Tag: Tribes

Daines Announces over $700,000 in Funding for Tribal Transportation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today announced more than $700,000 in funding for tribal public transit services for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the Fort Belknap Indian Community and the Crow Tribe. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provides approximately $5 million competitive grant funding through the Public Transportation on Indian Reservations Program (Tribal Transit Program) for FY14/15 to support planning, capital, and, in limited circumstances, operating assistance for tribal public transit services.  Three Montana tribes were selected for these competitive grants, totaling:  $300,000 for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes  $220,000 for the Fort Belknap Indian Community  $193,731 for

Daines Works to Provide Tax Relief for Montana Farmers, Small Businesses, Families and Tribes

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On “Tax Relief Tuesday,” Senator Steve Daines spoke out on the need to pass bipartisan, comprehensive solutions that permanently protect Montana families, famers and ranchers, small businesses and tribes from burdensome and uncertain tax hikes. Daines emphasized his continued commitment to working toward reforms that end Washington’s habit of passing last-minute extensions of critical tax provisions and instead provide the long-term certainty needed to generate new economic investment and innovation in Montana. “Our tax code is nearly five times as long as the Bible, but with none of the good news,” Daines stated. “Congress needs to provide hardworking small businesses,

Tester, Daines lead effort to combat Native American veteran homelessness

Montana senators sponsor bill to permanently reauthorize successful tribal housing initiative (Montana) – To honor the contributions Native American veterans have made to this nation, Vice Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee Jon Tester and Senator Steve Daines have introduced bipartisan legislation to combat veteran homelessness in Indian Country. The Senators’ bipartisan bill will make HUD-VASH funds, which provide rental assistance to homeless or at-risk homeless veterans, permanently available to Native American tribes and tribal housing authorities. “Native Americans serve in the military at the highest rate per capita of any group in the United States,” Tester said.  “This year

Daines Announces Over $500,000 in Education Funding for Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today announced more than $500,000 in federal funds for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) to bolster their educational programs and provide additional tools to advance self-determination in an educational setting. The Salish Kootenai College (SKC) was awarded $220,000 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) the Tribal College Research Grants Program (TCRGP), which was created by the 2014 Farm Bill. The tribe was separately awarded $287,769 through the Department of Education’s State-Tribal Education Partnership (STEP) program. “These grants will provide Salish Kootenai College and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes with additional resources to

Daines Honors Fort Peck Chairman Rusty Stafne in Congressional Record

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today honored A.T. “Rusty” Stafne, Chairman of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes. Chairman Stafne has completed his term as Chairman and will not be seeking re-election. Daines honored Chairman Stafne by submitting a statement of recognition in the official Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress. Daines’ recognition in the Congressional Record is available here. The following is the statement submitted to the Congressional Record:  IN RECOGNITION OF CHAIRMAN RUSTY STAFNE MR. DAINES. Mr. President, I rise in recognition of the loyal service of A.T. “Rusty” Stafne, Chairman of the Fort

Daines Honors Crow War Chief in Congressional Record on His 102nd Birthday

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines honored Crow War Chief Joseph Medicine Crow by submitting a statement of recognition in the official Congressional Record on his 102nd birthday. Medicine Crow comes from a long line of relatives living past 100 years of age, and has proudly served as the Crow Tribe’s historian and storyteller.  The Congressional Record reflects the official proceedings of Congress and will now include Daines’ recognition of Medicine Crow. Daines’ recognition in the Congressional Record is available here. The following is the statement submitted to the Congressional Record:                IN RECOGNITION OF WAR CHIEF MEDICINE CROW      Mr. DAINES. Mr.

Daines Remembers World War II Veteran Charles DeCrane

Click here to watch Daines’ remarks. Click here to download Daines’ remarks.  Earlier today, Senator Steve Daines took to the Senate floor in honor of Montana World War II veteran Charles DeCrane, a member of the Crow Tribe, who passed away earlier this week in Billings, Montana. Daines made the following remarks on the Senate floor this morning: “Today I rise in honor of Montana World War II veteran Charles DeCrane, a member of the Crow Tribe, who passed away earlier this week in Billings, Montana.  “Charlie was an incredible person – he was hardworking, he dedicated his life to

Daines Fights to Protect Montana Coal Jobs

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines today went to bat for Montana coal jobs by formally introducing measures to block implementation of new rules on coal-fired power plants and calling the Obama administration’s myriad of anti-coal regulations a direct attack on Montana energy. This afternoon, Daines and 48 other Senators introduced two bipartisan resolutions disapproving of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Clean Power Plan regulations on new and existing power sources.  The Congressional Review Act resolutions of disapproval will block the Obama administration’s regulations on new and existing coal-fired power plants. Daines joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues including, Majority

Daines Works to Remove Barriers to Tribal Energy Development

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today investigated the barriers holding back Montana tribes from developing energy resources on their lands and called on the Obama administration to improve meaningful consultation with tribes during the federal decision making process.  During a Senate Indian Affairs oversight hearing on the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) report on Indian Energy Development, Daines pressed Larry Roberts, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Department of Interior on the unnecessary bureaucracy and lack of communication that has long-hindered tribal energy development.  “As the GAO reports and our witnesses today tell us, energy development on

Daines, Zinke Announce Legislation to Protect Tribes from Costly Obamacare Employer Mandate

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) and Representative Ryan Zinke (R-MT) today announced the introduction of legislation to protect Native American tribes from Obamacare’s costly employer mandate. The Tribal Employment and Jobs Protection Act, which was introduced today in the Senate and House, will exempt tribes and tribal employers from Obamacare’s employer mandate. The bills prevent massive fines that tribal employers would incur under Obamacare’s employer mandate. “Tribes should not be forced to pay severe fines due to duplicative federal mandates in the President’s flawed health care law,” Daines stated. “These unreasonable fines have the potential to kill jobs