Tag: China

Daines Presses Biden Administration on Protecting American IP from China, Bolstering Montana Exports and Overseas Trade

U.S. SENATE—U.S. Senator Steve Daines at a Senate Finance Committee hearing today questioned U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on the administration’s actions to counter China’s growing intellectual property abuses and the importance of a robust trade agenda to Montana and America. On the importance of trade for Montana farmers, ranchers, and small businesses: Senator Daines: “Thanks for coming here today. I think about 95 percent of our world consumers live outside the United States and as a guy who represents a state where agriculture is the number one economic driver, it’s very important that we get market access for agriculture for

Prior to Security Briefing, Daines Releases List of Questions for Biden Administration Officials

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the following list of questions that remain unanswered regarding the Chinese spy balloon that crossed the United States from January 28 to February 4, 2023, spending eight days in American airspace. Daines will receive a security briefing later today from Biden Administration officials where he hopes the questions below will be answered. Daines viewed Top Secret information from the administration earlier this week but many of his questions still remain unanswered. “This situation raises a number of national security concerns and has been a tremendous embarrassment for the United States. The Biden administration’s

Daines Statement on Reported Surface-to-Air Missiles on Man-Made Islands in South China Sea

U.S. SENATE — Senator Steve Daines today issued the following statement on reports that surface-to-air missiles have been deployed on man-made islands in the South China Sea:  “The new reports of surface-to-air missiles being deployed on man-made islands in the South China Sea are deeply concerning. The deployment of these missiles could have serious adverse impacts not only on the stability of the region, but on global commerce. With over five trillion dollars of global trade passing through the South China Sea, maintaining the integrity of international waters and airspace in the region is critically important.” After last week’s Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on

Daines: Coal Keeps the Lights On

“The Obama administration’s war on energy isn’t just a war on coal – it’s a war on American jobs, American families and our national security.” WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of today’s vote to fully nullify President Obama’s so-called “Clean Power Plan,” Senator Steve Daines took to the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to join him in standing up for American energy independence. Click here to watch Daines’ remarks. Click here to download Daines’ remarks.   Later tonight, the Senate is expected to pass two bipartisan resolutions disapproving of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Clean Power Plan regulations on new and existing power sources.  The

Tester, Daines, and Zinke unite to protect Butte workers

(U.S. Senate) – Senator Jon Tester, Senator Steve Daines, and Congressman Ryan Zinke are pushing to resolve a trade dispute between China and the United States that could negatively impact REC Silicon, one of Butte-Silver Bow’s largest employers. The Montana Congressional delegation has sent a letter to Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai urging him to work with the China Ministry of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative to resolve the trade dispute that is preventing China from purchasing polysilicon from REC Silicon to manufacture solar panels. “Industries in both countries stand to benefit greatly from a mutually-agreeable settlement of this trade

Daines Calls for Passage of National Defense Authorization Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today took to the Senate floor to call on the Senate to swiftly pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which includes critical support for Montana’s military missions. Daines also called on Senate Democrats to stop blocking the Department of Defense Appropriations Act and fund the military.   Click here to watch Daines’ remarks. Click here to download Daines’ remarks. Daines made the following remarks on the Senate floor this afternoon: “Montana has a rich legacy of service to our country— from maintaining our nation’s ‘peace through strength’ strategy at Montana’s Malmstrom Air Force Base, where we oversee one-third of

Daines Discusses Montana Trade Opportunities With Taiwanese Business Leaders

 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today met with Taiwanese business leaders to discuss future opportunities to export Montana goods to Taiwan.  Taiwan is Montana’s fourth largest export market in Asia and seventh largest export market in the world. In 2014, Montana’s exports to Taiwan reached $44 million in exports.  Taiwan is one of Montana’s top foreign markets for agricultural products, especially the state’s hard red winter and hard red spring wheat crops, as well as barley and durum. Taiwan is Montana’s second largest market for grains in Asia, after Japan. “I enjoyed the opportunity to discuss expanding markets for Montana goods

Daines: Latest OPM Report Affirms Need for New Leadership

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today reiterated his calls for new leadership at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in light of new reports that more than 21.5 Americans were victims of a mass breach of the OPM’s personnel database. This reported hack is in addition to the more than 4.2 million breached records originally announced by OPM last month. “The systemic failures and lack of accountability at OPM is staggering and completely unacceptable.  The breach reported today is five times larger than OPM’s initial reports and not only affects federal employees, but employees’ family and friends, government contractors and countless

Daines Joins Cavuto to Discuss OPM Hack

Senator Steve Daines today reiterated his call for Director Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Katherine Archuleta to step down amid serious concerns that under her watch, OPM failed to address major security flaws and systemic problems leading to the largest ever breach of federal employees’ personal information.  In the interview, Daines also called for the resignation of Donna Seymour the Chief Information Office (CIO) for OPM. “We need to hold the government accountable to standards we hold people in the private sector accountable to. The director should be let go, I think the CIO as well at OPM should be fired. This is unacceptable, it

Daines: OPM Director Should Step Down

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today called on Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Katherine Archuleta to step down in light of recent reports that due to failures in OPM’s security, an estimated 18 million current, former and prospective federal employees were victims of a mass cyber breach. “Under Katherine Archuleta’s watch, OPM allowed one of the largest breaches of federal employees’ personal information in our nation’s history. More, Ms. Archuleta has refused to take accountability for this great failure – in turn failing the American people, whom she swore an oath to protect and defend,” Daines