Tag: Jobs

Daines Slams Interior Secretary for Failing to Listen to States and Tribes in Moratorium on Coal Leasing

U.S. SENATE — Senator Steve Daines today took the Obama administration to task for failing to properly take into account states’ and tribes’ voices in placing a misguided moratorium on coal leasing.  During this morning’s Senate Committee on Appropriations hearing on the Department of Interior’s (DOI) Fiscal Year 2017 budget request, Daines pressed Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to better incorporate Montanans voices in unilateral bureaucratic decisions that have the potential to severely cripple Montana’s coal industry.  “Several tribal members and others who rely on coal jobs to provide for their families expressed strong concern regarding potential administration actions during a

Daines Calls on USDA to Expand Veterans’ Employment Opportunities to Montana

U.S. SENATE —Senator Steve Daines today called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand their Bridges to Opportunity Program to Montana to help increase veterans’ employment opportunities in agriculture.  The Bridges to Opportunity Program this week announced its partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce “Hiring Our Heroes” program, which is a nationwide initiative to help veterans find meaningful and available work opportunities.   In a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, Daines urged the Secretary to work to ensure the Department expands their efforts to Montana to help serve the state’s almost 100,000 veterans.  “I urgently request you to ensure these efforts

Daines Grills Interior Secretary Jewell on Coal Leasing Moratorium

U.S. SENATE — Senator Steve Daines today pressed the Department of Interior on their proposed review of the coal leasing program and the unwarranted moratorium on coal leasing. During this morning’s Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing on the Department of Interior’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget request, Daines demanded answers from Interior Secretary Sally Jewell regarding the decision to place a moratorium on new coal leasing and for certainty in the Department’s plan.   “In Montana, we do see the moratorium on coal leasing as a direct assault on our state,” Daines stated. “Our state relies on production of coal, including federal coal,

Daines Travels to Alaska for Senate Energy Field Hearing

 U.S. SENATE — This week, Senator Steve Daines traveled to Alaska to participate in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources field hearing to examine opportunities for innovation in America’s energy industry.   Daines was joined by Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), John Barrasso (R-WY), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Angus King (I-ME), in addition to U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, who testified at the hearing. Daines with Murkowski as they prepare to head out from Anchorage to Bethel, Alaska. Click here to watch.  Daines, Moniz and fellow senators traveled to Bethel, Alaska where the field hearing would be held. Click here to watch.

Daines Highlights Key Reforms in Major Senate Energy Legislation

“We can’t fully discuss our nation’s energy future without also addressing the President’s moratorium on new federal coal leases and royalty increase attempts for federal coal, oil and natural gas.”  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines took to the Senate floor to highlight important provisions contained in the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016, the first major energy policy legislation debated in the Senate since 2007.  This key legislation will help expand Montana energy production, permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and rein in the Obama administration’s overreaching anti-energy regulations.  Click here to download Daines’ remarks. Click here to watch Daines’ remarks. Today, the

Daines Blasts Obama Moratorium on New Coal Leases

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today slammed President Obama’s decision to place a moratorium on new coal leasing on federal lands, which will likely end coal mining in the west and destroy the thousands of good-paying jobs coal supports in Montana.     “This moratorium is almost exclusively focused at destroying Montana and Wyoming coal. It is an unprecedented assault on one of Montana’s most important sources of good paying jobs and tax revenue that will likely shut down coal development in Montana and Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. Rather than forcing his ideology on the American people through executive fiat, President Obama should instead spend his remaining time in office helping America power the

Daines: President Obama Cemented His Failed Legacy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines tonight called out President Obama for his empty rhetoric, noting the President’s final State of the Union address was just “politics as usual.” Daines’ full statement is as follows:  “Rather than fighting for solutions that strengthen our economy, tonight President Obama cemented his failed legacy.   “Rather than presenting concrete solutions that bolster our national security, President Obama chose to lead from behind. “Rather than supporting hardworking farmers and ranchers, President Obama doubled down on his administration’s bureaucratic land grabs that infringe on Montanans’ livelihoods. “Rather than using the largest national stage to fight

Daines to Welcome Jason Small, Boilermaker Leader & Northern Cheyenne Tribal Member, as Guest for State of the Union

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today announced that Jason Small, President of Boilermakers Local 11, small business owner and Northern Cheyenne tribal member, will serve as Daines’ guest of honor for the State of the Union address in Washington, D.C. tomorrow night. “It’s my honor to welcome Jason Small as my guest for the upcoming State of the Union address,” Daines stated. “As President of Boilermakers Local 11 and an experienced labor advocate, Jason is a proven leader in standing up against the Obama administration’s devastating anti-coal, anti-energy agenda that threatens hardworking Montana families, union workers and tribal members.

Daines, Zinke Call on Governor Bullock to Issue Full Approval of the Montanore Project

U.S. CONGRESS – Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke are calling on Governor Steve Bullock and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to expeditiously issue full approval for the Montanore Project, which would create much-needed jobs and economic opportunity in Lincoln County.  After more than a decade, the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Montanore project was recently completed, clearing the way for the U.S. Forest Service and MDEQ to issue Records of Decision approving of Montanore’s plan of operations and required permits. MDEQ is considering a phased approval of the project, which would be inconsistent with the

Daines Works to Protect American Energy Security

Click here to watch Daines’ remarks. Click here to download Daines’ remarks. Senator Steve Daines today spoke out about the critical role that American energy independence holds in winning the war on terrorism and strengthening American security both at home and abroad.  “Our national security—protecting our families from terrible acts of terrorism—I can tell you is on many Montanans’ minds every day as I travel around the state. It’s telling to us today how important American energy independence and security is to our safety and prosperity—not just ours, but the world’s.” During a Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing on examining terrorism and global