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Tag: National Security

Daines Applauds Passage of Critical Defense Bill

June 18, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today hailed the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which provides critical support for the nation’s military and national security. “This legislation is critical to ensuring our men and women in uniform have the funding and support they need to fulfill their missions,” Daines stated. “The NDAA prioritizes the needs of our service members while protecting the important role that Montana holds in our national defense.” Daines successfully included an amendment to the NDAA that would protect military couples from abrupt reductions in their housing allowances. Under the NDAA, current dual housing

Daines Statement on Reported Chinese Cyber Attacks

June 12, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement in response to reports that Chinese hackers have accessed the private security clearance information of millions of military and intelligence personnel: “Reports that Chinese hackers have hacked into private security clearance information from our nation’s military and intelligence agencies is deeply concerning and could have devastating implications for our national security. This is the second major cyber attack on the federal government in just a week, and it is deeply troubling that the Obama administration has yet to prioritize addressing this serious problem.  These attacks reaffirm the importance of strengthening

Daines, Senate Appropriations Committee Move Forward Critical Montana Defense Priorities

June 11, 2015

Senate defense appropriations bills approved by committee, contains key provisions to support Montana defense priorities WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today helped move forward support for important Montana defense priorities in the Senate Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2016. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the bill today with a strong bipartisan vote of 18-3. “This bill is essential to funding our military,” Daines stated. “I’m proud that this bill contains critical funding for our national security and protects the important role that Montana plays in our national defense.”  With Daines’ support, the Defense appropriations bill contains several key provisions to support Montana’s military missions and national security interests, including: Protecting

ABC FOX: Sen. Daines Calls on NSA to Stop Obtaining Phone Records

May 21, 2015

Montana’s newest senator is calling out the National Security Administration for collecting phone records.  Along with Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, Senator Steve Daines is calling on the NSA to end its ‘bulk meta-data collection program’. Under this program, millions of Americans’ phone records are obtained and stored by the NSA for intelligence purposes. It’s part of the Patriot Act, which congress is currently debating whether to reauthorize.  Senator Daines says he has had his doubts with the program and questions its effectiveness. “This program is a direct threat to our constitutional rights. It has jeopardized our civil liberties with little

Daines Fights to Ensure Modernization of Montana’s Military Missions

April 29, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines is fighting to ensure that the C-130s of the Montana Army National Guard (MANG) are mission-ready and fully modernized by 2020. During a Defense Appropriations Committee hearing on the President’s Fiscal-Year 2016 budget request for the National Guard and Reserve, Daines pressed Guard officials to ensure MANG’s C-130 planes are Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified and flyable by 2020. Daines conveyed ongoing concerns with the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) and the lack of clear path forward for modernization by 2020. “We all have concerns with the Avionics Modernization Program that we will be FAA certified by 2020,” Daines stated. “What is

Daines Introduces Historic Reform Bill to Protect Montanans’ Privacy

April 28, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today helped introduce widely supported bipartisan legislation that ends the bulk collection of Americans’ phone records. Daines is an original cosponsor of the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015, which ends bulk collection under Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act and requires greater oversight, transparency, and accountability in surveillance activities. Three provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), including Section 215, are due to sunset on June 1. “Montanans have seen firsthand the dangers of big government’s intrusion into our daily lives, our personal information and our privacy,” Daines stated.  “It’s critical that comprehensive reforms are put

Daines Meets with Foreign Leaders and U.S. Troops in Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan

April 7, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today announced that he recently returned from an official overseas congressional delegation trip to Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan.   Daines had the opportunity to meet several Middle Eastern leaders and discuss political, economic and security issues facing Middle Eastern nations. Meetings included: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Jordanian King Abdullah II, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Iraqi President Fuad Masum and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.   Daines also met with several Montana service members stationed in the Middle East, including General Paul Funk, a native of Roundup, Montana and a graduate of Montana

Daines: Obama Administration Extension Weakens U.S. Security

April 1, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today issued the following statement on the Obama administration’s decision to extend the nuclear negotiations with Iran once again. “The Obama administration’s decision to ignore another deadline weakens our security by empowering Iran to continue its dangerous behavior without consequence. Our desire for negotiations to succeed should not blind the Obama administration from the reality that only Iran is benefitting from the current approach.  I believe Congress must impose stronger sanctions without further delay to exact real pressure on the Iranian regime to eliminate its capacity to build nuclear weapons.” ###

Daines: Obama Administration’s Refusal to Acknowledge ‘Islamic Extremism’ Jeopardizes American Strategy in Middle East

February 24, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today took the Obama administration to task for its lack of strategy in addressing the rising threat of extreme Islamic terrorism in the Middle East. “The Obama administration’s refusal to acknowledge ISIS for what it is — extreme, radical Islamic terrorism — directly jeopardizes our nation’s efforts to extinguish this growing threat in the Middle East,” Daines stated. “It is irresponsible that Secretary Kerry would rather label these terrorists as ‘adventurers and thrill-seekers’ than extremists driven by a radical ideology. The President’s clear lack of strategy in dealing with this threat was on full

Daines Announces Appropriations Subcommittee Assignments

January 29, 2015

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today announced that he has been selected to serve on five Senate Appropriations subcommittees. Daines will serve on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies; Defense; Interior, Environment and Related Agencies; State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies. Daines noted that the subcommittees’ focus will address a number of issues of great importance to Montana, including the management of public lands and support for Montana’s mission at Malmstrom Air Force Base by ensuring that our service members have