Daines: Pandemic, Lockdowns have Heightened Mental Health Challenges for Montana Youth
U.S. SENATE – Today at a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Senator Steve Daines emphasized the concerning mental health impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on young Montanans. Specifically, Daines highlighted how pandemic policies like lockdowns have had a profound effect on our nation’s children. Daines is thankful for the leadership of Governor Gianforte who worked to end lockdowns and support the health and well-being of our children by getting them back to school. Daines has been selected as a co-chair of the Finance Committee’s Workforce Working Group to develop bipartisan legislation to bolster the mental health workforce and improve behavioral health care for patients in Montana and nationwide. To watch Daines’ remarks,
Daines, Colleagues: Federal Broadband Projects Must Prioritize Rural America
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines and several of his Senate colleagues sent a letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) expressing the importance of reliable broadband service for rural America. They requested that Federally-funded broadband projects prioritize unserved areas instead of overbuilding existing broadband infrastructure in areas with reliable broadband service. “NTIA has an opportunity to make substantial impact on connecting rural America. However, doing so will require that your agency outline rules that specifically prohibit overbuilding and that set clear criteria to ensure projects targeted at unserved areas are actually prioritized. The regulations and methodology for
Daines, Rosendale Fight for Montana Truckers, Urge Biden Admin to Honor Montana’s Request to Extend Federal ELDT Deadline
U.S. CONGRESS – U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Congressman Matt Rosendale urged the Biden administration to extend the deadline for the Entry Level Driver Training program for all new commercial driver license (CDL) applicants to give the State of Montana time to implement the necessary change, protect Montana trucking jobs and prevent more issues with the supply chain. “We write in response to the impending February 7th, 2022 deadline for the Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) program, which requires all new commercial driver license (CDL) applicants and those applying for certain CDL upgrades to have completed instruction on theory and performance
Daines Demands Answers from the VA on Decisions Impacting Veterans Health Care
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs calling for transparency and answers on decisions impacting Montana veterans. This includes an investigation which found 1,600 potentially ineligible providers in the VA’s system, the VA quietly consolidating Community Care offices and pending VA health care facility closures. “As you know, the GAO recently flagged some 1,600 health care providers as potentially ineligible to participate in the VCCP, including many who were deceased, had violent criminal records, and had revoked or suspended medical licenses. Our veterans and taxpayers deserve better. I would like to know
Daines, Tester Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Clean Up Montana’s Abandoned Mines
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester today introduced a bipartisan bill to make it easier for “Good Samaritans” to help clean up and improve water quality in and around abandoned hardrock mines across Montana. “My bipartisan bill will help remove obstacles to abandoned mine clean up in Montana,” Daines said. “Cutting burdensome red tape and shielding Good Samaritan organizations from liability will increase the pace and scale of reclamation and in turn, support rural Montana communities, create jobs and restore and enhance our environment.” “Montana has a long rich history of hardrock mining, but all too often abandoned mines are left untreated and aren’t reclaimed,” said Tester. “The metals
Daines Demands Answers from Biden on Mass Release of Illegal Immigrants into the U.S. on Taxpayer Funded Flights
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines is demanding answers from the Biden administration about recent reports of taxpayer dollars being used to transport illegal immigrants on “midnight flights” and the mass release of illegal immigrants into American communities. “We write today regarding the movement of dangerous illegal immigrants from the border for release into law-abiding American communities. In light of the public reporting around “midnight flights” of illegal immigrants, we request a full accounting of your Department’s activities so that we can understand the scope of this challenge. We are concerned that the use of these midnight flights by Immigration
Daines, King Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Address Increased Visitation on Public Lands and Support Partnerships with Montana Gateway Communities
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Angus King (I-Maine), top Republican and Democrat on the Senate’s National Parks Subcommittee, introduced the bipartisan “Gateway Community and Recreation Enhancement Act” to support gateway communities and address challenges facing national parks and public lands like increased visitation and housing shortages. The bipartisan bill also aims to help boost visitation at lesser known parks and recreation areas. “Our national parks and public lands set us apart from the rest of the world, and Montana’s gateway communities know firsthand the benefits and challenges they bring. While increased recreation on our public lands and
Daines Blasts Amnesty International’s Report Calling Israel Apartheid State, Demands Retraction from Organization
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines sent a letter demanding Amnesty International retract its biased and erroneous report which accuses the State of Israel of being an apartheid state. “I write to express my strong disapproval with Amnesty International’s recent biased and erroneous report accusing the State of Israel of being an apartheid state, and I call for its retraction. I am concerned such accusations will only worsen antisemitism, encourage anti-Israel extremists, and harm efforts for a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” Daines wrote. “Israel is a strong democracy with robust opposition and minority parties, including an Arab party within
Daines: Illegal Immigrants with Arrest Warrants Should be Arrested, Not Cleared by TSA
U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced a bill to prohibit the use of an ICE arrest warrant as a form of identification at aviation checkpoints. “It’s pretty simple — if an illegal immigrant presents their own arrest warrant as a form of ID, they should be immediately arrested, not cleared by TSA to hop on a plane in the United States,” Daines said. “The fact this is even an issue is beyond outrageous. This is a threat to our national security and it must be stopped immediately.” Daines introduced this bill after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administer David Pekoske confirmed TSA