Daines Secures Much-Needed Reforms for America’s Cybersecurity, Postal Service, Financial Services Sector
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today secured provisions to safeguard American’s cyber infrastructure, protect rural postal service, reduce regulatory burdens and help Montana community banks and credit unions better serve their customers. Daines joined the Senate Appropriations Committee today in approving the FY2016 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act. Daines secured key provisions to maintain six-day delivery through FY16 and urge the U.S. Postal Service to make good-faith efforts to either renew postal contract station agreements or find suitable alternatives to serve rural areas. In light of the Office and Personnel Management’s failure to report on numerous occasions
Daines Helps Secure Permanent Reauthorization of LWCF in Bipartisan Energy Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement on the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015, bipartisan legislation from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that will permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund: “As Montana’s sole member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, I’m pleased that the Committee has reached a bipartisan solution to permanently reauthorize LWCF. LWCF is an important program for Montana that helps expand access to our public lands. I’m excited to finally take this significant step forward to ensure that this critical program remains in place for generations to come.” The Energy Policy
Daines Presses PHMSA Administrator Nominee on Rail and Pipeline Safety
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today underscored the need to ensure safe and environmentally sound transportation of our natural resources, whether by pipeline or rail. Daines pressed Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Administrator Nominee Marie Therese Dominguez on the recent oil spills in Montana and the need to ensure public confidence in America’s pipelines. Daines also highlighted the economic impact of the oil, gas and coal industry to Montana. “PHMSA plays a very important role in Montana. It’s a big state, and it’s vital to ensure safe and environmentally sound transport of our natural resources, whether it’s
Daines Joins 49 Fellow Senators in Raising Concerns with Planned Parenthood Practices, Urging HHS Secretary to Comply with Investigations, Conduct Assessment to Facilitate Congressional Review
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today joined a bipartisan group including 49 other senators in a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell following the release of footage by the Center for Medical Progress depicting senior Planned Parenthood Federation of America executives discussing in gruesome detail the organization’s role in the harvesting of the organs of unborn babies. In the letter, the senators draw attention to the legal, ethical, and policy issues raised by the footage and call on HHS Secretary Burwell to cooperate with ongoing and future investigations into these questions. “The footage raises a
In Case You Missed It: Daines on Protecting our Military Recruiters, Latest Developments on Iran Deal
“The fastest way to stop a bad guy with a gun – is a good guy with a gun.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today appeared on CNN, Fox News and Fox Business to speak on the importance of his bill, the SEMPER FI Act, which would allow military officers and non-commissioned officers the ability to carry a firearm at military recruitment centers. Daines underscored the crucial need for our men and women in uniform to be able to protect and defend themselves. Additionally, Daines joined Fox Business to discuss the latest developments on the Iran Deal. In the
Daines: Americans Shouldn’t Have to Pay the Price for Obama Administration’s OPM Hack
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, today highlighted the growing cyber-warfare threats facing our nation, and the incompetence of the Obama administration that led to a massive breach of personal and security information at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that resulted in the resignation of Director Katherine Archuleta. Click here to watch Daines’ speech. Click here to download Daines’ speech. Daines made the following remarks on the Senate floor this evening: “Mr. President, the headlines in the past few months have been enough to paint a startling picture of how our nation is handling cybersecurity and technology issues these days. “Before I came to
Daines, Hunter Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Allow Military to Carry at Recruitment Centers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) and Representative Duncan Hunter (R-CA) today introduced legislation to allow military officers the ability to carry weapons at military recruitment centers. The Securing Military Personnel Response Firearm Initiative (SEMPER FI) Act, which was introduced today in the Senate and the House, allows the military to authorize recruiters to be armed when they’re at recruitment centers or allows them to improve structural security at recruitment centers. The bill also limits the carrying of a sidearm to officers and non-commissioned officers. In February 1992, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued Directive 5210.56, which stated that
Daines Introduces Legislation to Increase Transparency in Regulatory Rules
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today introduced legislation to provide oversight in the federal regulatory structure by creating much needed transparency for the American people. Daines’ bill, the Regulatory Impact Scale on the Economy Small Business Act of 2015 (RISE Act), would provide the federal government with a proper framework to effectively monitor regulatory activity. The bill brings essential accountability and transparency to the federal regulatory process, which currently lacks a codified, standardized means to measure economic impact. “Too often the federal government keeps the public in the dark when issuing regulations that have the potential to create billions
Daines Statement on the UN Security Council Iran Vote
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today issued the following statement after the United Nations (UN) Security Council voted unanimously to approve the P5+1 deal with Iran, the world’s leading state-sponsor of terrorism: “The President taking the deal with Iran to the United Nations before Congress even had its first full day to review the deal is an affront to the American people. The UN’s vote will not corner Congress into rubberstamping a bad deal. The actions taken by the President make clear that he is more concerned with his legacy than ensuring the safety of the American people. This