Daines, Rosendale Urge Biden Admin to Finalize Rule to Reverse Disastrous Cottonwood Decision
U.S. CONGRESS – U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Representative Matt Rosendale are leading their colleagues in urging the Biden administration to resolve challenges stemming from the disastrous Cottonwood decision which threatens Montana forest management projects. “During a congressional hearing on October 2021, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) testified that unless action is taken to resolve challenges stemming from the 2015 Cottonwood Environmental Law Center v. U.S. Forest Service, (Cottonwood) decision, the agency will have to go through re-consultation, regardless of the merit, on over one-hundred forest plans that “will take years and cost millions of dollars,” threatening to undermine the Administration’s 10 Year
Daines Introduces Bill to Prevent Federal Funding of Crack Pipes
U.S. SENATE – This week, U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced a bill that would prohibit the federal government from purchasing, supplying or distributing crack pipes or similar drug paraphernalia. “It is outrageous that as Montana communities are being devastated by drugs and crime fueled by the southern border crisis, the Biden administration would even think about using taxpayer money to fund and distribute crack pipes. We should be preventing drug use, not promoting it,” Daines said. Earlier this week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) appeared to confirm that part of a $30 million grant program would go toward “smoking kits/supplies,” which frequently includes
Daines Slams Haaland for Politicizing Gray Wolf Management
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines slammed Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland for continuing to ignore the science and politicize gray wolf management during a Senate Energy Subcommittee hearing this week. Despite available science and data showing that the gray wolf populations are strong and healthy, the current law and the State of Montana’s proven track record of gray wolf management, Haaland wrote an opinion piece earlier this week threatening to circumvent Montana’s authority to manage the species. Daines called on the Department’s Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks, Shannon Estenoz, to listen to the law
Daines Leads Hearing on Implementation of Great American Outdoors Act
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines, the top Republican on the Senate National Parks Subcommittee, today led a hearing on the implementation of the historic conservation bill, “Great American Outdoors Act” or “GAOA,” which Daines championed in 2020. To watch Daines’ full opening remarks, click HERE. “This bill was one of the greatest conservation victories in the last 50 years. Republicans and Democrats came together to pass a historic bill that would invest in our parks, public lands, and outdoor recreation economies and permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation program. As a fifth generation Montanan and avid outdoorsman and sportsman,
Daines, Rosendale Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Ban Members of Congress from Trading & Owning Individual Stocks
U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Representative Matt Rosendale today introduced a bipartisan, bicameral bill to ban Members of Congress and their spouses from owning and trading individual stocks. The bill, the “Bipartisan Ban on Congressional Stock Ownership Act of 2022,” was introduced by Daines and Senator Elizabeth Warren in the U.S. Senate and Rosendale and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in the U.S. House. This is the first bipartisan effort on this issue in the Senate and the proposal goes farther than others that have been introduced. “Congress is here to serve, not be served. The American people should have faith in that fact,” Daines said. “Members shouldn’t be able to make legislative decisions
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