intrusion into the
Daines: Nationwide WOTUS Stay is a Victory for States’ Rights
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today applauded the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeal’s decision to issue a nationwide stay on Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) misguided Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule: “The Sixth Circuit Court’s nationwide stay on the EPA’s misguided WOTUS rule is a victory for states’ rights, local governments, farmers, ranchers and landowners. This ruling pushes back on the extreme overreach of the Obama administration, which threatened Montana agriculture and natural resources, Montana jobs and Montanans’ property rights. While this is welcome news, it is not the end of the Obama administration’s egregious power grabs. I will continue