Daines Launches Bipartisan, Bicameral Senate Wildfire Caucus
U.S. SENATE—U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced the creation of the bipartisan, bicameral Senate Wildfire Caucus to focus on common sense forest management reform, wildland firefighter assistance, wildfire recovery efforts, and community hardening. Daines joined Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Representatives John Curtis (R-UT) andJoe Neguse (D-CO) in launching the caucus. The caucus will also elevate awareness and bipartisan consensus around wildfire management, mitigation, preparedness and recovery. “Montanans are sick and tired of breathing in smoke. As Montana continues to face devastating wildfires season after season, we must work together to find common sense solutions that will protect our communities, first responders, forests and wildlife. If we don’t manage our forests, they’ll manage us—it’s
Daines Slams Biden for Forcing Burdensome Regulations on Montanans
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released a statement in response to President Biden’s veto of Daines’ challenge to the administration’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) regulation. “The Biden administration’s WOTUS rule creates unnecessary confusion and burdensome red tape for Montana farmers, ranchers and landowners—that’s why the Senate voted to overturn it by a strong bipartisan margin. The President’s veto today shows just how far he’s willing to go to impose big government regulations on Montanans. The Biden administration’s regulatory agenda is absolutely out of control and must be stopped.” BACKGROUND ON WOTUS, NWPR: Senator Daines joined all 48
Daines Blasts Biden’s IRS for Misplaced Priorities, Funding Army of Agents
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement today after Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Danny Werfel revealed the IRS’ $80 billion 10-year spending plan. “The Biden administration has once again shown where their priorities lie—expanding the federal government and exerting more control over the lives of hardworking Montanans. Rather than hiring more border patrol agents to tackle the southern border crisis or addressing the massive backlog of tax returns that accumulated over the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS plans to deploy an army of tens of thousands of IRS agents to increase audits on Montana families and
Daines Slams Biden Defense Department for Inadequate Response to Chinese Spy Balloon Fiasco
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today issued the following statement after receiving an inadequate response from the Biden administration to the letter he sent to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on February 3 when the Chinese spy balloon was first spotted over Billings, Montana. Daines was the first member of Congress to call on the Biden administration for answers after the spy balloon was spotted over Montana and later released a list of questions that still remain unanswered. “The Pentagon’s response to my questions regarding the Chinese spy balloon fiasco shows the administration is more interested in covering up the truth and hoping it goes away than leveling
Daines Introduces Bill Demanding Improved Electronic Health Record System For Montana Veterans Before Rollout Continues
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced legislation that would prevent the continued implementation of the Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities until significant improvements are made to the system. “Montana veterans put everything on the line in service to our nation – we need to ensure that their access to health care is not jeopardized by the Biden administration’s inability to properly implement the EHRM program. These failures need to be swiftly and thoroughly addressed so the VA can fulfill its commitment to serve our American heroes,” Daines said. Senator Daines co-sponsored the legislation with Senators Moran (Kansas), Boozman (Ark.),
Daines, Colleagues Challenge Biden Administration Rule to Eliminate Moral Exemption from Affordable Care Act Mandates
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) today joined Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and a group of their colleagues in formally requesting the withdrawal of a pending Biden administration rule to eliminate moral exemptions established to protect individuals and entities who object to some or all contraceptives, including those that can destroy human life. “As Members of Congress, we have a unique Constitutional interest and oversight role in ensuring regulations governing the ACA [Affordable Care Act] comport with the law and Congressional intent, and do not exceed their Congressional mandates,” the lawmakers wrote. “While appropriately maintaining the religious exemption rule, the Proposed
Weekly Video Release: Montana College Student Struggles to Keep Up with Bidenflation
U.S. SENATE – As skyrocketing inflation continues to crush Montana families, U.S. Senator Steve Daines released the next video in a series chronicling its impact on Montanans. This week, Senator Daines is highlighting Brady Tabish, a student at Montana State University. Brady is paying three to four times more at the grocery store now than he was a couple years ago. Bidenflation is putting a strain on his weekly budget. Each week, Daines will highlight a video on his social media channels of a Montanan talking about how President Biden’s economic policies affect them personally. “Thanks to Joe Biden, students like Brady, and really
Daines Statement on Latest Report that Chinese Spy Balloon Gathered Intelligence Over U.S. Military Sites
U.S. SENATE – Senator Daines today issued the following statement after a new report indicates that the Chinese spy balloon that travelled over Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana’s ICBMs and the rest of the country was collecting intelligence and sending information back to China despite the Biden administration’s denial that was occurring. “The Chinese Communist Party didn’t send a spy balloon over one of our nation’s nuclear missile bases to give folks a view of Montana’s wonderful scenery. The NBC News story today confirms what Americans knew all along: the Chinese Communist Party was spying and gathering intelligence to use against us.
Daines, Bennet, Marshall Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Outdoor Recreation Opportunities
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) reintroduced the “Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act of 2023.” This bill would expand opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking and other wildlife-dependent activities in America. “As a lifelong sportsman, I grew up hunting, fishing and backpacking and it’s a family tradition that I’ll pass down to my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. It’s all part of our Montana way of life,” Daines said. “This bipartisan bill will strengthen Montana’s outdoor recreation economy and open up more space for families and sportsmen to enjoy local wildlife for generations to come.” “For years, this program has