url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/29/icymi-daines-op-ed-2025-was-a-historic-year-for-montana/,ICYMI: Daines Op-Ed: 2025 Was a Historic Year for Montana,2025-12-29,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines wrote an op-ed for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle recapping 2025’s historic wins for Montana. Read it below. 2025 Was a Historic Year for Montana Bozeman Daily Chronicle Senator Steve Daines December 27th, 2025 2025 was a historic year for Montana. Tim Sheehy, a former Navy Seal, joined me in the U.S. Senate, along with Troy Downing and Ryan Zinke in the U.S. House. Working together, we’ve made major strides advancing Montana priorities, from increasing our energy dominance, protecting our public lands, and supporting farmers, ranchers, veterans, and working families. We now have a majority in the U.S. Senate, which allowed us to quickly confirm President Trump’s cabinet as well as excellent Montana candidates to serve us on the federal level — Kurt Alme to serve as our U.S. Attorney and Bill Mercer to serve as a district judge. I worked around the clock with my colleagues in the Senate to implement the president’s agenda as quickly as possible. On Independence Day, I stood with President Trump at the White House as he signed the Working Families Tax Cut, which delivered the largest tax cuts in American history. Montana families will see the effects in 2026, when their take-home pay is boosted by over $10,000 a year and there are no taxes on tips. The bill also included my provision to save the Bull Mountains Mine, which protects Montana’s energy dominance and saved over 300 good-paying Montana mining jobs. And as a lifelong sportsman, protecting our public lands is one of my top priorities. That’s why I was proud to block a provision from being included in the bill that would have sold millions of acres of our public lands. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership we’ve saved Montana energy. In addition to keeping the Bull Mountains Mine open, he also signed into law my bill to reverse a disastrous Biden administration anti-coal rule that would have blocked future coal leasing in eastern Montana and caused the loss of billions of dollars in revenue to our state. Additionally, President Trump and his cabinet listened to the concerns of Montanans and reversed a Biden mandate that would’ve put the Colstrip Power Plant out of business. One of my main priorities this year was supporting the Montana sportsmen and our great outdoors. I worked closely with the administration to support our logging industry and ensure we can better fight catastrophic wildfires. I also introduced the “America the Beautiful Act,” which provides critical funding for our national parks and addresses maintenance backlogs, so that people can get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. Additionally, I introduced a bill to expand access to our public lands for sportsmen and outdoor recreation. I am also working hard to support our farmers and ranchers. Montana beef is the best in the world, and one of my main focuses this year was expanding market access for our farmers and ranchers. I’m pushing for a robust Farm Bill that will support Montana ag and ensure Montana voices are represented, and worked hard to pass a permanent increase to the death tax exemption, which will allow family farms and ranches to pass their land down to future generations. We’ve also made massive strides protecting life and family. In December, President Trump signed into law my bill, the BABES Enhancement Act, which makes it easier for moms and families to safely travel with breastmilk and formula. I’m working to protect women from the harmful abortion pill, which causes traumatic adverse effects at a rate 22 times higher than advertised. Montana has the highest number of veterans per capita in the nation, so it’s critical they get the support and resources they deserve. This year I attended the Butte VA Clinic’s renaming ceremony, which honors Montana legend Charlie Dowd for his incredible legacy of service. I also introduced bills to protect health care and pension benefits for veterans and their families. Lastly, I introduced a bill to honor fallen service members and keep national cemeteries open on federal holidays. Finally, protecting Montana’s tribal communities remained at the forefront of 2025. I introduced a bill to combat drug trafficking in our tribes and also passed a resolution designating May 5 as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. 2025 has brought win after historic win for Montana and the nation. I’ll always work to support the needs of Montanans — from our veterans to our children, and from our farmers and ranchers to our loggers. It’s my honor to serve you in the U.S. Senate and I look forward to what 2026 brings. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/22/daines-honors-montanan-of-the-month-lieutenant-kirby-dempster/,Daines Honors Montanan of the Month: Lieutenant Kirby Dempster,2025-12-22,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE— U.S. Senator Steve Daines recognized Lieutenant Kirby Dempster as Montanan of the Month for his service with the Fergus County Sheriff’s Office and his courage in the face of a daunting diagnosis. Through his “Montanan of the Month” initiative, every month Daines highlights a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress. To recommend a Montanan click HERE. The following is a statement submitted to the Congressional Record: TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT KIRBY DEMPSTER Mr. Daines, Mr. President, today I have the honor to recognize Lieutenant Kirby Dempster of the Fergus County Sheriff’s Office in Lewistown, Montana, as Montanan of the Month. For more than eight and a half years, Lieutenant Dempster has served the people of Fergus County with courage, compassion, and integrity. As a supervising officer, he leads both detention and patrol operations and oversees important department initiatives, including cyber-crime prevention efforts focused on protecting children, human-trafficking investigations, and a drone program. Today, we also recognize him for something deeper: his resilience during one of life’s toughest battles. Following a difficult cancer diagnosis, Lieutenant Dempster was confronted with a new fight. However, he and his loved ones did not face it alone. His fellow officers, first responders, and the entire Lewistown community stepped forward without hesitation. Fundraisers were launched, donations poured in, and neighbors showed up to support the Dempster family. This remarkable outpouring of support reflects what Lieutenant Dempster has built in his community over his many years of service. He is known as a strong leader, a mentor, a dedicated public servant, and above all, a devoted family man. Lieutenant Dempster’s commitment to protecting his community, his leadership in the face of hardship, and the community’s support in return embodies the very best of Montana values. His story reminds us of what service truly means and how Montanans stand together when it matters most. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/19/daines-urges-airlines-to-increase-flights-from-montana-for-fcs-championship-game/,Daines Urges Airlines to Increase Flights from Montana for FCS Championship Game,2025-12-19,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Presses Airlines to Give Montana Fans “A Chance to Witness History” U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today led a letter with Senator Tim Sheehy and Representatives Ryan Zinke (MT-01) and Troy Downing (MT-02) to airline CEOs urging them to increase flight options from Montana to Nashville, Tennessee, in advance of the FCS National Championship Game. The letter was sent to the CEOs of Delta, American, Southwest, and United. “History will be made this Saturday in Bozeman, Montana. For the first time, the University of Montana Grizzlies and the Montana State University Bobcats football teams will meet in the postseason with the winner earning themselves a spot in the NCAA Division I Football Championship in Nashville, Tennessee on January 5, 2026… “…though the game has yet to be played, we do know a Montana school will be heading to Nashville for the championship game regardless of the outcome. And although Montana will be a state divided this weekend, both Cats and Griz fans can agree that there’s nothing like watching and cheering on your team in-person. Unfortunately, current air service options to Nashville from Montana in the days leading up to the game are limited and liable to sell out quickly. That is why we are asking that your airlines work to increase service to and from Montana for the big game. “By increasing access to affordable air service, you will be giving Montana fans of all ages the chance to witness history. As proud Montanans, we hope all fans will be able to take part in this special moment with their team. “Thank you for your consideration and may the best team win!” they wrote in the letter. Read the full letterHERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/19/dainescalls-on-doj-to-defend-2a-rights-stand-with-lawful-gun-owners/,"DainesCalls on DOJ to Defend 2A Rights, Stand with Lawful Gun Owners",2025-12-19,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Representative Andrew Clyde (GA-09) in leading a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice urging them to adopt the positions of the drafters of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act provision that eliminated the $200 National Firearms Act (NFA) excise tax on suppressors, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), short-barreled shotguns (SBSs) and “any other weapons” (AOWs) and end its support for the unconstitutional NFA registration regime that remains. “We write to inform the Department of Justice of Congress’s position and intent regarding ongoing litigation challenging the National Firearms Act’s (NFA) registration and transfer requirements for non-taxed NFA firearms, following the enactment of President Trump’s landmark Second Amendment victory in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). In enacting this bill into law, Congress affirmed its position that the taxation and registration provisions of the National Firearms Act are inseparably linked, and it expressed its intent to repeal the NFA’s registration and transfer requirements by eliminating the associated taxes on certain firearms and silencers. In light of the Department’s recent filing opposing this interpretation, we must express our serious concern and disappointment that the Department of Justice has chosen to advance a theory that not only conflicts with Congress’s express intent but also disregards the constitutional structure upon which the NFA has rested since 1934. Therefore, we again urge the Department of Justice to adopt and advance Congress’s stated position in all litigation concerning these provisions, to ensure that congressional intent is accurately represented and upheld before the courts.” “In fact, when Congress reduced the Obamacare penalty to $0 during President Trump’s first term, the Department of Justice refused to defend the underlying flawed law. The Department is fully empowered to decline to defend statutory provisions that no longer rest on a valid constitutional basis. It has exercised that authority before, and it must do so again here – this time in defense of Americans’ Second Amendment rights.” … Read the full letter HERE. Thanks to Senator Daines’ efforts in the Senate, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act contained a provision that reduced the $200 excise tax on suppressors, SBRs, SBS, and AOWs for the first time ever. By eliminating the NFA tax on certain firearms, it was the intent of those who worked to include the provision to repeal the transfer and registration requirements under the NFA for these firearms as well. Despite this intent, the DOJ has chosen to defend the constitutionality of the zero-dollar tax in court. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/18/daines-heinrich-bill-completing-continental-divide-national-scenic-trail-one-step-closer-to-becoming-law/,Daines-Heinrich Bill Completing Continental Divide National Scenic Trail One Step Closer to Becoming Law,2025-12-18,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced that his bipartisan bill directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of the Interior to prioritize completion of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is the co-lead on Daines’ bill. “Our outdoor way of life is something that brings Montanans together, and as an avid hiker and backpacker myself, completing the Continental Divide Trail is a huge win for our state. It will support local jobs, boost economic development for gateway communities, and increase public access to Montana’s natural beauty. I’m thrilled to see my bill pass out of committee and will fight to get it across the finish line,” said Daines. Background: Designated by Congress as part of the National Trail System in 1978, the CDT stretches more than 3,000 miles and passes through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and Idaho. The trail follows the Continental Divide and transverses some of the nation’s most treasured natural, historic, and cultural resources. Daines has been fighting to complete the trail since 2022- read past press releases HERE and HERE. The Continental Divide Trail Completion Act would: Direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to establish a Trail Completion Team Recognize the value of cooperation between federal land managers, states, Tribes, towns, and others Ensure that eminent domain will not be used to complete the trail ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/17/daines-on-fox-business-obamacare-is-inefficient-and-overpriced-let-the-patients-have-the-power/,"Daines on Fox Business: Obamacare is Inefficient and Overpriced, Let the Patients Have the Power",2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined Fox Business to discuss the failures of Obamacare. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on preventing another government shutdown: I hope we don’t have another shutdown. It’s possible if we can’t get cooperation. January 30th is the key date, that’s what the CR extends to. But we’re working very hard right now on the Republican side and the Democrat side, to their credit, to come to together and get these last appropriation bills voted on and passed. So, I’m cautiously optimistic, Larry, we’re going to get the work done. We’ll get a lot of this finished up this week, perhaps, and then use January to finish it up. Fingers crossed, Larry, that we’re in a better spot than we were, certainly in September. That’s why just like what happened with the Schumer Shutdown, we needed eight Democrats to join us to get the government opened up again. And as I’ve always said, Larry, shutdowns begin with a bang, and they end with a whimper. They put their hand on the stove and eventually it doesn’t feel very good, you start having the flying public interfering with air traffic control. Democrats finally said, okay, enough is enough and we got the shutdown stopped. I was proud of the Republican team. We held firm. You shouldn’t be allowed to take a government shutdown hostage in an appropriation debate, and let’s hope and pray as we go through January this nonsense won’t happen again in Washington, and we’ll get this work done. Daines on the failures of Obamacare: I’m not sure they [Senate Democrats] want to solve this problem. What I hear quietly from folks across the aisle is they want to have this continue into the 2026 election because they think this is a winning issue for them. Sadly, frankly, because the American people are being harmed. You look at Obamacare premiums are up half again as much as private health care insurance over the same period of time of the last decade. Anytime the government steps in and it takes over something, it drives inefficiency and higher cost. It’s all about providing more choice to the patient. Think about the idea of associations. The Democrats in affordable care do not to put associations again. For example, Costco could have their own health care with 70 million Costco members. They could put together some kind of association plan. Let people have the freedom associations where they could drive lower costs. Another problem is these subsidies the Democrats are fighting to protect. They go directly to the insurance [companies] versus to the consumer. That’s what we proposed in our plan, is send that to HSA accounts. Let the consumer, let the patient have the power of deciding what to do with the way dollars are spent. It’s one of the most expensive economic transactions in your household budget. Why can’t the consumer or the patient be in charge versus insurance companies [and] the government? ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/17/daines-secures-major-montana-wins-in-national-defense-authorization-act/,Daines Secures Major Montana Wins in National Defense Authorization Act,2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Bill Includes Pay Raise for Troops, Improvements to Housing Benefits, Support for the Mission at Malmstrom U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced that several of his legislative priorities passed the Senate in the “National Defense Authorization Act” (NDAA), including a pay raise for troops, improvements to Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) authorities, critical funding for the mission at Malmstrom, and construction authorizations for the Montana National Guard. The NDAA will now head to the President’s desk to be signed into law. “America’s military is the best fighting force in the world and Montana service members are the best warriors in the country. This bill ensures our military maintains President Trump’s ‘peace through strength’ strategy by giving our troops a much-deserved pay raise, providing improvements to the Basic Allowance for Housing, travel reimbursement for the National Guard, and providing funding for Malmstrom Air Force Base,” said Daines. Montana wins in the NDAA: 3.8 percent pay raise for military service members Modernizes military BAH to help recognize Montana housing costs Protects Malmstrom ICBM mission from missile and force reductions Authorizes improvements to on-base family housing Construction developments for Weapons Storage Facility in Malmstrom Maintains Daines’ 2024 NDAA provision ensuring Reserve and National Guard troops are reimbursed for travel expenses ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/17/daines-sheehy-downing-introduce-bill-to-increase-access-to-public-lands-improve-forest-management/,"Daines, Sheehy, Downing Introduce Bill to Increase Access to Public Lands, Improve Forest Management",2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy and Representative Troy Downing (MT-02) today introduced the “Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act.” The bill returns three Wilderness Study Areas (WSA) to general management.Each WSA is recommended for release by their respective agency’s land and resource management plan revisions and retains certain protections for these WSA’s while providing more flexibility for land managers to mitigate wildfire risk, restore wildlife habitat, and increase sportsmen access. “As a lifelong sportsman, increasing access to Montana’s great outdoors is one of my top priorities. The ‘Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act’ promotes our outdoor way of life by returning restrictive WSA’s to general public land management, which will improve wildlife habitat restoration, reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, and unlock better access to public lands. I look forward to working with Senator Sheehy, Representative Zinke, and Representative Downing to get this bill across the finish line,” said Daines. “Increasing access to our public lands and conserving the open spaces that we all enjoy, define our way of life, and create our shared heritage is something we can all agree on, and that’s exactly what the Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act delivers. Working to combat wildfire risk, better steward our lands, improve wildlife habitat, and continue to protect our right to hunt, fish, and recreate on our public lands is Montana common sense, and I’m proud to stand with Senator Daines in this critical mission,” said Sheehy. “Land management must be fit for purpose, and the science shows that the Hoodoo Mountain, Wales Creek, and Middle Fork Judith Wilderness Study Areas would be better served without their WSA designations. I’m proud to lead the effort in the House to return these lands to general management, unlocking public access and breaking down barriers preventing effective stewardship. I look forward to working with Senators Daines and Sheehy to get this commonsense measure across the finish line,” said Downing. Read the bill text HERE. Background: Daines originally introduced the “Montana Sportsman Conservation Act” in 2023. Read the release HERE and watch the hearing where he announced the bill HERE. The three Wilderness Study Areas Daines’ bill would return to general public land management are the Middle Fork Judith WSA, the Hoodoo Mountain WSA, and the Wales Creek WSA. The bill has garnered support across the state- read letters of support below. Judith Basin County Commissioners Powell County Commissioners Montana Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife Montana Farm Bureau Federation Great Falls Bicycle Club Montana Outfitters and Guides Association This bill is also supported by Montana Logging Association and Montana Snowmobiles Association. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/15/daines-sheehy-applaud-announcement-of-new-u-s-patent-and-trademark-community-engagement-office-in-bozeman/,"Daines, Sheehy Applaud Announcement of New U.S. Patent and Trademark Community Engagement Office in Bozeman",2025-12-15,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy today applauded the selection of Bozeman, Montana, as the site for a new U.S. Patent and Trademark Community Engagement Office. The decision by the U.S. Department Commerce comes after Daines and Sheehy wrote a letter to Secretary Lutnick requesting an office in Montana. The office is the first of its kind in the western United States. “Montana’s place as a leader in technology innovation is further solidified with the announcement of the new Patent and Trademark Community Outreach Office coming to Bozeman. Governor Gianforte’s leadership and vision combined with Montana’s exceptional workforce made this announcement possible,” said Daines. “Thanks to the gritty, hardworking spirit of our talented people, Montana is a national leader for technological innovation and the perfect place for this new office. With the Trump Administration’s visionary leadership and strong support, this partnership will create high-paying Montana jobs, support Montana businesses, and strengthen Montana communities. The future is bright, and I know Montana will continue leading from the front to secure America’s technological and economic dominance in the 21st century,” said Sheehy. Read their letter HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/12/daines-on-nonstop-local-made-in-montana-energy-is-back/,Daines on Nonstop Local: Made-In-Montana Energy Is Back,2025-12-12,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined Nonstop Local to discuss President Trump overturning President Biden’s anti-coal Miles City Resource Management Plan. Daines led the legislation President Trump signed into law. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines: Made-In-Montana energy is back. President Trump meant what he said when he campaigned and said we’ve got to bring back more Made-In-America energy. We just unlocked two million acres of eastern Montana land that the Biden administration at the 11th hour, as they were going out the door, locked it all up, preventing any new coal leases. This is bringing more Made-In-Montana energy. We need more baseload power, we need more affordable energy. This is a big win for Montana… …Let’s not forget the important role that coal plays in our tax base. It’s $4 billion in future revenue. At a time when we are all stretched in terms of tax burden, this helps share the tax burden here by ensuring that we’ve got the ability to expand our energy production, and you know what, they pay a lot of taxes… …The environmental lobby wants to keep everything in the ground. They don’t want to cut down another tree, or mine any new copper or any new coal. We are called the Treasure State for a reason. We are rich in natural resources. We’ve got to do this to have the jobs, low costs, affordable energy, and the bottom line is, we can both maintain the highest environmental standards (clean air and clean water) and responsibly mine our natural resources. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/12/icymi-daily-caller-exclusive-gop-montana-lawmakers-celebrate-as-trump-demolishes-biden-era-assault-on-their-resources/,ICYMI: Daily Caller EXCLUSIVE: GOP Montana Lawmakers Celebrate As Trump Demolishes Biden-Era Assault On Their Resources,2025-12-12,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines yesterday announced that President Trump signed his bill overturning Biden’s anti-coal Miles City Resource Management Plan Amendment. Read highlights from the story below. EXCLUSIVE: GOP Montana Lawmakers Celebrate As Trump Demolishes Biden-Era Assault On Their Resources Daily Caller Audrey Streb December 11th, 2025 President Donald Trump signed Montana lawmakers’ bill to unleash mining in the state on Thursday, demolishing a Biden-era plan that held the coal-rich region hostage. Sponsored by Montana Republican Reps. Troy Downing and Ryan Zinke as well as Republican Montana Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy, the resolution nixes the Biden-era Miles City Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA), which blocked coal development across almost two million acres in Montana and shut down future coal leasing in the Powder River Basin. More than 40% of America’s coal came from the Powder River Basin in 2019, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, though the Biden administration effectively blocked future coal leasing in the key region following a legal battle with local green groups. Daines’ office told the Daily Caller News Foundation that the resolution has garnered widespread support, including from Republican Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte. “Today marks a massive win for both Montana and the nation. Biden’s disastrous Miles City RMPA was an anti-coal rule that would’ve blocked future coal leasing on two million acres of land, stifled job growth and caused the loss of over $4.3 billion in future revenue to our state,” Daines told the DCNF. “But now, thanks to the hard work of our Montana delegation, Biden’s rule is repealed and Montana energy is back. Thank you President Trump for fighting for Made-In-Montana energy and for protecting America’s energy dominance.” Read the full article in the Daily Caller HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.sheehy.senate.gov/news/press-releases/sheehy-lujan-introduce-bill-to-provide-free-national-parks-passes-to-law-enforcement-wildland-firefighters/,"Sheehy, Luján Introduce Bill to Provide Free National Parks Passes to Law Enforcement, Wildland Firefighters",2025-12-12,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Tim Sheehy,S001232,www.sheehy.senate.gov,sheehy,https://www.sheehy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – Senators Tim Sheehy and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreation Pass Act, a bill to provide free annual National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes to law enforcement officers and firefighters, including wildland firefighters. The bill ensures those who ensure the security and protection of these recreation spaces for Americans across the country are able to access them at no cost. “Countless firefighters and law enforcement officials across our nation work day and night, year-round to keep our communities, national parks, and public lands safe for American families. It’s only right that we ensure these heroes can enjoy these treasured landscapes free of charge, and I’m proud to lead this commonsense, bipartisan bill in the Senate,” said Senator Sheehy. “In New Mexico and across the country, our law enforcement officers and firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities. I’m proud to partner with Senator Sheehy to introduce bipartisan legislation that would allow law enforcement officers and firefighters to enjoy National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands free of charge. Whether it’s visiting White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, or New Mexico’s vast Federal Recreational Lands, allowing these heroes to visit for free is a simple way for us to say: thank you,” said Senator Luján. Senators Sheehy and Luján were joined by Senators Cassidy (R-La.), Crapo (R-ID), and Risch (R-ID) in introducing the Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreation Pass Act. The House of Representatives companion to the bill was introduced by Representative Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) and passed the House under suspension of the rules in July of this year. Background: Under current law, members of the Armed Services and their dependents are provided free annual National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes. These passes cover entrance fees and standard amenity (day-use) fees at recreation areas managed by the United States Forest Service (USFS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (US ACE). Law enforcement officers and firefighters are currently not eligible for a free annual pass unless they are members of the Armed Services, veterans, or a Gold Star family member. The Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreation Pass Act amends the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act to provide free annual National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes to law enforcement officers and firefighters, including wildland firefighters. This bill ensures that those who are often tasked with ensuring the security and protection of recreation spaces that Americans across the country enjoy will be able to access them at no cost.",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/11/daines-downing-bill-to-unlock-montana-mining-signed-into-law-by-president-trump/,"Daines, Downing Bill to Unlock Montana Mining Signed into Law by President Trump",2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"“Today Marks A Massive Win for Montana and the Nation” U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy, as well as Representatives Troy Downing (MT-02) and Ryan Zinke (MT-01) today announced that President Trump signed their bill into law that unlocks Eastern Montana mining. The bill removes the harmful Biden-era Miles City Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA), which will further help unleash Made-In-Montana energy. “Today marks a massive win for both Montana and the nation. Biden’s disastrous Miles City RMPA was an anti-coal rule that would’ve blocked future coal leasing on two million acres of land, stifled job growth and caused the loss of over $4.3 billion in future revenue to our state. But now, thanks to the hard work of our Montana delegation, Biden’s rule is repealed and Montana energy is back. Thank you President Trump for fighting for Made-In-Montana energy and for protecting America’s energy dominance,” said Daines. “Thanks to President Trump for signing this bill into law and putting an end to radical Biden-era regulations that put our resource economy on life support. Together, we are delivering the America First, commonsense policies Montanans voted for to achieve American energy dominance, create jobs, and make energy affordable, accessible, and reliable again. I’ll continue working alongside President Trump and the Montana delegation to unleash Montana’s resource economy, protect Montana jobs, and bring prosperity to rural Montana communities,” said Sheehy. “Now more than ever, America needs affordable, reliable energy to fuel our new golden age. With the signing of my bill to permanently roll back burdensome restrictions on coal leasing for the nation’s largest deposit, we aren’t just meeting the demands of today, we’re ensuring that we can power our country’s future. We are also making sure that subsequent administrations cannot undo the good work of the current one, safeguarding American energy independence. I thank Senator Daines and the entire Montana Congressional Delegation for their leadership and look forward to seeing this legislation bring revenue and jobs back to the Treasure State,” said Downing. “This legislation will lower energy costs by unlocking Montana’s vast natural resources and brings security to the jobs of the hardworking men and women who mine in Montana. The Biden administration’s Miles City MRPA would have restricted coal leasing on over two million acres, driving up energy prices and costing Montana millions in revenue. Thanks to President Trump and our Montana delegation, that won’t happen. This is another success in the fight to make energy more affordable and protect the families who depend on it,” said Zinke. Background: Daines introduced the Congressional Review Act resolution with Sheehy, Downing and Zinke in July 2025- read the release HERE. See Daines’ release when the resolution passed the U.S. Senate HERE. Read Daines’ statement when the resolution passed the U.S. House of Representatives HERE and see Daines’ and Downing’s video statement HERE. The bill has widespread support, including from Montana Governor Greg Gianforte. Read Governor Gianforte’s letter of support HERE. See additional quotes of support HERE. The Biden administration’s Miles City RMPA made nearly two million acres unavailable for coal leasing within the Miles City Field Office planning area and prohibited new coal leasing in the Powder River Basin. It also would have caused the loss of over $4.32 billion in future revenue to State trust land beneficiaries. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/11/daines-sheehy-bill-ensuring-crow-tribe-water-rights-passes-u-s-senate/,"Daines, Sheehy Bill Ensuring Crow Tribe Water Rights Passes U.S. Senate",2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy today announced that their bill, the Crow Tribe Water Settlement Amendments Act of 2025, passed the U.S. Senate with unanimous consent and now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill ensures the Crow Tribe’s ability to successfully implement the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2009 and will ensure the tribe has access to clean water. “Access to clean water is a basic necessity, and the Crow Tribe Water Settlement Amendment will ensure Montana’s Crow Tribe has the resources they need to deliver clean water to communities on the reservation and complete critical energy development projects. This has been a longstanding priority of mine, so I’m thrilled to see the bill pass the U.S. Senate and will keep fighting to get it passed through the House of Representatives,” said Daines. “Ensuring our tribal partners have the support they need to access clean water and develop critical infrastructure to spur economic growth is common sense, and that’s what the Crow Tribe Water Settlement Amendment delivers. I’m glad to see this pass the Senate and will keep working with the Montana delegation to make life more safe, prosperous, and affordable for all Montanans,” said Sheehy. Background: The “Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act” of 2009 settled the Crow Tribe’s water rights and authorized $460 million to construct a water system for the tribe. The “Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlements Amendments Act” would update the previous settlement to be fund-based rather than project-based, and also extends the authorization for the Tribe to develop hydropower on the Yellowtail Afterbay Dam until 2030, providing clean energy and an economic boost to the community. Click HERE for bill text and HERE for a summary of the bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/10/daines-downing-introduce-bill-to-support-irrigation-protect-montana-endangered-species/,"Daines, Downing Introduce Bill to Support Irrigation, Protect Montana Endangered Species",2025-12-10,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Representative Troy Downing (MT-02) today introduced the “Lower Yellowstone River Native Fish Conservation Act.” The bill reaffirms that the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) retains exclusive ownership, operational control, and financial responsibility for the Lower Yellowstone fish bypass channel, built to support the recovery of the endangered pallid sturgeon. Daines’ bill provides critical protections for irrigators, ensuring that local communities are not unfairly charged for federal projects and are protected from bearing the costs of long-term conservation efforts. “Montana’s local communities should not be unfairly burdened by costly federal projects. I’m thrilled to work alongside Representative Downing to introduce the ‘Lower Yellowstone River Native Fish Conservation Act,’ which will help protect Montana’s endangered species and provide essential operational and financial stability for the Lower Yellowstone fish bypass channel,” said Daines. “This bill provides a common sense solution to what should be a common sense issue on the Lower Yellowstone River. It’s good for irrigators, good for taxpayers, good for the sturgeon, and ensures long-term operational and financial stability for the Lower Yellowstone Fish Bypass Channel in Eastern Montana. I’m proud to have such a great partner in Senator Daines to champion this legislation and look forward to getting it across the finish line,” said Downing. Read the bill text HERE. Background: Authorized in 2007 and built by Bureau of Reclamation, the Lower Yellowstone fish bypass channel mitigates harm to the endangered pallid sturgeon and lies outside the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project. While LYIP repays irrigation infrastructure costs, the bypass’s repair needs stem from federal obligations and LYIP believes they should not (and cannot afford) to reimburse BOR for repair and maintenance costs. In the winter often minivan-sized pieces of ice crash into these bypasses causing extensive damage that the LYIP cannot afford to repair. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/09/daines-chairs-senate-national-parks-subcommittee-hearing/,Daines Chairs Senate National Parks Subcommittee Hearing,2025-12-09,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Advocates For Bill Keeping National Cemeteries Open on Federal Holidays U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today chaired a Senate National Parks subcommittee hearing, where he spoke with Mike Caldwell from the National Park Service and urged his colleagues to support his bill requiring national cemeteries to be open on federal holidays. Watch his opening remarks HERE. Daines’ opening remarks: Today’s subcommittee hearing is the first in the 119th Congress. I want to thank my co-chair, Senator King, for joining me today. I look forward to continuing our long streak of bipartisan work. Specifically, I am excited to continue our work on reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund to address Park Service deferred maintenance in our strongly bipartisan America the Beautiful Act. The Legacy Restoration Fund has been a historic investment in our parks and public lands. I look forward to working with Chairman Lee and Ranking Member Heinrich as well as all my colleagues to get our America the Beautiful Act to President Trump’s desk before the country’s 250th birthday on July 4th. On today’s agenda we have 26 bills, many of which are bipartisan or have the support from the state delegation. I am excited to hear more about S.290, the Making National Parks Safer Act, led by Senators Barrasso and King. One of the first hearings I led as Chairman of the Parks Subcommittee was on “Encouraging the Next Generation to Visit the Parks” where we talked about technology in the parks including emergency communications and digital park passes. We have made progress since that hearing in 2015, Senator King and I were successful in getting our bill signed into law last year to allow a digital America the Beautiful Pass, but we still have significant issues with emergency communications. I look forward to hearing how this bill will help expand next-generation 9-1-1 and other emergency communications systems. Finally, I want to mention one bill that’s not on today’s agenda but has important Park Service equities. S. 1858, requires National Cemeteries, including those administered by the National Park Service, to be open to visitors during federal holidays so family and friends can visit their loved ones during special remembrance days. S.1858 was referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs but as it mandates cemeteries administered by the Park Service to remain open, and specifically the Custer National Cemetery in Montana, I wanted to flag this important bill for the Park Service’s review and support. Daines on his bill to keep national cemeteries open on federal holidays: Daines: As I discussed my opening statement, Senate Bill 1858 requires the Park Service to keep the 14 national cemeteries you administer open during federal holidays. This has been a persistent issue in Montana where the Custer National Cemetery has been closed on important remembrance days like Christmas and Memorial Day itself. My question is, do you agree that national cemeteries should remain open so family and friends of service members can visit their loved ones and allow for patriotic activities such as wreaths across America to honor fallen service members and warriors on important holidays? Caldwell: Yes, Senator. Watch their full exchange HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/05/daines-urges-opm-to-end-taxpayer-funded-abortions-in-congressional-health-plans/,Daines Urges OPM to End Taxpayer-Funded Abortions in Congressional Health Plans,2025-12-05,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today sent a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) urging compliance with the Smith Amendment, which prevents taxpayer dollars from being used to pay for an elective abortion under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program. OPM has long violated the Smith Amendment by offering health care plans to Members of Congress and congressional staff that cover elective abortions. “We urge you to stop the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) from administering government contributions for Members of Congress and Congressional staff in connection with health insurance plans that cover elective abortion, in violation of the longstanding Smith (NJ) Amendment. … This longstanding provision of law restricts OPM from administering government contributions in connection with any health plan for federal employees that covers elective abortion. However, OPM is currently subsidizing plans that cover elective abortion in clear violation of the Smith Amendment… In plan year 2019, 87% percent of the Gold level plans on the DC SHOP covered elective abortion. Only 9 out of 67 plans excluded such coverage. … Taxpayers, who contribute 72 to 75 percent of these health benefit premiums, do not want their hard-earned tax dollars to pay for abortions. The Smith Amendment does not allow Members of Congress and Congressional staff to operate under a different set of rules than other federal employees when it comes to taxpayer funding of abortion. For 2026, there are only two health plans offered through DC Health Link that do not cover abortion, CareFirst’s BluePreferred PPO Gold and United Healthcare’s Choice Plus Gold. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to working with you to ensure the health and safety of the American people,” he wrote in the letter. Read the full letter HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/04/daines-announces-2025-service-academy-nominees/,Daines Announces 2025 Service Academy Nominees,2025-12-04,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced his nomination of four Montana students applying for enrollment to U.S. military academies. “As the son of a U.S. Marine, it is an honor and a privilege to nominate outstanding young Montanans to compete for an appointment to the United States service academies. All of these students demonstrate outstanding leadership, high moral character, and a commitment to excellence. I wish them the best as they seek to serve our country,” said Daines. A congressional nomination is a critical step in the process for Montanans seeking admission to U.S. military academies. Candidates are considered based on their academic, civic, and athletic abilities, as well as their commitment to community and military service. Click HERE for more information on information on Daines’ student resources. Below is the list of Daines’ principal academy nominations: Ivy Cross, from Sidney, attends Sidney High School. She received the Principal Nomination for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Ava Mallo, from Lavina, attends Lavina High School. She received the Principal Nomination for the U.S. Naval Academy. Isaiah Roush, from Missoula, attends Sentinel High School. He received the Principal Nomination for the U.S. Air Force Academy. Wade Stohlmann, from Bozeman, attends Bozeman Gallatin High School. He received the Principal Nomination for the U.S. Air Force Academy. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/03/daines-bill-to-protect-mothers-traveling-with-breast-milk-signed-into-law-by-president-trump/,Daines’ Bill to Protect Mothers Traveling with Breast Milk Signed into Law by President Trump,2025-12-03,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that his bill, the “BABES Enhancement Act,” has been signed into law by President Trump. The bill makes it easier for parents to travel with breast milk and formula and is a major win for families in Montana and across the nation. “I’m thrilled to see our bipartisan BABES Enhancement Act officially signed into law by President Trump. Being a mom is already a tough job, and this new law will make it easier for mothers to safely transport breast milk and formula while traveling. This is a big win for families, and I’m proud to see it signed into law.” said Daines. Daines’ bipartisan “BABES Enhancement Act” requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to clarify and regularly update guidance on handling breast milk, baby formula and other related breastfeeding products in consultation with leading maternal health groups. The bill will help eliminate risks for mishandled breast milk and breastfeeding supplies as it can become contaminated. Daines introduced the bill with Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) in January 2025- read the release HERE. Specifically, the bill requires TSA to: Issue guidance promoting the hygienic handling of any breast milk, baby formula and other infant nutrition products, as well as accessories required to preserve these products; Consult with nationally recognized maternal health organizations in establishing and communicating this guidance; and Update guidance every five years to respond to emerging needs of parents and to account for developments in technology. Read more of Daines’ work to support life and families HERE and HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/02/daines-applauds-president-trump-hhs-for-supporting-nursing-homes-in-rural-montana/,"Daines Applauds President Trump, HHS for Supporting Nursing Homes in Rural Montana",2025-12-02,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"HHS Overturns Biden-Era “One-Size-Fits All” Staffing Mandate U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today applauded an announcement from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services repealing a Biden-era rule that disproportionately burdened Montana’s rural nursing homes. “Today’s announcement from HHS is a massive win for Montana’s senior citizens, who deserve access to quality long-term care. Biden’s “one-size-fits-all” staffing mandate undermined access to care for patients in our rural communities and more than a dozen Montana nursing homes closed during his administration. I’m grateful to President Trump and his administration for putting the needs of our senior citizens first and for recognizing the workforce challenges that our rural communities face,” said Daines. Background: Daines has fought back against Biden’s mandate since 2023- read the release HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/02/daines-bills-to-increase-funding-for-montanas-rural-communities-gain-broad-support/,Daines’ Bills to Increase Funding for Montana’s Rural Communities Gain Broad Support,2025-12-02,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with State Director Jon Raby of the Nevada State Office Bureau of Land Management in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing about the Small County PILT Parity Act. Daines also discussed the importance of his Restoring State Mineral Revenues Act. Watch the full exchange HERE. Daines on his Small County PILT Parity Act: Daines: I’d like to begin with my bipartisan Small County PILT Parity Act. We have discussed the importance of the PILT program in this committee many times. It’s got strong bipartisan support. I can tell you it’s essential for Montana’s rural counties to be able to provide crucial services such as emergency response as well as public safety. However, the current PILT formula puts counties with a population less than 5,000 at a disadvantage by capping their payments and limiting the revenue streams that they have. The Small County PILT Parity Act, which has previously passed out of this committee with bipartisan support, would rectify this disadvantage. To fix this, the PILT calculation table should be expanded to accommodate population tiers at levels down to 1,000 people or even fewer—and not just stop at 5,000. These counties can and should receive fair compensation without reducing payments to counties with larger populations. When you’re kind of this East Coast-centric world of DC, they look at everything on a per capita basis. You get out west, it’s all about square miles. And so I’ve got some very large counties in terms of geographical area, but very small populations and talk to the folks who are trying to, the road grading teams, the public safety teams, they got a lot of ground to cover, despite the fact they’ve got low population, but massive land masses. So I want to thank Ranking Member Cortez Masto, for co-leading this bill to help bring parity to the PILT program, and thank you to the members of this committee who have cosponsored. Question to have for Mr. Raby: Nevada and Montana both have numerous counties with populations of less than 5,000. Those are the kind of counties I like to go to. You don’t see hardly anybody, and you have a chance to experience amazing parts of, I’ll still call it the real Montana that’s still out there. Do you agree that expanding the PILT table will help support counties with high federal land ownership, but low populations. Raby: Absolutely. Daines: A follow-up question, can you confirm for the committee that the bill does not change the calculations for counties with populations above 5,000, but we are simply expanding the pie, not taking away from larger counties. Raby: Yes, I can confirm that. Daines on his Restoring State Mineral Revenues Act: Daines: Turning to my Restoring State Mineral Revenues Act. Under the Mineral Leasing Act, revenues generated by oil and gas development on federal land are supposed to be split 50/50 between the federal government and the states and counties where the oil and gas is actually developed. But in classic D.C. bureaucracy form, the federal government charges states a 2 percent admin fee on their half of the revenues. This is just a backhanded way to take more money from the states and counties affected most. This bill that I have is simple – It eliminates the two percent fee and returns the revenue sharing to a true 50/50 split. It has strong support from county governments and has passed this committee multiple times in various revenue sharing bills. Now it’s time to get it to the President’s desk and make our counties whole. Mr. Raby, back to you, do you agree that the states and counties where federal oil and gas development occur should receive their fair share of revenue generated within their borders? Raby: I agree 100 percent that should happen. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/12/02/daines-on-fox-business-president-trump-is-taking-the-fight-to-the-narco-terrorists/,Daines on Fox Business: President Trump Is Taking the Fight to the Narco-Terrorists,2025-12-02,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Illegal Drugs Are A Leading Cause of Death for Americans U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Fox Business to discuss how President Trump is fighting back against Venezuelan narcoterrorism. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on President Trump’s strong stand against narcoterrorism: I think it’s really important. As I listen to these reports, just step back and remember why the President has taken this fight to these narco-terrorists. He’s dealing with Maduro, who was an indicted narco-terrorist himself, the leader of Venezuela. We think about the war on drugs affecting the United States of America. 105,000 Americans died in 2023. If you take the sum of the deaths of illegal drugs in the United States for the last seven years alone, it exceeds the casualties that we had in World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. And there’s probably a two and a half trillion-dollar impact on our economy. So, I we think we’re losing sight of the big picture here on why the President is taking this fight to the narco-terrorists. Look, when you’ve got situations of war and you’ve got narco-terrorists, it’s sometimes not always a pretty and clear picture. And I know there’ll be plenty of investigations going on to see what’s going on, what’s happened, but I am thankful that we have a President. And the American people stand with President Trump in taking this fight to the narco-terrorists versus allowing them to take this fight to our shores. Daines on Maduro’s future: I tell you, these narco-terrorists, they only respect one thing and that’s strength. They exploit weakness. In fact, they exploited Joe Biden. Cocaine deaths were up 85 percent under Joe Biden’s watch with Maduro as President of Venezuela and Joe Biden as President of the United States. And so, when he sees the heavy hand of the United States, the threats that President Trump has made, it would not surprise me if he decides to flee the country. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/25/daines-newhouse-call-on-u-s-house-to-pass-their-bill-increasing-american-hydropower/,"Daines, Newhouse Call on U.S. House to Pass Their Bill Increasing American Hydropower",2025-11-25,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) today sent a letter to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Mike Johnson and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise urging swift passage of their “Build More Hydro” bill. Daines’ bill, which passed the U.S. Senate with unanimous consent in July 2025, would extend construction deadlines for critical hydropower projects nationwide and increase American energy production. “We write to you to urge the passage of S.1020 (H.R. 2072), our ‘Build More Hydro’ bill, a bipartisan bill that authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to extend construction deadlines for critical hydropower projects nationwide. On July 9, 2025, S.1020 passed the Senate by unanimous consent and the House received the bill on August 1, 2025, where it remains held at the desk awaiting action. If S. 1020 is not enacted, 37 unconstructed, FERC-licensed hydropower projects across 15 states, representing more than 2.6GW of baseload power and $6.5 billion in investment, are at risk of termination… …Since the introduction of this bill, approximately 100MW of hydropower has been put on hold with an additional 36MW forced into limbo by the end of the year because of congressional inaction. Hydropower supplies baseload electricity to over 30 million homes, provides 96% of utility-scale energy storage, and remains vital to flood control, water storage, irrigation, and grid reliability services… Losing these projects would undermine grid reliability at a time when we can least afford it. Advancing S.1020 before the end of the year is an essential step to protect American energy security, ensure reliable power to communities across the nation and prevent the loss of billions in investment,” Daines and Newhouse wrote in the letter. Read the full letter HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/21/daines-honors-montanan-of-the-month-brigadier-general-dale-stovall/,Daines Honors Montanan of the Month: Brigadier General Dale Stovall,2025-11-21,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE— U.S. Senator Steve Daines recognized Retired Brigadier General Dale Stovall for his courageous actions during the Vietnam War as Montanan of the Month. Through his “Montanan of the Month” initiative, every month Daines highlights a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress. To recommend a Montanan click HERE. The following is a statement submitted to the Congressional Record: TRIBUTE TO BRIGADIER GENERAL DALE STOVALL Mr. Daines, Mr. President, today I have the honor of recognizing Brigadier General (Ret.) Dale Stovall of Missoula as Montanan of the Month for his extraordinary courage, lifetime of military service, and heroic actions that saved the lives of his fellow airmen during the Vietnam War. Earlier this year, Ret. General Stovall traveled to Washington, D.C., where he received well-deserved recognition from President Trump for the daring rescues that he carried out decades ago in Vietnam. His story is one of unwavering bravery, humility, and dedication to his country. During his service as a helicopter pilot in the United States Air Force, then-Captain Stovall flew some of the most dangerous missions of the war, going deep into hostile territory under heavy enemy fire to rescue downed American airmen. One of his most legendary missions was the rescue of fellow airman Roger Locher, a mission so dangerous that Stovall recalled the sky filled with explosions as he maneuvered his helicopter through relentless enemy attacks. Despite the danger, Stovall pressed on. His extraordinary flying skill and refusal to give up saved Locher’s life and many others. Over the course of a single combat tour, he completed 12 rescues behind enemy lines. On each one, he risked his own life so that another American could go home to their family. For these acts of heroism, General Stovall received the Air Force Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and two Silver Stars, making him one of the most highly decorated Air Force Academy graduates in history. But in true Montana fashion, General Stovall is always quick to shift the spotlight away from himself. He reminds us that rescue missions are a team effort of pilots, crew members, and rescuers united under the Jolly Green motto: “That Others May Live.” After Vietnam, Stovall continued to serve our nation with distinction, ultimately retiring as a Brigadier General after 31 years in uniform. His commitment to service, courage under fire, and lifelong dedication to his fellow service members make him a hero of the Vietnam era. General Stovall, you make Montana proud. Your legacy of valor, humility, and service will inspire Montanans for years to come. It is my honor to recognize you as Montanan of the Month. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/19/daines-biden-blms-disregard-for-montanans-shameful/,Daines: Biden BLM’s Disregard for Montanans “Shameful”,2025-11-19,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"“Those closest to the land should not be ignored or rejected” U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Utah Attorney General Derek Brown and Micah Christensen from the Wyoming County Commissioners Association in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing. They discussed the Biden administration’s blatant violations of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the need to ensure state and local governments have a say in the planning process on issues that impact them most. Daines also discussed reliable electricity for Montana’s rural communities and the need to remove undue burdens on electricity providers. Watch the full exchange HERE. Daines: Chairman Lee, Ranking Member Heinrich thank you for holding this timely hearing. Last month, Congress acted to right a wrong and repeal a violation of the multiple-use and public engagement principles enshrined in FLMPA. The Biden BLM’s land use planning process was weaponized to push radical, anti-energy policies in states like Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Alaska, despite significant opposition from the states. Thankfully, Congress acted and passed my bill to repeal the anti-coal Miles City Resource Management Plan Amendment and I look forward to President Trump signing it into law very soon. I want to focus my question on a specific violation of FLPMA in Montana that was prevalent under Biden and that’s the disregard of the views and input of local counties, elected officials and specifically the Governor of the state. The Miles City RMPA was strongly opposed by those living, working, and representing the land affected. Despite this opposition, Biden’s BLM ignored local feedback and pushed forward with this harmful effort. It was so frustrating to see the disconnect between federal bureaucrats here in Washington who had a very strong agenda and local elected officials on the ground in Montana. And during the official Governor’s Consistency Review, after multiple official protests and an appeal from Governor Gianforte, the BLM decided to “reject the Governor’s recommendations.” This is shameful and we need to ensure that the voices of those closest to the land are not ignored or rejected. Attorney General Brown and Mr. Christensen, what actions should Congress take to ensure that local and statewide elected officials, and those most affected by BLM’s actions, do not have their voices shut out of the planning process? Brown: I think one of the things that I think this this body could do is look at meaningful changes to FLPMA such that there’s meaningful involvement. Daines discussed undue burden on electricity providers: Daines: In order for electric utilities and rural co-ops in Montana to provide energy efficiently, we’ve got to get the transmission lines in place, crossing a patchwork of private, state, and federal lands. To protect these power lines and communities from devastating wildfires, electric utilities develop and retain authorized vegetation management plans to cut and remove dangerous trees on public lands. However, they cannot protect and power communities if land management agencies are not responsive or cooperative when utilities are managing their rights-of-way. Recently, Vigilante Electric Co-op from Dillon, Montana, was slapped with a $5 million fine from the Forest Service because a tree outside of their right-of-way caught on fire. Any attempt from Vigilante to remove the tree would have been illegal, yet they were held liable for the fire. In 2018, FLPMA was amended to include a strict liability cap of $500,000 for electric utilities, which expires in 2028. The $5 million Vigilante fine was far beyond the $500,000 limit and one that is near impossible for a small rural electric cooperative to pay. It literally can put them out of business. It’s common sense that no entity should be fined without proven negligence or noncompliance and that the status quo does not provide enough certainty. Mr. Brown, Utah and Montana’s state legislatures have both recently passed legislation to address these liability problems and the undue burden placed on electricity providers. What still needs to be changed at the federal level to replicate the success we’re seeing in our states? Brown: I think having more meaningful involvement with the folks on the ground who recognize the problems involved with the rights-of-ways something that should be addressed. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/19/daines-in-senate-finance-committee-obamacare-is-fundamentally-broken/,Daines in Senate Finance Committee: Obamacare is Fundamentally Broken,2025-11-19,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Brian Blase, President of Paragon Health Institute in a Senate Finance Committee hearing about the failures of Obamacare. Watch the full exchange HERE. Daines on Obamacare’s failures and reforms that are needed: Daines: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this important and timely hearing on the rising cost of health care for Americans. At the center of this discussion is the future of the expiring Obamacare COVID subsidies. It is important to note that Democrats established these enhanced subsidies on a temporary and partisan basis during the pandemic under President Biden and elected to have them expire at the end of this year. I remember distinctly going back in time to when Obamacare passed- President Obama said Obamacare was going to lower premiums by $2,500 a year. And we’ve seen certainly a cause and effect. We’ve put in place Obamacare and now we’ve seen health care, about 7 percent of the American people receive their health insurance in that way, becoming completely unaffordable. Basically, we predicted that and sadly it’s coming to fruition. The current situation is entirely of the Democrats’ own making, and Republicans should not perpetuate the mistakes that accelerated Obamacare’s failures. Debate over the temporary COVID subsidies reveals a core underlying reality: More than a decade after its implementation, Obamacare remains unaffordable, fundamentally broken, and increasingly reliant on massive recurring taxpayer bailouts. The expiring pandemic subsidies bear little responsibility in the twenty percent average premium increase in nongroup Obamacare plans for 2026, but do bear responsibility for distorting the market, increasing fraud and abuse, making Obamacare more dependent on taxpayers, raising health care costs over the long-term, and worsening our budget deficit. In fact, making the enhanced subsidies permanent would cost taxpayers nearly $400 billion, amounting to a massive transfer of taxpayer dollars to insurance companies. I believe any path forward on this issue requires reforms to address the root causes of why? Why does Obamacare perpetuate high costs and instability, as well as the substantial growth in improper enrollment, fraud, and wasteful spending. In addition to permanent structural reforms to Obamacare, any path forward should expand access to and unleash free market, patient-centered solutions President Trump championed during his first term to provide lower costs, more control, and better care for individuals. I think both sides should agree we need that, and we need it badly. Obamacare also represented a substantial departure from the Hyde Amendment’s prohibition on taxpayer funding of elective abortion. It is imperative any reforms explicitly restore the longstanding consensus that taxpayer dollars should not subsidize and facilitate health plans that cover elective abortions. Mr. Blase, as you noted in your testimony, Obamacare has worsened the quality of individual market health insurance, substantially raised premiums and deductibles, and cost taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. In your view, what structural reforms to Obamacare would lower premium costs and reduce inflationary pressures? Blase: I agree with your view that there are deep structural problems in Obamacare. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/10/icymi-washington-examiner-steve-daines-carves-out-shuttle-diplomacy-lane-as-asia-expert-for-trump/,ICYMI: Washington Examiner: Steve Daines carves out shuttle diplomacy lane as Asia expert for Trump,2025-11-10,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines spoke with the Washington Examiner about the future of U.S. relationships with Central Asia. Read the highlights below. Steve Daines carves out shuttle diplomacy lane as Asia expert for Trump Washington Examiner David Sivak November 10th, 2025 Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) is reprising his role as one of President Donald Trump’s top Senate allies on foreign policy, lending his experience in Asia for a flurry of diplomatic outreach. In an interview from his Senate office, Daines said he would be leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to China next spring, for what would be his second trip since Trump returned to the White House in January. He made his first in March, weeks after Trump imposed fresh tariffs on Beijing. Daines is making the trips in his capacity as a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee, and his travel to the region predates Trump’s second term. Last year, Daines shuttled to Central Asia twice to build trade relations with the region’s leaders. But Daines, a pro-Trump Republican, has also made a point to work hand in hand with the new administration and has been part of its early diplomatic breakthroughs. In May, he visited the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan with members of Trump’s team, ultimately helping to broker a peace agreement that ended decades of conflict. … “When I take these trips, I want to do my best to remain aligned with their objectives,” Daines said of the administration. “I realize I’m in the Senate. That’s Article One. The presidency is Article Two. But we’re on the same team. We want to make sure we’re complementing one another’s efforts.” This past week, that coordination landed Daines at the table with Trump and the Central Asian leaders he visited in 2024. They were invited to the White House to celebrate 10 years of improved diplomatic relations with the United States, and Daines was tapped as one of the keynote speakers for their business summit. In the Senate, Daines complemented that milestone with a bill to repeal Soviet-era trade restrictions on Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and other Central Asian countries, a push he says has been received positively by the administration. “I flagged this for Secretary Rubio and the administration to get their support, and they’re out front now saying, ‘Let’s get this done,’ which is great,” said Daines, adding that Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), the Foreign Relations Committee chairman, has also been a “great partner” on the legislation. “So, I think we’ve got a clear shot here to actually get this done sooner versus later.” … Daines’s travel to Asia comes at a critical moment for Far East relations. Not only is Trump trying to extract meaningful concessions from President Xi Jinping with his tariff agenda, but the White House’s efforts in Central Asia reflect an attempt to diminish Chinese and Russian influence in the region. In particular, the administration sees the peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, signed in August, as unlocking a “road” to Central Asia and its vast reserves of critical minerals and natural gas. “Basically, the Russians have had their way and have had a huge influence in the region. And, of course, the Chinese have growing influence in the region, and the U.S. has, in many ways, just been absent in this,” said Daines. “I was the first U.S. senator to get into, for example, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan in 13 years,” Daines added. “So, there’s really been a significant lack of engagement by U.S. senators in this very strategic part of the world.” …Daines’s alignment with Trump goes beyond the foreign policy space. As chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee last cycle, he is credited with helping keep Trump and Senate leadership on the same page in 2024, when Republicans picked up four seats and retook the majority. He was the first member of that leadership team to endorse Trump’s comeback bid for the White House. Read the full article HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/07/daines-on-fox-business-schumers-plan-is-nonsense/,Daines on Fox Business: Schumer’s Plan is Nonsense,2025-11-07,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"“Democrats Are Shutting Down the Entire Government Because of Subsidies That Were Always Meant to Expire” U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Fox Business to discuss how Chuck Schumer is using Obamacare as political leverage to hold the government hostage. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on how Schumer is using Obamacare to hold the government hostage: We want the shutdown to end immediately. It should’ve ended weeks ago. You look at the Fox charts at the moment- they are showing flights delayed, flights cancelled. This is only going to get worse. Secretary Duffy is having to take extraordinary action to protect the flying public. You saw what Schumer just offered on the floor- it’s nonsense. It’s a nonstarter. Let me just step back for a moment and define the problem. Obamacare premiums have gone up 220 percent since it was implemented in 2014. Remember Barack Obama said Obamacare is going to lower health care costs by $2,500. That was the promise. It’s up 221 percent. These now-subsidies that were put in place temporarily by the Democrats during COVID are set to expire. They were never meant to be permanent. What Chuck Schumer’s asking is to now extend these temporary subsidies that are paid to Americans for like a family of two that make over $100,000 a year. But where do these subsidies go? They go directly to the insurance companies. So, it’s doing nothing to address the issue of the unaffordability of Obamacare and health care. Their stock prices, Larry, if you look at the major health care insurance companies over that same period of time, going back to 2014, are up 500 percent to over 1,000 percent. So, the insurance companies are making out like bandits, while the American people are feeling the pain of Obamacare. And remember, when you think about how many Americans receive Obamacare, it’s seven percent. So, 93 percent of the American people receive their health care through Medicare, through Medicaid, through private health care. It’s seven percent that receive it through Obamacare. And it’s a much smaller subset of that seven percent that actually get this subsidy paid to the insurance company, not even to the consumer. And so, the Democrats, bottom line, are shutting down the entire government, disrupting air travel, not paying the troops, because of these subsidies that were always meant to expire. That’s the fight. So, what did Chuck Schumer just do? He says, let’s extend them another year. We’re not going to do that without significant reforms at best. Twenty percent of these subsidies are fraudulent. This is a terrible, $50 billion a year fraudulent subsidy program that we have got to stop or dramatically reform. We’re not going to let Chuck Schumer extend another year. That’s what he proposed here about an hour ago, and its nonsense. Daines on how the shutdown could end: We’ve given the Democrats now 14 or15 times the opportunity to have a vote for what they call a clean CR [continuing resolution]. And by the way, they voted for a clean CR 11 times when Joe Biden was President. But now that President Trump is in charge, they vote against it. Chuck Schumer voted for it back in March and nearly had his head handed to him, politically speaking, and so he’s got to show this fight to save his political career with AOC and so forth in New York. This is political gamesmanship, and sadly, the American people are suffering. We’re suffering in many, many ways. It’s got to stop. So how do we get out of this mess? We’ve got to first agree, like we’ve always done in Washington for a long time, for many, many years, on a short-term extension of the CR. Now, November 21st is not enough time. Punt it out to January. By the way, we have serious discussions with a handful of Democrats. Let’s call them the Common Sense Caucus. They want to end this thing as bad as we want to end it. They are willing to push back against Chuck Schumer’s iron fist and do the right thing for this nation. I’m hoping, Larry, that this weekend there’ll be time for the temperature to come down and that by perhaps next week we could get something accomplished here, having a handful of Democrats join us, do the right thing, buy the time needed to do the negotiations for these final spending bills. That’s the right answer, Larry. That’s what we’ve always done here in Washington, and they’re not agreeing to that because of Chuck Schumer’s iron fist. Daines on federal employees who aren’t getting paid: Ron Johnson has a bill on the floor that simply says this, let’s pay the federal employees, giving their back pay to the first of November. Air traffic controllers, anybody else who is going to work every day in the federal government and not getting a paycheck. Let’s just pay them for now and not have them suffer, not be able to make the rent payments, pay for their groceries. I’ll tell you what, we’re going to test the Democrats to see if they’ll at least do that to take care of these civil servants who are serving us every day. I’ll bet you that they will vote against this, which just shows you again, frankly, the bad state of mind they’re at the moment and why they’re yielding to Schumer’s political gainsmanship doing the right thing instead of the right thing for the American people. Daines on withholding his paycheck during the shutdown: It’s terrible. Many of us, including myself, have just asked to withhold our paychecks. So, I’m in that camp. So, I ask them to do that. You know when I walk by the Capitol Police who protect us here every day, every morning, they got smiles on their face, they’re doing their jobs. They’re not getting paid right now. And I think it’s important that we stand at least in solidarity and say even though you’re right, legally we do get paid, that’s wrong. We should tell them to hold. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/07/daines-on-fox-news-democrats-should-stop-holding-the-american-people-hostage-and-open-the-government/,Daines on Fox News: Democrats Should Stop Holding the American People Hostage and Open the Government,2025-11-07,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Fox News America Reports to discuss the ongoing government shutdown and a path forward. Daines on the historic obstruction caused by Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats: Well, look, we’ve offered this clean CR. We need to extend it now beyond November 21st because we’ve been shut down now for 38 days. We’re kicking out [the CR] probably to January sometime to give us enough time to do the appropriations of spending bills. We also want to put in maybe three appropriation bills as part of this package here, bipartisan bills. But sadly, I have never seen something like this. This is new territory for us. Unprecedented obstruction. We saw that on the nominations earlier this year. Now it’s on fundamentally funding the government. Daines on the Democrats blocking pay for federal workers: If you saw what just happened minutes ago, Senator Ron Johnson went down and offered by unanimous consent to basically pay all the federal employees up until the first of November. Give them their back pay so they can pay their rent, pay for their groceries. Democrats objected to it. Leader Thune may put it on the floor his afternoon and dare Democrats to go on a roll call vote to not pay employees right now who deserve their paychecks. It’s playing hardball right now. It needs to happen. Daines on the possibility of ending the filibuster: I don’t disagree with the President’s argument. I was with him last night. It’s very persuasive because if you look at the history, what happened in the last Congress, it was just two Democrats that saved the filibuster. It was Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. They are no longer in the Senate. As soon as Democrats take control, they will nuke the filibuster. That is a foregone conclusion. The problem we have is that we have probably 10-15 Republican Senators who feel strongly about protecting the institution and they are hard noes. They are virtually immovable on this issue and so it’s best we’re going to find a different path forward to resolve this crisis. Daines on whether Republicans will take the Democrats’ deal and extend ACA subsides: No, we’re not going to do that. Look, we’ve said, open up the government, get it opened up. If you look at the history of shutdowns they have had before, you never reward shutting down the government. You don’t reward this behavior. Open up the government. This is a complicated issue that needs to be solved through the bipartisan negotiations. So, I agree with Chuck Schumer when he said, we’ve got to form a bipartisan group to figure out ways to lower health care costs. Extending these subsidies does nothing to lower health care costs. It only continues to increase it. These subsidies are paid directly to the insurance companies. Twenty percent of these subsidies are fraudulent. We cannot perpetuate that. It will not fundamentally change the trajectory of health care costs. That’s the issue. These subsidies only continue to increase health care costs. These subsidies go to insurance companies. We have an appetite to sit down and put the reforms in that are needed. They’ll actually lower health care costs. Remember, Obamacare is up nearly 100 percent since it passed back in 2014. Barack Obama said it’s going to decrease health care costs, 25 percent. They’re actually up 100 percent and private insurance costs have risen much, much less than Obamacare. So, this just continues to advance a terrible system that’s not affordable for the American people. Daines on how to end the government shutdown: What we can do is extend the CR. We’d have to punt it out to at least next January. And commit to the part that Chuck Schumer did say we’d agree to is to set up a structure of bipartisan negotiations to actually reduce health care costs, making health care affordable. But not until we go to the government open back up again. That’s going to take some time, thoughtful deliberation, but we’ve got to solve this problem. You can’t shut the government down to use as leverage here to try to get this outcome. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/07/icymi-belgrade-news-daines-hopes-federal-shutdown-could-end-soon-as-flight-delays-surge-major-cancellations-loom/,"ICYMI: Belgrade News: Daines hopes federal shutdown could end soon as flight delays surge, major cancellations loom",2025-11-07,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines spoke with Belgrade News about the consequences of the Schumer Shutdown. Read highlights from the story below. Daines hopes federal shutdown could end soon as flight delays surge, major cancellations loom Belgrade News Mike Sunnucks November 6th, 2025 U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, is hopeful the record-long federal government shutdown could end “within the next few days.” Daines said there have been discussions with Democratic senators about bringing the shutdown, which began Oct. 1, to an end. Daines said five to 10 Democrats are part of those shutdown discussions. Senate Republicans need five Democrats to vote for federal spending measures that will reopen the government… …The U.S. government has been shutdown since Oct. 1, and reached its 37th day Thursday. The shutdown is the longest in U.S. history. Democrats want the GOP and the Trump administration to address rising health insurance premiums under Affordable Care Act/Obamacare. …Daines criticized Democrats for shutting down the government over the issue. He said Obamacare costs were promised to help lower health care costs by as much as 25%. Instead, Daines said Obamacare costs have gone up 100% since its inception in 2014. The Republican said approximately 7% of the U.S. population is on Obamacare and that the premium subsidies were approved during the COVID-19 pandemic and meant to be temporary. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 24.3 million Americans are enrolled in ACA health insurance programs. That’s 7.1% of the U.S. population. …The shutdown has closed many federal offices, left government workers without paychecks and has disrupted SNAP (food stamps) payments. Federal home heating oil assistance for need households could also feel the shutdown’s sting. The Trump administration said flights would be reduced as much as 10% at 40 airports nationally because of the shutdown and air traffic controller staffing issues. That could nix as many as 4,000 flights daily across the country. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said reductions could start Friday. Air traffic controllers and other ‘essential’ government workers are still on the job but are not getting paid. That’s resulting in a number of callouts. Already there was a big uptick of flight delays and cancellations at U.S. airports Thursday. FlightAware.com (which tracks air traffic) reported more than 3,300 flight delays across the U.S. Thursday. Daines said it’s Democrats who are responsible for the shutdown strains. He expects senators to stay in Washington for a potential deal. “We will be here until this gets resolved,” Daines said, hopeful of a Democratic “jailbreak” from party leaders to end the shutdown. Read the full article HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/06/daines-emphasizes-strong-partnership-between-u-s-and-central-asia-at-c51-conference/,Daines Emphasizes Strong Partnership Between U.S. and Central Asia at C5+1 Conference,2025-11-06,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today attended the C5+1 Tenth Anniversary Business Conference in Washington, D.C., where he delivered opening and closing remarks. Over the past 20 months, Daines has travelled to all five Central Asian countries and met with their presidents. Yesterday, Daines introduced a bill to end the outdated Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions that impact the region- read more HERE. Read Daines’ closing remarks as prepared for delivery below. There are few parts of the world that offer the opportunity that Central Asia does. Closer ties between our nations can bring greater economic opportunity to millions of people and secure some of the West’s most vulnerable supply chains. Building a closer relationship between our countries is not simply desirable but is a strategic imperative for the United States. The Trump administration has made these relationships a priority; the new Special Envoy for Central Asia position in addition to the C5+1 vehicle, the concurrent Critical Minerals Dialogue, U.S. industry trade missions, and other diplomatic and commercial avenues provide the necessary forums through which the United States and Central Asia can build the capacity and trust necessary for long term cooperation. Collaborative resource and infrastructure development will be the bedrock of Central Asia’s future economy. Earlier this week, the Senate passed my resolution honoring the anniversary of this diplomatic platform with unanimous bipartisan support, demonstrating Congress’ commitment to these relationships. But the job is not done. There is still much that can be done to facilitate closer connections between our countries. I am working with bipartisan partners in Congress to repeal the outdated Soviet era Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions through legislation introduced in both the House and Senate this week. It is long past time we relegate these outdated restrictions to the ash heap of history and bring our relationships into the 21st century. Central Asia is endowed with rich natural resources. Collectively, the five nations represent over 31 billion barrels of oil reserves, 250 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, and over 40% of global uranium production. As we look to a new day for Europe, one wherein the continent is not dependent on a bellicose adversary for energy supplies, Central Asian nations can be the partners of the future; providing consistent flows of resources necessary for baseload power without the concern that those energy imports will be weaponized. Even three years after the invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. is still importing uranium from Russia despite profound national security implications. Central Asian partners can instead offer a more reliable source of the element necessary to the development of artificial intelligence, data centers, and other energy-intensive industries. In addition to energy resources, Central Asia holds impressive deposits of almost every critical mineral necessary for technological innovation. From antimony, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium, aluminum, and zinc, to one of the world’s largest rare earth deposits, the region contains enough primary building blocks for advanced technology to offset many of the United States’ current supply chain vulnerabilities and ensure our technological development is free of foreign coercion. This is not to say that resource extraction is the sum total of our relationship; but instead, it is a vehicle for our nations to strengthen existing relationships. Collaborative investment creates a tide that will lift all boats; building more vibrant economies and better opportunity for the citizens of Central Asia and ensuring a steady supply of the inputs that power the West’s economy. There is no reason successful development cannot lead to increased engagement in Central Asian nations as the partners and markets of the future, making advancements across the agricultural, technological, financial, and energy sectors. American capital comes from reliable partners who are actively invested in a project’s successful completion without complex political prerogatives or expectations. Increased public-private partnership through the Development Finance Corporation and other investment vehicles will harmonize private interests with shared national security and development prerogatives, bringing the two missions parallel into one holistic strategy. Major developments within the wider region also offer promise for long-term investment prospects. Following the successful conclusion of the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace deal signed in August, Central Asia’s resources for the first time will have a westward trade route. The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity and its associated infrastructure will finally unite Central Asia with Western markets and allow sustained, long-term investment. The long theorized Middle Corridor is well and truly underway; Brezinski’s dream of uncorking Central Asia’s riches through the South Caucasus is coming to fruition. A region long beset by destructive rivalry fomented by the Soviet Union and subsequently Russia has collectively decided to march forward toward a future defined by increased partnership and economic cooperation. Under Soviet rule and later Russian influence, the Central Asian countries were discouraged from fulfilling their nation’s potential; powerful southern neighbors did not serve Russia’s interests. Russia still feels similarly about developing the region but is too occupied with Ukraine to meddle along its southern flank and has lost its ability to deny those nations their future. Putin’s war has opened the door for a more reliable partner in the United States to engage the Eurasian heartland, one that can provide reliable, stable foreign investment without complex political prerogatives. Other nations offer attractive investment to Central Asia but are missing the cornerstone of U.S. investment. The U.S.’ most valuable asset is trust; I believe it was Secretary Colin Powell who said that in all the wars it has fought, the only land the United States has ever asked for is land to bury our dead. America’s track record as a trusted partner for peace and prosperity is something only our nation can offer. We may take our time in arriving, but once we are there, we are truly invested in mutually beneficial investment and follow through on our commitments. This year’s tenth iteration of the C5+1 will hopefully facilitate further joint development of natural resources, increased foreign direct investment, and greater high-level contact between our countries. A region submerged between Russia, China, and Iran has chosen to forge an independent path dominated by none of their neighbors but instead defined by regional consensus and multilateral diplomacy as well as international partnership. Central Asia will no longer be denied its future or its birthright, and America’s pivot towards the region is already well underway. I look forward to working with President Trump, Secretary Rubio, and everyone in this room to build on the successes we have already had and to create a brighter future for all the people we serve and represent. … Thank you all very much. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/06/daines-on-fox-business-time-to-go-on-offense-against-narco-terrorists-as-well-as-end-the-government-shutdown/,Daines on Fox Business: Time to Go on Offense Against Narco-Terrorists as Well as End the Government Shutdown,2025-11-06,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Fox Business to discuss President Trump’s ongoing action against narco-terrorists. Daines also spoke about the ongoing shutdown and what it will take to reopen the government. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on President Trump’s aggressive action against narco-terrorists: Remember the problem that we face in this country. About 25,000 Americans die from cocaine deaths alone [every year], and that probably underestimates the other crime and murders going on because of cartels and drugs. Talk to members of local law enforcement around the country. They will tell you it’s drugs that are driving most of the violent crime in this country. Remember, under Joe Biden’s watch, cocaine deaths in this country rose 85 percent. And let’s not forget that President Maduro has been indicted by the Department of Justice as a narco-terrorist. If you think about how to win a fight, how to win a war, you can’t do it simply by playing defense. You’ve got to play offense. And I applaud President Trump’s aggressive actions, taking out these boats, taking out these narco-terrorists. That is protecting our country and saving lives. Daines on America’s renewed strength under President Trump: President Trump inherited terrible policies and outcomes coming from President Biden, and [President Trump] is back on the offense. You’ve got to come back to why is the United States respected again? It’s because of President Trump. It is truly about the strength that President Trump projects, both in terms of who he is as a leader, as well as using the U.S. military, whether it’s economic force, whether it’s military force. America is back again, and we’ll be safer because of it. Daines on the government shutdown and what it will take to end it: Well, it’s not about Schumer now. It’s about five to 10 more moderate commonsense Democrats who will break from Chuck Schumer. We’ve seen cracks developing now amongst the Democrat senators. I’m grateful for those maybe five to ten brave Democrats who will join us to stop this nonsense. But we always knew they were going to have to push this probably through that No Kings rally, through the election on Tuesday, you know, these purple states, blue states, certainly of Virginia, New Jersey, and then the New York mayor race. And then they want to set the record. So, yep, they got the record. Yesterday was day 36. That breaks the all-time record. Give them a gold medal for the longest shutdown in American history of the government. Now it’s time to talk common sense. We’ve got to put these Senate Democrats in a witness protection program right now because the far-left will absolutely vilify them for deciding to work with us to open the government back up. And look, as Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said, we’re going to see a 10 percent reduction in air traffic starting tomorrow. It is time to stop the nonsense and open things back up. I’m cautiously optimistic right now that common sense will prevail, and we’ll get this thing opened up sooner versus later. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/05/daines-resolution-recognizing-ten-years-of-enhanced-relationships-with-central-asia-passes-u-s-senate/,Daines Resolution Recognizing Ten Years of Enhanced Relationships with Central Asia Passes U.S. Senate,2025-11-05,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced his resolution honoring the ten-year anniversary of enhanced cooperation between the United States and Central Asia passed the U.S. Senate last evening. Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Dave McCormick (R- Pa.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) are cosponsors of the resolution. “Central Asia is a strategically critical region, and since the launch of the C5+1 in 2015, we’ve made substantial progress in deepening the relationships between America and the five Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. I’ve travelled to all five Central Asian countries and have a deep appreciation for our mutual goals, including increased trade and national security. I’m proud that my resolution commemorating ten years of C5+1 passed the U.S. Senate and look forward to the continuation of our partnerships,” said Daines. Read the resolution HERE. Read more about the C5+1 HERE. Daines has travelled to all five Central Asian countries- read more on his work HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/05/daines-risch-murphy-shaheen-introduce-bill-to-increase-american-prosperity-repeal-outdated-jackson-vanik-trade-restrictions/,"Daines, Risch, Murphy, Shaheen Introduce Bill to Increase American Prosperity, Repeal Outdated Jackson-Vanik Trade Restrictions",2025-11-05,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), member of the Senate Committees on Finance and Foreign Relations, and Chris Murphy (D-Conn) introduced a bill to repeal the outdated Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions. Foreign Relations Committee leaders, Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) as well as Representatives Carol Miller (WV-01) and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) joined in introducing the legislation. “Central Asia is rich in natural resources and is a strategically critical region for the U.S. Unfortunately, Central Asia is still subject to outdated, Cold War-era trade restrictions that prevent any permanent investment and hinder American trade and prosperity. It’s past time that we get rid of these outdated restrictions and I’m proud to work with my colleagues on a bill that will repeal Jackson-Vanik and unleash the full potential of American relationships with Central Asia,” said Daines. “What was once a useful tool to coerce the Soviet Union into improving its treatment of Soviet Jews and minority groups, today the Jackson-Vanik amendment is an outdated policy that is holding back our partnerships with important countries in Central Asia. This bipartisan legislation is an opportunity to redefine our relationship with the region and advance America’s economic and national security interests,” said Murphy. “As a volatile Russia and an increasingly aggressive China pursue their own interests across the globe, the U.S. offers Central Asian nations the opportunity to work with an equal partner. Removing outdated Jackson-Vanik restrictions on our partners will pave the way for a new era of economic cooperation in Central Asia. I am proud to introduce this bill in support for President Trump’s efforts to build a secure and prosperous future for the U.S. and our C5+1 partners,” said Risch. “America’s partnerships with the strategically vital economies of Central Asia are strong and growing, but we also must incentivize long-term U.S. investments as China and Russia continue to pursue malign tactics and predatory programs. That is why I am proud to cosponsor this bipartisan bill to terminate trade restrictions that have long hindered America’s engagement in this region. I look forward to helping unlock the full potential of our collaboration with Central Asia,” said Shaheen. “It is essential we strengthen America’s trade relationships with Central Asian countries to ensure that all of our nations can thrive economically. The Jackson-Vanik Amendment is a relic of the Cold War that hinders our growing partnerships in the region. Granting Central Asian allies Permanent Normal Trade Relations reaffirms our commitment to building lasting economic agreements grounded in shared prosperity and a collective vision for a more stable and interconnected global economy. I look forward to continuing these conversations with President Trump and my colleagues in Congress,”said Miller. “The Jackson-Vanik Amendment is an antiquated law that no longer applies to many countries, like Kazakhstan, that could be key to America’s economic and strategic interests in Central Asia. By rolling back this outdated policy, we could modernize our trade practices, promote greater economic cooperation, increase investment opportunities, and strengthen our relationships in the region. It’s long past time we got rid of Jackson-Vanik and brought U.S. trade partnerships in Central Asia into the 21st century,” said Panetta. Background: Jackson-Vanik is a set of trade restrictions included in the 1974 Trade Act which denies unconditional normal trade relations to certain countries that had non-market economies and that restricted emigration rights. Senator Daines has long been a proponent of repealing the Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions. He has spoken numerous times in Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings about the issue- read more HERE. Daines travelled to all five Central Asian countries- read more HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/11/05/icymi-western-montana-news-major-flight-delays-coming-as-shutdown-sets-historic-record/,ICYMI: Western Montana News: Major Flight Delays Coming as Shutdown Sets Historic Record,2025-11-05,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines spoke with Western Montana News about the consequences of the Schumer Shutdown. Read highlights from the story below. Daines: Major Flight Delays Coming as Shutdown Sets Historic Record Western Montana News Roy McKenzie November 4th, 2025 Senator Steve Daines warned Tuesday that major airline disruptions are imminent as what he calls the “Schumer Shutdown” reached day 35, setting up to break the all-time record for longest closure in American history. Speaking exclusively with Western Montana News hours after Democrats blocked the 14th attempt to reopen the government, Daines said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is warning of significant flight delays starting next week. “Secretary Duffy, the Secretary of Transportation, is warning today there are going to be major flight delays starting next week,” Daines said. “We’re already starting to see delays in major airports, but this is going to continue to cascade and have a domino effect, and we’re going to see significant disruptions for the flying public next week.” …During the Tuesday afternoon interview, Daines confirmed the vote count had just increased from 13 to 14 blocked attempts by Senate Democrats. “We just moved from 13 attempts to actually 14 a few hours ago. We put the same bill on the floor, and they once again blocked it,” Daines said. “Keep in mind, this is the exact same clean CR that Democrats voted for when Biden was president.” The Montana Republican suggested Democrats strategically wanted to maintain the shutdown past Tuesday’s major elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City to motivate their base. “We knew they wanted to keep the government shutdown pass today, because you have big elections in Virginia and New Jersey for governor, and then, of course, that big mayor race in New York City, and they want to keep their far left base ginned up and motivated to turnout and vote,” Daines said. Wednesday will mark day 36 of the shutdown, officially setting the record for longest government closure in American history, surpassing the 35-day shutdown that occurred during Trump’s first term. “Every day this shutdown drags on, it only gets worse for many Montana families,” Daines said. “It’s insanity that this shutdown has dragged out into November, ahead of the holiday season.” The senator placed responsibility squarely on Senate Democrats: “You can’t shut the government down and use that as a hostage or leverage when you don’t like a particular outcome or policy from an administration.” Read the full article HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/31/daines-honors-montanans-of-the-month-the-montana-army-national-guard-aviation-crews/,Daines Honors Montanans of the Month: The Montana Army National Guard Aviation Crews,2025-10-31,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE— U.S. Senator Steve Daines recognized Montana’s Army National Guard aviation crews for their selfless and heroic service during a series of life-saving rescue missions. Through his “Montanan of the Month” initiative, every month Daines highlights a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress. To recommend a Montanan click HERE. The following is a statement submitted to the Congressional Record: TRIBUTE TO THE MONTANA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD AVIATION CREWS Mr. Daines, Mr. President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing the Montana Army National Guard (MTARNG) Aviation Crews as “Montanans of the Month” for their extraordinary courage and dedication during a series of life-saving rescue missions across our state. In the rugged backcountry of Montana, where steep cliffs, high altitudes, and unpredictable weather can turn a simple hike into a life-threatening situation, these Guardsmen stand ready, day or night, to answer the call. Their professionalism and heroism exemplify the very best of our citizen soldiers. On August 9, 2025, the Helena-based aviation team responded to a rescue near Zortman after a person fell over a cliff and suffered serious injuries. With limited visibility from wildfire smoke and nightfall plus the added challenge of a sheer rock face and heavy timber, the crew conducted a highly technical nighttime rescue. Thanks to their precision and teamwork, the injured individual was safely hoisted and flown to Billings for medical care. Recognized Crew: CPT Otis Smith (Pilot-in-Command), CW3 Tom Kinyon (Co-Pilot), SGT Ian Montgomery (Crew Chief), SSG Anthony Wright (Crew Chief), and SGT Randy Scales (Flight Paramedic). Only a week later, on August 17, 2025, another MTARNG aircrew from Billings sprang into action when three hypothermic hikers became stranded in the Beartooth Mountains. With ground rescue teams unable to reach the group safely, the MTARNG crew braved freezing temperatures and rough terrain to extract the hikers and deliver them to Columbus for emergency treatment. Recognized Crew: CW3 Zach Lundgren (Pilot-in-Command), CW2 Cameron Olson (Co-Pilot), SGT Justin Asher (Crew Chief), SPC Patrick Northrup (Flight Paramedic), and Rob Gersbach from the Billings Fire Department (Flight Paramedic). Their month of service didn’t end there. Between August 24–26, 2025, MTARNG crews from both Billings and Helena joined a multi-agency search for a missing 71-year-old hiker in the Beartooth Mountains. After the hiker was located by an Air Force helicopter from Malmstrom Air Force Base, the MTARNG team from Helena performed a high-altitude hoist rescue, successfully recovering both the hiker and the Air Force flight doctor who had stayed with him overnight in the mountains. Their teamwork and coordination with the Air Force and local responders ensured a safe end to a dangerous mission. Recognized Crew: CW3 Brett Normandeau (Pilot-in-Command), CW3 Pat Rickar (Co-Pilot), SPC Sydney Stephenson (Crew Chief), and SPC Zach Blank (Crew Chief). Each of these operations demanded split-second decision-making, advanced flight skill, and immense courage. Even through flying in wildfire smoke, over jagged terrain, or in the dead of night, these crews embody the Montana spirit of bravery, selflessness, and a steadfast commitment to saving lives. To the men and women of the Montana Army National Guard aviation teams: thank you for your service to our state and your unwavering dedication to the people of Montana. Your courage in the face of danger makes us proud to call you fellow Montanans. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/31/daines-joins-kbzk-in-studio-for-halloween-special-segment/,Daines Joins KBZK In-Studio For Halloween Special Segment,2025-10-31,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined KBZK in studio for a special Halloween segment and gave the latest updates on the Schumer Shutdown. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on the Schumer Shutdown: This will be the longest shutdown in American history. It looks like the Democrats want to keep it shut down into the next week. There’s a big election on Tuesday in New York for that mayor race, there’s a New Jersey governor’s race. There’s Virginia’s governor’s race. We’re told they’re going to keep it shut down at least through Tuesday because they want to stir up their folks to get out and vote, unfortunately, because there’s real people getting hurt. As you mentioned here earlier in the news stories, 77,000 Montanans loose their SNAP benefits starting this weekend. It’s about 40 million Americans lose their SNAP benefits. So, this is should not be about political gamesmanship. This should be about coming back together again. And I’m cautiously hopeful that because of some talks that just began yesterday, maybe we’ll get a handful of Democrats to join us. We need five democrats to join us. The democrats have voted against a clean CR, that means temporary funding bill, 14 times. [A clean CR is] something they did 11 times when Joe Biden was President. I think they’re angry with President Trump. Don’t express that anger by shutting the government down. Let’s get deal done and move forward…we’re going to see air traffic delays. Our troops aren’t going to be getting paid. Your TSA agents, air traffic controllers. This is political gamesmanship. It shouldn’t happen. Don’t take the government hostage as part of the negotiations here to try and get an outcome because you’re upset about the elections last year. Daines explained his Halloween Bobcats Jersey: Good to be back in my hometown. Happy Halloween- go Cats! 41 is the legacy uniform of the Bobcats. We [Montana] were the 41st state admitted to the union. In fact, our birthday’s coming up- November 8th. The 136th year, since 1889. every year the Cats assign a Montanan who gets to wear this jersey and Paul Brott, of Billings West High, defensive end is it wearing this year. So, I thought it would be the right jersey to wear. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/31/daines-tours-msus-state-of-the-art-quantum-research-facility/,Daines Tours MSU’s State-Of-The-Art Quantum Research Facility,2025-10-31,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today met with Montana State University President Brock Tessman and toured MSU’s new state of the art quantum research facility. “It’s a blast to be back at my alma mater, MSU, on Halloween, and see all the great additions made to the university. Quantum research is at the forefront of today’s technological advancements and supports hundreds of Montana jobs. This quantum research facility at MSU will help our students learn critical skills for the workforce and helps contribute to America’s position as a global leader in technology, and I was glad to visit,” said Daines. Background: Daines is a leader in supporting quantum research, both in Montana and across the nation. In February 2025 he introduced the DOE Quantum Leadership Act to authorize more than $2.5 billion for quantum research at the U.S. Department of Energy- read more HERE. In June 2025 he introduced and the Senate unanimously passed his resolution celebrating 100 years of American quantum innovation-read more HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/30/daines-on-newsmax-theres-nothing-more-made-in-america-than-cattle/,Daines on Newsmax: There’s Nothing More Made-In-America Than Cattle,2025-10-30,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Newsmax to discuss supporting America’s farmers and ranchers. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines: There’s nothing more Made-in-America than cattle. You think about our heritage, the cowboys of our country…there’s nobody who gets up earlier in the morning to start their day than our cow-calf producers. I literally start getting phone calls and text messages starting at about 5 a.m. Montana time, Montana time. [That’s] 7 a.m. here in Washington, D.C., because they’re up early, they go to bed late. They’ve had a period of drought. We’ve had five to 10 years of drought in farm and ranch country. It’s severely depressed prices. These ranchers were concerned they couldn’t make their payments on their loans for their land and for their equipment. Equipment prices have soared, particularly after COVID. They’re feeling the impact sometimes of tariffs on equipment coming in the United States. And so we recommend the administration to remember, these cowboys and these cowgirls are the strongest Trump supporters there are. They’ve been with him since the beginning of time. Let the markets recover. Don’t flood the market with imported beef. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/29/daines-calls-for-expanded-market-access-for-montana-beef-producers-in-senate-finance-committee-hearing/,Daines Calls for Expanded Market Access for Montana Beef Producers in Senate Finance Committee Hearing,2025-10-29,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Julie Callahan, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Agricultural Affairs and Commodity Policy, in a Senate Finance Committee hearing. They discussed the need to expand market access for farmers and ranchers and protect America’s beef industry. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines asked Callahan about increasing U.S. market access in China: Daines: Dr. Callahan, thank you for your years of service at USTR and your willingness to serve in this position. You will hit the ground running, which will we need at this moment here on behalf of our producers across America. I do greatly appreciate the work you’ve done alongside Ambassador Greer as well as President Trump to put American agriculture at the forefront of these ongoing and encouraging trade negotiations that we’re hearing about as we speak here over in Asia. Dr. Callahan, you were the senior director of Agricultural Affairs at USTR when we finally lifted the ban on beef with the China market and opened that China export market up to American producers in 2017. I remember well when I went over to China, brought along some wonderful steaks from one of my producers from the Miles City, Montana area, and gave them to the premier and told him, this is the best beef in the world. In fact, I told him that Australian beef, which was in the market there, had a distinct kangaroo flavor, and he’ll really enjoy when he finally gets to taste Montana beef and U.S. beef. By opening up that market, the second largest beef import market in the world, ranchers were able to export cuts that were not as valuable in the United States, but do that at a premium. And after years of negative margins, of drought, of challenges during COVID, Montana cattlemen have just started to finally turn a profit, finally be able to make their payments to the banks for the loans they have for some of the land that they own. This is a win for producers. It’s also a win for consumers. Profitability helps ensure that we have a secure and durable food supply and will help grow our herd size that will bring down consumer costs over time. Enhanced export markets and not market distorting imports from Argentina are a large part of that equation. Unfortunately, China has put in place serious trade barriers and beef exports to China have plummeted since March. Foreign competitors, sadly, are filling that void in our absence, and they’re undercutting our American ranchers. Dr. Callahan, are we making any progress in reopening the China market, the second largest beef export market in the world, or finding additional markets for U.S. beef? Callahan: If confirmed, I am committed to reopening China’s market to U.S. beef. Daines: I remember distinctly, then-Senator David Perdue and I went to Beijing and were helping President Trump and the administration finalize that Phase One trade deal. And I’m very happy to see Ambassador Purdue on the ground there in Beijing. He understands the markets there and, of course, is a huge advocate for the President and his policies. Daines and Callahan also discussed market access in Japan & South Korea: Daines: I want to just close with Japan and South Korea. They are some of our staunchest allies in East Asia. They’re also major purchases of Montana wheat. Our wheat farmers are struggling. They tell me time and time again they need more access to the export markets. 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside the United States. The future of American agriculture is access to these markets. Dr. Callahan, has the U.S. wheat benefited in the recent framework agreement with Japan, and can we expect more positive results with South Korea? Callahan: In terms of our agreements on reciprocal trade negotiations, we’re really pushing for three areas of progress. One is lowering tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods. The second is eliminating unjustified non-tariff barriers. Those are really the core areas of negotiation. And the third is seeking purchase commitments from countries that choose to do so. And U.S. wheat is one of the commodities that a number of countries are committing. They’re signing MOUs with the private sector and making plans to import more U.S. wheat to benefit U.S. wheat growers. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/29/daines-cantwell-introduce-bill-to-improve-treatment-access-for-adults-with-chronic-pain/,"Daines, Cantwell Introduce Bill to Improve Treatment Access for Adults With Chronic Pain",2025-10-29,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) today introduced the “Relief of Chronic Pain Act,” which will increase access to non-opioid pain management options under Medicaid Part D for those living with chronic pain. “One in five adults in the U.S. live with chronic pain, like arthritis, nerve pain and fibromyalgia. The last thing they should have to worry about is access to safe and reliable treatments. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation with Senator Cantwell to help ease the burden on those who deal with chronic pain by expanding access to non-opioid therapies,” said Daines. “Opioids were involved with over 60% of drug overdoses in Washington state in the last two decades. That’s why we must invest in pain-management options that do not involve addictive drugs. This bill will allow seniors to access non-opioid pain management options to treat chronic pain and help with longer term recoveries,” said Cantwell. Read the bill text HERE. Background: In the United States, one in five adults live with chronic pain. Of the 50 million adults living with chronic pain, almost half experience high-impact chronic pain, limiting productivity and contributing to over $550 billion in direct healthcare costs annually. The opioid crisis remains an active public health emergency, underscoring the ongoing risks of prescription drug addiction. The danger is especially pronounced for older adults and people living with chronic pain. Among Medicare beneficiaries, diagnosed opioid use disorder is both among the highest and the fastest-growing in the nation. Given the heightened risks to older adults and the availability of effective alternatives, prescription opioids should not be first line treatment for chronic pain. Yet plan design and the very low cost of generic opioids create barriers to effective non‑opioid therapies. With the costs of opioid use disorder and overdose having exceeded $1.5 trillion in 2020 and a growing pipeline of non‑opioid options, ensuring Medicare beneficiaries have access to non‑opioid therapies is critical. The “Relief of Chronic Pain Act” would address gaps in Medicare Part D coverage for people with chronic pain and the heightened risks associated with long-term opioid use by: Waiving deductibles for qualifying non-opioids for chronic pain; Placing such drugs in the lowest cost-sharing tier; and Prohibiting step therapy and prior authorization practices for such drugs. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/24/daines-sheehy-applaud-senate-confirmation-of-william-mercer-to-serve-as-federal-judge-for-the-district-of-montana/,"Daines, Sheehy Applaud Senate Confirmation of William Mercer to Serve as Federal Judge for the District of Montana",2025-10-24,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy released the below statement applauding the Senate confirmation of William Mercer to serve as U.S. Judge for the District of Montana. “We congratulate William Mercer on his long-awaited confirmation to serve as U.S. District Judge for Montana. Bill will have a lasting impact on both our state and the nation, and his experience at the U.S. Department of Justice, as U.S. Attorney for Montana, and as a state legislator have uniquely prepared him for this role. We are confident Bill will continue to zealously defend the rule of law and the original interpretation of the Constitution as he serves the people of Montana and the nation.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/23/daines-lauds-historic-armenia-azerbaijan-peace-deal-in-keynote-address-at-the-hudson-institute/,Daines Lauds Historic Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Deal in Keynote Address at the Hudson Institute,2025-10-23,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Lays Out Roadmap for Future U.S. Relations with the South Caucuses and Central Asia U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today delivered the keynote address at the Hudson Institute’s conference on the future of U.S. engagement in the South Caucasus. Watch his remarks here. Read Daines’ remarks as prepared for delivery below. Thank you to the Hudson Institute for inviting me to be here with you all today, and to Mike Dolan for that introduction. For more than 60 years the Hudson Institute has stood at the forefront of policy battles here in Washington and I am grateful for your work as both a resource to members and staff on the Hill and also the media and other thought leaders around DC. As we turn our attention to foreign policy today, it really is an almost surreal time to address you all. There’s an old saying, “one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.” That saying could describe Washington and the world with Donald Trump as President of the United States. As I have often said, “Every hour is a new day in Washington.” Just look at his accomplishments so far on the world stage: peace agreements between Cambodia and Thailand, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Of course the monumental achievement over the past few weeks of getting the living Israeli hostages out of Gaza. Not to mention the Abraham Accords from his first term. But what I want to focus on today is an agreement many didn’t see coming and that’s the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It caught many of the Beltway media by surprise. Punchbowl was talking about it on their podcast the morning it was signed and were in complete shock. They went so far as to say that the CODELs we take are a joke and just couldn’t believe we could lay the groundwork for a major peace agreement on the solo CODEL I took to the region. It’s always great to prove the cynical Beltway media wrong so let me tell you how it happened and then focus on the future of American involvement in the South Caucasus, and the opportunities the region holds. … To understand the magnitude of the recent Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement, we must first briefly look to the historical context of the conflict. The two sides have been locked in a state of conflict since the late 1980s, with multiple wars and very little progress on reconciliation. The initial conflict between the two sides lasted from 1988 to 1994, and nine additional active conflicts from 2008 to 2023. The Soviet Union, and subsequently Russia, typically acted as the regional power broker and purposefully prolonged the conflict to maintain their control and influence over the region by ensuring that both countries could not achieve their own goals and were instead stuck in a cycle of violence. Every President since H.W. Bush pursued their own peace initiatives, trying to find a resolution to the issue, but all came up short. Some did not properly resource or prioritize the talks, while others simply could not get the two sides to see eye to eye. That brings us to this year, when the Trump administration prioritized finding peace in the South Caucasus; with members of his team engaging both sides of the conflict from the beginning of the year. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has diverted Putin’s attention and pulled Russian resources further west and provided an opening for greater American involvement and influence. Armenia and Azerbaijan countries shed the yoke of Russian coercion and turned toward an independent future in partnership with the United States. Steve Witkoff’s team was immediately on the ground, tackling the thorniest issues in the deal head-on. Previous negotiation efforts tried to separate out individual issues, creating an incredibly complex diplomatic network and unintentionally downplaying the complexities of the region. This administration tackled the negotiations with a holistic approach, recognizing that each issue is connected to the other, and that their resolutions are mutually reinforcing, not exclusive. American negotiators came up with the innovative concept of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, or TRIPP, which would connect Azerbaijan to its exclave Nakhchivan while creating a new trade route that Armenia, Azerbaijan, and other regional states would benefit from. The connection between the two had long been the trickiest aspect of peace talks, and the TRIPP was a completely new way of framing a solution that was amenable to both sides. I traveled to the region in May of this year, in the middle of the Trump administration-brokered negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. At the time peace was certainly not guaranteed and negotiations were still fragile. Decades of conflict had taken a toll on trust between the two countries, and while talks were progressing, they were not quite complete. While in the region, I met with both President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan. I traveled with members of my team, embassy officials, as well as some administration staff. Our meetings offered an opportunity to present a fresh perspective on the negotiations, a perspective both leaders seemed eager to hear. They both sincerely wanted to resolve this conflict permanently. They both saw the opportunities the future could hold, and that the violence had to end before they could pursue those opportunities. We were able to discuss practical solutions to intractable problems that had plagued the peace talks for decades prior. Both Prime Minister Pashinyan and President Aliyev have demonstrated tremendous courage and fortitude throughout this process, putting their reputations and legacies on the line in pursuit of peace. Their courage combined with President Trump and his team’s creative diplomacy and problem solving have brought us to where we stand today. On that same trip, I also traveled to the third nation of the South Caucasus: Georgia. While in Tbilisi, I met with members of both the ruling Georgian Dream party as well as the opposition. The message I delivered to them was that any antagonism between our countries could end tomorrow. That visit provided a remarkable split screen: Armenia and Azerbaijan have chosen to work with the United States to build the multilateral framework that will propel their nations into the future, while Georgia has unfortunately moved in the wrong direction in recent years. The United States stands ready to work with Georgia to provide a better future for their people. Both leaders were receptive to my message, but there have since been some negative developments. The Trump administration is right to push Georgia to behave responsibly, but I would continue to stress to Georgia that our relations need not continue down the track they are on now. There is no reason Georgia cannot be a part of the newly emerging regional partnership and benefit the same as its neighbors, all they need to do is reach out and grasp the United States’ outstretched hand and redouble their commitment to a pluralistic, democratic governance system. That brings us to August 8th, when both Aliyev and Pashinyan traveled to Washington to sign an agreement and joint declaration on peace in the South Caucasus. I was in attendance on that momentous day. The agreement is not the end of the road for this process but instead offers a roadmap for the future. It outlines the principles of peace, commitments both sides have made, and the U.S.’s role as the deal’s guarantor. Now that the deal has been signed, the U.S. can get to work with our partners on implementation. Unsurprisingly, the Trump administration is moving quickly, they have already provided $145 million in funding for development in Armenia, and more will come as needed. The United States is making hard dollar, concrete investments in regional peace that will benefit all our countries. The economic potential as a result of this deal is massive. Armenia and Azerbaijan have considerable natural wealth in their own rights; Baku is one of the world’s most important gas and oil exporters with infrastructure carrying their product all the way across Turkey to Europe, while Armenia has major copper, lead, zinc, antimony, and other critical mineral deposits. Azerbaijan has also been an integral partner to Israel, providing much of the gas they use to power their economy, ensuring steady energy flows through its direct confrontation with Iran. Armenia’s “Crossroads of Peace” initiative is also promising, seeking to make major infrastructure investments to better connect the Caucasus, Middle East, and Central Asia to Western markets. Further to the East, Central Asia’s riches for the first time have hope for a Central Corridor, an unimpeded path to travel west, allowing European and American firms to make longer-term investments with the certainty of long-term transport capability. Central Asia’s energy, mineral, and agricultural wealth can help strengthen fragile supply chains to the West, offering new sources for the building blocks of national power and economic growth. These resources can also support the nations they pass through and provide steady revenues to both Armenia and Azerbaijan. Today’s environment offers a new opportunity to complete the last 20 miles of the long-theorized Trans-Caspian interconnector pipeline, bringing Turkmenistan’s gas west through existing pipeline infrastructure and to significantly reduce, or potentially end, Europe’s reliance on Russian gas. The Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement is a diplomatic breakthrough and an instance of truly mutually beneficial peacemaking. Through innovative problem solving, courageous commitment to peace, and dogged determination, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the United States are collectively walking towards a new, more prosperous, more secure future. Decades ago, Jimmy Carter’s National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzesinski dreamed of uncorking the riches of the Caspian Basin, and this deal gets us one step closer to that goal. All it took was a determined President and a team of talented diplomats to get it done. Gone are the days of endless negotiations and empty promises; American diplomacy is back under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Rubio. I look forward to continuing to work towards finalizing this peace agreement and to bringing that bright future to fruition. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/22/daines-sheehy-applaud-president-trumps-nomination-of-brian-gootkin-for-u-s-marshal-for-montana/,"Daines, Sheehy Applaud President Trump’s Nomination of Brian Gootkin for U.S. Marshal for Montana",2025-10-22,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy released the below statements applauding President Trump’s recent nomination of Brian Gootkin to serve as U.S. Marshal for the District of Montana. “Brian Gootkin is an exceptional choice by President Trump to serve as Montana’s U.S. Marshal. As Director of Montana’s Department of Corrections and Sheriff of Gallatin County, Brian demonstrates a sincere commitment to public safety and the rule of law, and his leadership in our state leaves no doubt that he will continue to serve the people of Montana with excellence. I look forward to his confirmation by the U.S. Senate,” said Daines. “Brian Gootkin has served Montana proudly for years, and I’m glad to hear he’s been nominated by President Trump to continue to serve and keep our streets safe as Montana’s U.S. Marshal. Senate Republicans have overcome historic obstruction to get President Trump’s picks in place, and we are eager to add Brian to list of fantastic nominees that have been confirmed,” said Sheehy. Background: Brian M. Gootkin was appointed by Montana Governor Greg Gianforte to serve as the director of the Montana Department of Corrections in 2021. Gootkin came to the department from the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office where he served as sheriff. Also throughout his 27-year tenure with that office, Gootkin held positions including patrol deputy, detective with the Missouri River Drug Task Force, jail administrator, and undersheriff. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/22/daines-urges-colleagues-to-support-william-mercer-as-federal-judge-for-the-district-of-montana/,Daines Urges Colleagues to Support William Mercer as Federal Judge for the District of Montana,2025-10-22,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke on the Senate floor ahead of the vote to confirm William Mercer as U.S. Judge for the District of Montana. Watch his remarks here. Read Daines’ remarks as prepared for delivery below. Thank you Mdm/Mr. President. I rise today to speak in support of my friend, Mr. William Mercer, and his nomination to serve as the next Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. President Trump made an excellent choice when he picked Bill, and I was thrilled to see him quickly approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Now, today, the U.S. Senate will vote on his final confirmation, and I urge my colleagues to join Senator Sheehy and I in supporting his nomination. Bill is a lifelong Montanan, born in Billings. We’ve known each other for a long time. We went to rival high schools and competed against each other in speech and debate. This is what makes America great. Two kids from Montana dreamed big and worked hard, and now we have the opportunity to serve the state we love. Bill received his undergraduate degree from my rival college, the University of Montana. He later went on to receive a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and his law degree from George Mason University. Bill served his state and country in various roles over the past three decades. In Montana, he served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana from 2001 to 2009 and represented Billings in the Montana House of Representatives for the past seven years. Bill also worked at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he served as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General and Acting Associate Attorney General during the George W. Bush administration. He has also been actively engaged in his community, serving on five non-profit boards of directors in Montana. Bill has been a member of the Montana Bar for 32 years. He has appeared in state and federal court in Montana as lead counsel in numerous cases. He has also represented clients in appellate courts, which resulted in oral argument in 15 cases in the Courts of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, D.C. Circuit, and the Montana Supreme Court. Bill has been recognized by his peers in the legal community for his outstanding track record, being rated among the best lawyers in Montana for environmental and commercial litigation. Throughout his extensive legal career and years of public service, Bill has represented Montana’s interests well. He is committed to the rule of law and original interpretation of the Constitution. Bill also understands Montana-specific laws and issues. His experience as a widely-respected and effective member of the Montana House of Representatives has helped him understand the needs of our state, our families and our communities. I believe his time in Helena has given him an important perspective on the law and the importance of judicial impartiality. Federal judges play a critical role in our government, and it’s important that we pick servant leaders who are committed to our founding ideals and to protecting the role of the judiciary. These are lifetime appointments, and they will have a lasting impact on both Montana and the nation. I have no hesitation when I say that Bill is the top choice to serve as Montana’s next federal judge. I’ve seen his commitment to our state firsthand, and his time at the Department of Justice, as U.S. Attorney, and as a state legislator have prepared him well. I can’t think of a better pick to represent the great state of Montana. I urge my colleagues to join me in voting favorably for Bill’s confirmation, and I look forward to seeing the profound influence that Bill will have on Montana and the nation as he steps into this new role. Thank you. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/16/daines-on-fox-business-democrats-are-mad-they-lost-the-2024-election-and-are-taking-it-out-on-the-american-people/,Daines on Fox Business: “Democrats Are Mad They Lost the 2024 Election and Are Taking It Out on the American People”,2025-10-16,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Fox Business to discuss the “No Kings” rally, the trade war with China and what it means for American famers, and President Trump’s historic peace deal in Gaza. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on the “No Kings Rally”: We’ve known about that for about two weeks from some of our Democrat colleagues who have quietly told us that. In fact, there’s 250 different far-left progressive groups that are part of this No Kings rally on Saturday. You can go on their website, and you can see it. Their logos are prominently displayed. As Speaker Johnson correctly said, this is a “We hate America rally” and the bottom line is the Democrats and the far left are very upset at the fact they lost the election last November. President Trump won in a landslide, we reclaimed the United States Senate, and we have the House. They are frustrated. They are angry. But sadly they are expressing their anger and frustration by shutting down the government and hurting the American people. Daines on how President Trump is helping American farmers: Our farmers are struggling right now, and the President understands that clearly. The farmers are big fans of President Trump. These are his people, but they’re struggling. They’ve got high fertilizer costs. Fuel costs are starting to come down. That’s good news. But you’ve got great big markets like China that have shut down their soybean exports. That is the biggest export market for the United States that we have. And the farmers need some help. I’m pleased to see the administration looking at ways they could help out our farmers. The reason this is important now is they’re starting to get ready actually for spring season, for planting. We’ve got to go to the banks here soon and get their loans. They’re struggling. I’m glad to see President Trump is going to try to work to help something here for the farmers. Daines on the disarming of Hamas to secure peace in Gaza: Well, the folks that will disarm Hamas will be the Israelis… I was standing on the Gaza border a month ago yesterday. I could hear the Israeli F-16s overhead. The next day, Bibi launched that major ground offensive into Gaza City. That is what brought Hamas to the negotiating table. It wasn’t because they [Hamas] wanted peace, it’s because the Israelis will destroy them if they don’t come to the table. This is all about peace through strength. You don’t really negotiate with these terror groups like Hamas that slaughtered 1,200 innocent Israelis on October 7th of 2023. But we don’t need U.S. troops there, by the way. The Israelis can take care of this. I hope they don’t have to do that. I hope Hamas will come to their senses and fulfill their part of this agreement. But until Hamas either leaves Gaza or is eradicated, you will never see peace in Gaza. Daines on Democrats who support Hamas: It’s chilling to think that there’s parts ofthe Democrat Party and a growing segment of the Democrats who support Hamas. Thiswould be the equivalent of the Democrats supporting Al-Qaeda after they took downthe Twin Towers on September 11th. It’s chilling, it’s sickening, it’s evil,and we need to confront it. We need to keep this contrast on who the goodguys are and who the bad guys are. I can tell you what, Hamas are the bad guys. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/16/daines-on-fox-news-president-trump-is-taking-the-fight-to-venezuelan-narco-terrorists/,Daines on Fox News: President Trump is Taking the Fight to Venezuelan Narco-Terrorists,2025-10-16,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Fox News to discuss President Trump’s strong response to narcotrafficking and the situation in Venezuela. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on how President Trump is countering Maduro’s illegitimate regime of narco-terrorism: I’m very proud and grateful for President Trump’s bold and decisive leadership as our Commander in Chief. You can’t win by only having your defense on the field. You’ve got to put the offense on the field if you’re going to win. You think about why the President is taking this decisive action. You know, 100,000 Americans die every year because of drug overdoses. In fact, it’s the leading cause of death for 18- to 45-year-olds. Cocaine deaths in this country are up 85 percent while Joe Biden was president. He had, something has to be done, and President Trump has taken the fight to these narco-terrorists. And as it has been stated, Maduro is an illegitimate leader. It was a stolen election. He’s running and facilitating a narco-terrorist organization, the drugs are flooding into our country, combined with the criminals, the Tren de Aragua, the organized criminal gangs, opening up the jail cells, flooding into America. In fact, we arrested a handful of these TDA members in Montana a few months ago. Daines on President Trump’s bold leadership: Well, we’ll wait and see what happens because we’re not sure exactly what the operation looks like. But I would tell you this, I have incredible confidence in President Trump’s bold leadership, his decision-making, his wisdom, and you’re seeing he is resetting the world order because of his peace through strength. You don’t negotiate with terrorists or narco-terrorists. You’ve got to take them out. And that’s what you’re seeing with this bold action, taking out the boats full of drugs coming to our shores. These drugs are killing our children, adults, our neighbors. It’s got to end. Joe Biden allowed it to happen on his watch. President Trump is going to stop it on his watch… I’m sure it is not a good day for Maduro. As President Trump said in his interview, other countries are watching. You know who else is watching what’s going on right now? Mexico. You’ve got these cartels that are terrorist organizations that are flooding our southern border with fentanyl, a very deadly drug. He [Trump] is putting the world on notice that it’s going to end. You can’t allow these narco-terrorists to have unfettered access into the United States. I’m grateful, as a father of four and grandfather of seven for President Trump protecting our family and families across America. Daines on President Trump’s decisive action against drug cartels: That image is a pretty strong deterrence to what’s happening right now in the oceans there between the United States and South America. But when you go into a battle, it’s immoral not to go in with use of overwhelming force. Every tool in the toolbox. Otherwise, you don’t want to be risking American lives unless we’ve got overwhelming force. President Trump is leading with bold decisiveness and the use of overwhelming force. That’s the fastest way to achieve the outcome the President desires. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/10/daines-lauds-pay-raise-for-military-personnel-in-defense-authorization-bill/,Daines Lauds Pay Raise for Military Personnel in Defense Authorization Bill,2025-10-10,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Daines’ Bill to Increase Economic Prosperity for Rural Businesses Also Passes Senate U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines released the below statement after the Senate passed a military pay raise and his bill to increase economic prosperity for rural businesses as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026: “We owe our servicemen and women and their families a debt of gratitude that is impossible to repay, so the least we can do is give them a pay raise. In addition, my bill to increase economic prosperity for rural communities was included, which will have an enormous impact in Montana. Senate Republicans are delivering on their promises and we’ll keep fighting to advance the commonsense America-first policies the American people voted for,” said Daines. The NDAA includes several Montana-specific wins: 3.8 percent pay raise for military members Protects Sentinel construction from Congressional budget fights and shutdowns by making multi-year funding. Pushes for modernizations to military BAH to help recognize Montana housing costs. Protects Malmstrom ICBM mission from missile/force reductions. In addition, Daines’ bill to improve accountability of the CDFI Fund and expand capital access for rural and underserved communities passed as part of the NDAA. Daines introduced the CDFI Fund Transparency Act with Senator Mark Warner to require annual testimony by the Department of Treasury regarding the performance and operations of the CDFI Fund to enhance transparency and ensure taxpayers dollars are used to improve economic prosperity for small businesses in rural Montana. There are 12 CDFIs and 3 Native CDFIs headquartered in Montana, and the bill is supported by all of Montana’s credit unions and community banks. Read more HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/09/daines-on-newsmax-president-trump-is-the-peace-president/,Daines on Newsmax: “President Trump is the Peace President”,2025-10-09,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Newsmax to discuss President Trump’s historic Gaza peace deal. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on how President Trump is the President of Peace: President Trump is the President of Peace. He is the Peace President. What a remarkable moment, and hats off to President Trump’s bold leadership. Steve Witkoff, Marco Rubio, working with the Israelis, with Bibi Netanyahu and our Arab friends to bring us to this moment of the release of the hostages. And I’m reminded those words of “blessed are the peacemakers,” those are words spoken by Christ in northern Israel over 2,000 years ago, and President Trump has blessed the world with his peace-making ability… …I was in Israel three weeks ago. In fact, I was on the border with Gaza standing there. In fact, I could hear F-16s overhead, Israeli F-16s, that were taking the fight to Hamas. And then later, that same day, I went to Jerusalem and had a one-hour meeting with Bibi Netanyahu talking about this exact goal, and that is to get the hostages released, to bring them home safely, back to their families. [It’s] just a remarkable resolve of Bibi Netanyahu, of President Trump, of our Arab friends who are working with us in the Middle East to bring us to this moment. This was risky for leaders. It’s something that Joe Biden could never have done. But it is really about peace through strength. It’s about resolve. That’s respected in the Middle East, and I’m thankful today that because of President Trump’s leadership, working with great leaders like Steve Witkoff, Marco Rubio, these hostages are going to be coming home. What a wonderful celebratory moment for those families who kept hope alive and now they’re going to see those hopes and prayers realized. Daines on the future of Israel and Gaza: Well, this is an important first step, certainly the release of the hostages. That was always the number one goal. But now, more difficult work begins, and that will be securing Gaza to ensure that there’s not a threat to the safety of Israel. Hamas needs to relinquish their weapons, and we need to have a different governing structure and authority in Gaza, and to rebuild Gaza, to get back to the root cause, the poverty, the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza. It’s going to require the right leadership to restore peace and prosperity to Gaza. That’s the long-lasting solution that we will need to ensure that Gaza remains safe and Israel remains safe. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/09/daines-statement-on-situation-in-georgia/,Daines Statement on Situation in Georgia,2025-10-09,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chairman of the European Subcommittee, issued the following statement today regarding the political situation in Georgia. Daines traveled to Georgia in May and met with Prime Minister Kobakhidze. “The recent developments in Georgia are extremely troubling, especially the false accusations that former U.S. government employees are undermining Georgia’s government. When I met with Georgian Prime Minister Kobakhidze in May I encouraged him to work closely with President Trump and his administration to advance our mutual security and economic interests and I reiterate that message today. The Georgian people deserve the right to free and fair elections and to chart the course for their country.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/08/daines-downing-bill-supporting-montana-mining-passes-u-s-senate-heads-to-presidents-desk/,"Daines, Downing Bill Supporting Montana Mining Passes U.S. Senate, Heads to President’s Desk",2025-10-08,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"“Montana Energy Is Back” U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy, as well as Representatives Troy Downing (MT-02) and Ryan Zinke (MT-01) today applauded the Senate passage of their bill that removes the harmful Biden-era Miles City Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA), which will further help unleash Made-In-Montana energy. “Montana energy is back. Biden’s Miles City RMPA was an anti-coal rule that stifled mining in eastern Montana and would have cost many hard-working Montanans their jobs. Mining is a vital part of Montana, providing nearly a thousand well-paying jobs and contributing nearly $3 billion to our state’s economy. That’s why I introduced a bill along with the rest of our Montana delegation to remove this anti-energy rule and support Montana’s coal miners. I’m thrilled to see our resolution pass the U.S. Senate today and look forward to President Trump signing it into law,” said Daines. “Montanans voted to make America energy dominant, and we are delivering by putting an end to disastrous Biden-era regulations that put our resource economy on life support. As your Senator, one of my top priorities is supporting Montana’s resource economy so we can create jobs, power America, and make Montana energy affordable, accessible, and reliable again. I’ll continue to work alongside President Trump and the Montana delegation to make America energy dominant, protect Montana jobs, and unleash prosperity in Montana’s rural communities,” said Sheehy. “I’m proud to see my bill to overturn the Biden Administration’s outright ban on coal leasing in the Powder River Basin pass the Senate today. H.J. Res. 104 will unleash Montana-made energy, bolstering our national security and ensuring Montanans have access to the affordable, reliable energy they need to thrive for generations to come. I am grateful to Senator Daines for his leadership and to my fellow delegation members for standing side by side with me in championing this legislation. I look forward to watching President Trump sign this bill into law and usher in a new age of American energy dominance,” said Downing. “The Biden administration’s Miles City Resource Management Plan hurt Montana workers and put America’s energy security at risk. True energy dominance requires an all-of-the-above approach that includes Montana’s clean coal. Our economy runs on reliable, abundant, and affordable power, and that need will only grow with increased demand from AI and data centers. This bill puts Montana back in the driver’s seat to protect jobs and secure our energy future. I look forward to seeing the President sign it into law,” said Zinke. The bill has widespread support, including from Montana Governor Greg Gianforte. Read Governor Gianforte’s letter of support HERE. See additional quotes of support HERE. Background: Daines introduced the Congressional Review Act Resolution with Sheehy, Downing and Zinke in July 2025- read the release HERE. Read Daines’ statement from when the resolution passed the U.S. House of Representatives HERE and see Daines’ and Downing’s video statement HERE. The Biden administration’s Miles City RMPA made nearly 2,000,000 acres unavailable for coal leasing within the Miles City Field Office planning area and prohibited new coal leasing in the Powder River Basin. It also would have caused the loss of over $4.32 billion in future revenue to State trust land beneficiaries. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/08/daines-on-fox-business-the-shutdown-is-pressured-by-the-left/,Daines on Fox Business: “The Shutdown is Pressured by the Left”,2025-10-08,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business to discuss how the Republican Party is the party of law and order, and how the Democrats are manufacturing the Schumer Shutdown. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on how the left supports Antifa and threatens public safety: It’s exposing where the center of gravity is today with the Democrat Party. They have moved so far to the left. They’re wrong. They’re profoundly wrong on virtually every major policy debate we have in this country, starting with keeping our country secure. The President designates Antifa, rightfully so, as a domestic terror organization. You’ve got the Democrats not only propping them [Antifa] up, supporting them, and not being willing to stand with law enforcement and ICE, and the President of the United States, who’s sending in National Guard and trying to restore law and order into our cities. The Democrats on the wrong side of these very important issues is a father of four, grandfather now of seven, I fear for the safety of this country and our children if the Democrats ever have control of this country. Daines on how Republicans are restoring law and order: One of the primary responsibilities of the federal government is to secure the nation and to keep us safe. I think that’s one of the reasons why you’re seeing this flood of American citizens leaving states like California, Oregon, and Washington on the West Coast, and coming to states like Montana, Idaho, Utah. Of course on the East Coast they’re leaving New York and headed to Florida. Thank God for Republican governors. It’s not just the quality of life these citizens are leaving for, it’s the quality of leadership and safety and security and common sense and frankly sanity in leadership. Daines on how the Democrats are manufacturing the Schumer Shutdown: I was listening while I was standing by here for this interview to your polling data there in New York. When they find out who’s supporting Mamdami, it flips that gubernatorial race. And I think that’s an example of where this all will be headed if the Democrats continue down this path of anarchy. The American people reject that no matter what their political stripes are. They don’t want to see what the left side of the Democrat Party is selling. And I’ll tell you what, that’s where the center of gravity is moving towards, as evidenced by this shutdown in Washington, this Schumer Shutdown. It is absolutely manufactured and pressured by the far-left part of the Democratic Party. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/08/daines-on-senate-floor-today-we-are-unleashing-montana-energy/,Daines on Senate Floor: Today We Are Unleashing Montana Energy,2025-10-08,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Removing Biden’s Anti-Coal Rule is “Righting A Wrong” U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate ahead of the final vote on his legislation to remove Joe Biden’s anti-coal Miles City Resource Management Plan Amendment. Watch Daines’ remarks HERE. Read Daines’ remarks as prepared for delivery below. Mr/Mdm. President, in the final days of President Biden’s Administration he quickly and quietly issued a rule that had massive impacts on Montana’s economy. Biden’s BLM issued an amendment to the Miles City Resource Management Plan that prohibited all new coal development in Eastern Montana. This means the BLM prohibited all new coal leasing in the Powder River Basin – the home of the nation’s LARGEST coal reserves. They did this despite strong opposition from the local counties, local elected officials, the Montana congressional delegation and the Governor. In fact, Governor Gianforte specifically requested the BLM Director withdraw the proposed amendment during the BLM’s official “Governor’s Consistency Review” and Biden’s BLM ignored him. And when the Governor submitted an official appeal to Biden’s BLM Director, he was rebuffed. This lack of respect for Montana’s local and state-wide elected officials cannot be ignored. Let’s be clear what this Resource Management Plan Amendment is and what we are doing today with the Congressional Review Act. The RMPA is an attack on Montana jobs, an attack on Montana communities, an attack on Montana’s energy production and an attack on Montana’s economy. Today’s resolution to officially roll back Biden’s war on Montana coal does NOT affect the underlying Resource Management Plan. Today we are disapproving Biden’s ill-conceived amendment, and nothing else. The CRA does NOT prohibit the BLM from issuing a new amendment. The CRA simply prohibits the new administration from issuing a substantially similar coal amendment, and in this case that means they can’t permanently prohibit new coal development. Today you may hear from the other side of the aisle that the sky is falling. That’s not true. Today we are righting a wrong. A midnight Biden rule that was issued without the support from the State. Taking this action today will lead to more Montana jobs, more Montana energy, and stronger communities in Eastern Montana. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/08/in-the-news-senate-gop-nukes-biden-era-rule-smothering-coal-production/,IN THE NEWS: Senate GOP Nukes Biden-Era Rule Smothering Coal Production,2025-10-08,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced the passage of his legislation overturning Joe Biden’s anti-coal Miles City Resource Management Plan. Read reporting in the Daily Caller below: Senate GOP Nukes Biden-Era Rule Smothering Coal Production The Daily Caller October 8th, 2025 Republicans in the Senate voted Wednesday to blow up a Biden-era rule that locked up thousands of acres for future coal leasing in the Powder River Basin, a region home to an arsenal of the nation’s coal reserves that spans across Montana and Wyoming. The Powder River Basin provided about 43% of U.S. coal in 2019, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Though the Biden administration blocked coal leasing in the key region through a last-minute rule, the Senate passed legislation Wednesday that overturns former President Joe Biden’s ban on coal development opportunities in the Basin. “Today’s passage of my legislation to remove Biden’s anti-coal rule is a massive win for Montana that sets a precedent for the nation,” Republican Montana Sen. Steve Daines told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “The American people have rejected the left’s radical climate hysteria and removing this harmful rule will help protect our energy dominance and our national security.” Read the full story in the Daily Caller HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/07/daines-commemorates-anniversary-of-oct-7th-terror-attacks-in-israel/,Daines Commemorates Anniversary of Oct 7th Terror Attacks in Israel,2025-10-07,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Introduces Resolution Condemning Attacks and Supporting Israel’s Sovereignty U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the below statement commemorating the second anniversary of the terror attacks in Israel by Hamas on October 7th, 2023: “As we remember the second anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks we mourn for those who lost loved ones and those who are still in captivity at the hands of the Hamas terrorist regime. I remain hopeful that Hamas will accept and implement the details of the peace deal proposed by President Trump and that all the hostages will be released. There can be no lasting peace in the Middle East until Hamas is dismantled and the Palestinians recognize that the Jewish state of Israel has every right to exist,” said Daines. Daines joined Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and 24 of his Republican colleagues in introducing a resolution that condemns the Hamas-led terrorist attacks of October 7th. The resolution also states support for Israel’s sovereignty and condemns antisemitism in the United States. Daines has been a staunch supporter of Israel’s war against Hamas- read more HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/07/daines-sheehy-congratulate-kurt-alme-on-senate-confirmation-to-be-u-s-attorney-for-the-district-of-montana/,"Daines, Sheehy Congratulate Kurt Alme on Senate Confirmation to be U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana",2025-10-07,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy released the below statement following the news that Kurt Alme has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana. “Kurt Alme is an excellent pick to serve as our U.S. Attorney for Montana. Kurt has already done an incredible job in his interim capacity and we are thrilled to see his final confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Kurt will crack down on drug trafficking and crime, protect our indigenous communities, and uphold the rule of law, and we look forward to seeing the continued impact that he will have on our great state,” they said. Statements of Support: Austin Knudsen, Montana Attorney General: “[I] personally worked with Kurt while I served as the elected County Attorney in Roosevelt County, Montana. I can personally vouch for his work ethic and his desire to aggressively pursue crime and drugs in Montana. Montana is facing an unprecedented pandemic of Mexican cartel illicit drugs. . . . As Montana Attorney General, I need an aggressive U.S. Attorney to partner with my efforts to combat these evils. Kurt Alme is that U.S. Attorney.” Click HERE to download Knudsen’s letter. Josh Racki, Cascade County Attorney and President of the Montana County Attorneys Association: “On behalf of the [MCAA], we are writing to express our strong support for the recommendation of Mr. Kurt Alme as the nominee for United States Attorney for the District of Montana. . . . The MCAA firmly believes that Mr. Alme’s comprehensive understanding of Montana’s unique challenges, his collaborative approach, and his unwavering dedication to justice make him the ideal candidate for U.S. Attorney.” Click HERE to download the MCAA’s letter. Mike Linder, Yellowstone County Sheriff and President of the Montana Sheriff’s and Peace Officers Association: “During his previous tenure as Montana’s U.S. Attorney, Kurt worked tirelessly to bring Montana’s law enforcement partners together in the fight against the proliferation of methamphetamine in our communities. In addition, Kurt’s commitment and success in bringing local, state, and federal law enforcement officers together through the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, has been instrumental in reducing violent crimes, and holding local criminals accountable for their actions.” Click HERE to download Linder’s letter. Shelly Fyant, HD 91 Representative to the Montana House and former Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Chairwoman: “When I served on the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribal Council (2014-2021), I saw the work the U.S. Attorney’s Office did focusing on reducing methamphetamine and opioid related overdoses and violent crimes, which not only plague the Flathead Indian Reservation, but reservations throughout Montana and the Nation. Mr. Alme’s hands-on approach was greatly appreciated as he frequently visited Montana reservations and met directly with Tribal leaders about specific drug abuse and trafficking, public safety and Missing & Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) issues including victim services. . . . U.S. Attorney Alme’s leadership was informed, dedicated and heartfelt, qualities Indian Country citizens value to address these complicated issues.” Click HERE to download Fyant’s letter. Peter Habein, former Partner at Crowley Fleck and Chair of the Ethics Committee of the State Bar of Montana: “For nearly 30 years or so, I served as our firm’s general counsel, and for the last 17 years, I have served as a member and chair of the Ethics Committee of the State Bar of Montana. I hope, therefore, that when I say Kurt is one of the most conscientiously ethical lawyers I know, it carries some weight. Kurt is scrupulous in his observance of ethical standards, both for himself and for the organizations he has led. His adherence to high ethical standards in no small measure contributes to the integrity and honesty for which he is universally admired.” Click HERE to download Habein’s letter. Bryan Lockerby, former Administrator of the Division of Criminal Investigation, Montana Department of Justice; and former Captain of the Great Falls Police Department: “Having had the privilege of working with Mr. Alme professionally over the years, both at the state and federal levels, I can confidently attest to his exceptional qualifications, steadfast integrity, and unwavering commitment to public safety. . . . Mr. Alme’s demonstrated commitment to supporting law enforcement and recognizing the sacrifices they make for our communities is further illustrated by his advocacy efforts. His leadership, expertise, and dedication to justice make him an exceptional candidate for the role of U.S. Attorney.” Click HERE to download Lockerby’s letter. Liz Moore, former Executive Director, Montana Nonprofit Association: “[Mr. Alme] prioritizes effectiveness and results, with no regard for who gets the credit. If I were to search Montana for an individual I believe fitted for this role – someone with a strong legal background, a deep, holistic understanding of the serious mental health issues and substance addictions and their impact on Montana’s peoples and communities, who is reasoned, smart, a servant to Montana and most important, leads with integrity – I would recommend Kurt Alme.” Click HERE to download Moore’s letter. Ken Bray, former Montana Resident Agent in Charge for Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives: “In my 27-year federal law enforcement career, I have seen very few professionals in the criminal justice system with the breadth of working knowledge of virtually all issues that face law enforcement. . . . Kurt’s ability to both understand the issues and lead others in the implementation of a solution is among the best I have ever seen. . . . His reputation as a prosecutor, manager, and individual is above reproach. He is respected throughout all quarters of the criminal justice system in Montana.” Click HERE to download Bray’s letter. Stacy Zinn, former Montana Resident Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration: “Enforcement was not the only area where Mr. Alme dedicated his time. . . . Mr. Alme arranged partnerships between parties that worked in prevention, treatment, and enforcement in order to reduce substance abuse and substance abuse related crime. . . . The above are just a few examples of Mr. Alme’s outstanding work as the Montana U.S. Attorney and the timing is right for the return of Mr. Alme.” Click HERE to download Zinn’s letter. Brian Gootkin, Director of Montana Department of Corrections, former Gallatin County Sheriff: “[I] always found Mr. Alme’s dedication and service for Montana to be unwavering. His vigor for tackling the drug epidemic and violent crime in Montana is well respected by our citizens and law enforcement. His work to seek justice for missing and murdered Indigenous persons in our state is exemplary. You would be hard pressed to find a citizen and public servant more dedicated to protecting the people of our great state than Mr. Alme.” Click HERE to download Gootkin’s letter. Ernie Weyand, former FBI Supervisory Senior Resident Agent in Montana, U.S. DOJ Missing and Murdered Indigenous Person Coordinator, and U.S. Army Veteran: “As an AUSA, Kurt was an exceptional prosecutor who effectively managed a diverse caseload and aggressively prosecuted deserving criminals. . . . While Kurt served as First Assistant and U.S. Attorney, federal [Indian Country] prosecutions rose dramatically, as did support services for victims of assault, sexual abuse, and drug trafficking. . . . Kurt has demonstrated great skill in collaborating with local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement officials, and he is widely respected by law enforcement officers throughout Montana and beyond.” Click HERE to download Weyand’s letter. Kirsten Pabst, former Missoula County Attorney: “In my thirty years in criminal justice and three terms as the Missoula County Attorney, I have yet to encounter a more dedicated and effective leader.” Click HERE to download Pabst’s letter. About Kurt Alme: Alme is a Great Falls native who grew up in Dillon, Victor, and Helena before graduating high school in Miles City. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Colorado with his bachelor’s degree in business, cum laude from Harvard Law School, and is a Harry S. Truman Scholar. Alme served as U.S. Attorney for Montana from 2017-2020. In that role he chaired the DOJ Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons working group, vice-chaired the Native American Issues Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, and vice-chaired the four state Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Task Force Area. He previously served as Assistant U.S. Attorney and then First Assistant in the U.S. Attorney’s Office where he prosecuted cases in federal district court and argued them before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He started his legal career as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Charles Lovell before joining the Crowley Fleck law firm where he rose to partner. He served as Budget Director for the state of Montana and Director of the Montana Department of Revenue where he oversaw all of its major civil litigation. Alme was the President and General Counsel of the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation, which supports the treatment of Montana youth suffering from mental health issues and substance abuse. Alme has also volunteered with the Billings Gazette Editorial Board; St. Vincent Healthcare Board of Directors; Attorney General’s Intelligence Advisory Board; University of Montana Law School Tax Institute Advisory Committee; St. John’s Lutheran Ministries Board; MSU-Billings Law and Justice Advisory Committee; Mental Health Association and Rotary International. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/07/daines-urges-overturn-of-biden-anti-coal-rule-to-unleash-montana-energy/,Daines Urges Overturn of Biden Anti-Coal Rule to Unleash Montana Energy,2025-10-07,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today delivered a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate urging his colleagues to vote for his pro-mining legislation that would remove a harmful Biden-era rule that restricts coal mining in Eastern Montana. Watch Daines’ remarks HERE. Read Daines’ remarks as prepared for delivery below. Mr/Mdm. President, today the Senate will vote to proceed to my joint resolution to congressionally disapprove and officially roll back President Biden’s anti-coal rule in Montana. H.J.Res.104 is supported by the entire Montana delegation. I want to thank Congressmen Downing and Zinke for leading this resolution in the House and Senator Sheehy for joining me in the Senate. The Resolution is also supported by many, many Montanans, including: Governor Gianforte The Mayor of Colstrip Montana Coal Council Montana Electric Cooperatives Northwestern Energy Local Counties Both of the affected coal mines And many more. I want to explain quickly what we are doing today. Today we will take the first step in overturning the Miles City Resource Management Plan Amendment that prohibits new coal leasing in Eastern Montana. I want to be clear, this resolution only overturns the anti-coal amendment issued by the Biden Administration in the final days of his term. No action taken today affects the underlying Miles City Resource Management Plan or how the BLM manages recreation, conservation, and other energy development in the state. Future coal development will be managed under the existing RMP as it had for years before Biden added his amendment. Now why is this important for Montana? The Biden amendment prohibits all new coal leasing in eastern Montana. Eastern Montana and Wyoming are home to the Powder River Basin – the largest coal reserves in the United States. The Biden Administration prohibited new coal development in the America’s largest coal reserve. BLM’s resource management plans are meant to be a bipartisan process, taking in feedback from folks on the ground and implementing the multiple use mission of the BLM. The Biden administration took this process and flipped it on its face, disregarding Montana voices. We are going to right that wrong now. We are going to give Montana a voice in the process. Overturning this partisan rule will grow Montana energy jobs and help our rural communities. According to the Montana Coal Council, coal supports over 890 high paying jobs in Montana and has provided $2.7 billion in federal, state, private, and tribal royalties. And in a letter from the Governor, he states the Biden RMPA, “amounts to a loss of $4.32 billion in future revenue to State trust land beneficiaries, which include K-12 public education.” I urge my colleague to support Montana jobs and communities and vote yes on today’s motion. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/03/daines-commends-trump-administration-for-supporting-montana-mining/,Daines Commends Trump Administration for Supporting Montana Mining,2025-10-03,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Approval of Libby Exploration Project Will Unlock World Class Copper & Silver Deposits U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the below statement commending President Trump and the U.S. Forest Service for approving the advancement of the Libby Exploration Project, a copper and silver deposit in Lincoln County, Montana. “The Libby Exploration Project will provide good-paying Montana mining jobs without harming our beautiful lands and will help unlock the high value of world class copper and silver. President Trump’s administration has proven yet again that they are committed to protecting Made-In-Montana energy and supporting Montana miners. I look forward to seeing the positive impacts this project will have on our state and our nation as we continue to unlock America’s full mining potential,” said Daines. Background: This decision comes after Daines sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service in February 2025 urging the approval of the Libby Exploration Project. Read the letter HERE. Daines spoke in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing about the importance of the project- watch it HERE. The Libby Exploration Project (formally the Montanore project in Lincoln County) is operated by Hecla Mining Company. The project will provide the necessary information to advance the project and ultimately unlock the value of a world class copper and silver deposit southwest of Libby, Montana. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/03/daines-on-newsmax-the-schumer-shutdown-is-political-theater/,Daines on Newsmax: The Schumer Shutdown is Political Theater,2025-10-03,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Newsmax to discuss the ongoing Schumer shutdown. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on how Democrats are keeping shutdown going: Daines: Well, we’re going to find out for sure in the next 90 minutes when these votes begin. Last night, I think there was some hope. There was some pretty good dialogue going on between some Democrat senators and Republicans, common sense type discussions about how we could move forward to get this clean CR passed, but I’m afraid the far left has captured that now, and I’m not as optimistic as I was last night. I’ve not seen such political theater here in Washington since Hamilton. I mean, this really is all about theatrics. It’s about the far-left side of the Democrat Party taking hostages within Democrat Senators. They really have. If you look at all the polling data, even Democrats, they’re split pretty evenly about this shutdown. Daines on Democrats are keeping the government shut down for political points: Daines: Well, certainly Chuck Schumer is in a terrible position. That Washington Post article, I’ll bet it was exactly right, they have flown into a box canyon. They’ve taken out hostage Now they don’t know what to do. They’re in difficult position these shutdowns as I’ve seen in the past, they start with a big bang they end with a whimper at some point. They’re going to realize there’s not a political objective or policy objective to be obtained. This is a very easy problem to solve all we need is five Democrat senators you join the rest of us as Republicans and vote yes here in 90 minutes and then you can start the negotiation moving forward in these spending bills between now and November 21st. This is exactly what is the standard mode of operation in Washington over many, many years, except for one thing has changed. Chuck Schumer is afraid of his political future. That’s why this truly is a Schumer shutdown. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/02/daines-on-fox-business-president-trumps-peace-through-strength-approach-is-working-abroad/,Daines on Fox Business: President Trump’s Peace Through Strength Approach is Working Abroad,2025-10-02,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Fox Business to discuss President Trump’s leadership in the ongoing conflicts in Israel and Ukraine. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on how President Trump’s peace deal will help end the war between Israel and Hamas: Daines: I just returned from a swing from the Middle East. I was in Israel, I was on the border with Gaza in Egypt at the Kerem Shalom port of entry where the humanitarian aid is going through with groups like the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, Samaritan’s Purse, they’re doing a great job to help the plight of the Palestinians. But boy, big credit goes to President Trump, to Steve Witkoff, to Marco Rubio, for framing this incredible peace deal that’s on the table and a big shout out to our Arab partners, the Arab nations. I was in Qatar and UAE as well last week. They’ve been doing a lot of behind-the-scenes work to actually bring an end to this conflict. What Greta Thunberg is doing, I mean, she is a climate activist. She’s pro-Hamas. She is undermining and risking this fragile peace deal at the moment that Hamas must accept. Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Trump, they’ve gone out on a limb right now with a 20-point peace plan. But this would do it. It releases all the hostages, the IDF withdraws out of Gaza, and then we put in place this peace board that President Trump would lead with Tony Blair, the Arab nation supporting. This is a moment we can’t miss, and this will really reveal the true colors of Hamas. If they want peace, they will accept this deal. Daines on why Hamas needs to accept President Trump’s peace deal: Daines: At this point, those details remain somewhat on the sensitive and quiet side. But I just cannot overemphasize the important role that Steve Witkoff has played, our Arab partners have played, behind the scenes to get to this point, the ball is entirely in Hamas’s court. They need to accept this peace deal. If they do not, you know what Prime Minister Netanyahu is going to do. He’s going to finish the job and eradicate Hamas because we will never have true peace in Gaza until Hamas either leaves or is eradicated forcefully. Daines on how Putin respects President Trump’s strength: Daines: Well, look, if you think about a football analogy, how many times could a football team win if they only had their defense on the field? You’ve got to have your offense on the field. And Vladimir Putin is not responding to any of the peace talks. He is not negotiating good faith. Putin understands one thing, and that’s force. He respects strength. The Ukraine war will only come to an end when Ukraine is in a position of strength. As you see, Putin has only escalated the tempo of this war following the Alaska meetings with President Trump. And so, I think it is an appropriate option to put on the table. That will be up to the Ukrainians to decide if they want to exercise it, but they need to have all the force needed to bring an end to this war. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/01/daines-discusses-need-certainty-in-taxcode-for-u-s-cryptocurrency-during-senate-finance-committee-hearing/,Daines Discusses Need for Certainty in Tax Code for U.S. Cryptocurrency During Senate Finance Committee Hearing,2025-10-01,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Lawrence Zlatkin in a Senate Finance Committee hearing about U.S. leadership in and taxation of cryptocurrency. Read the highlights below. Watch the full exchange HERE. Daines on U.S. leadership in cryptocurrency: Daines: Our country has played such an important role in the advancement of the digital asset industry. However, the uncertainty our digital asset industry now faces risks chilling innovation here at home and displacing U.S. leadership in cryptocurrency abroad. This is a global race and whoever goes the fastest is going to win. Without clear rules of the road, these taxpayers and innovators face ambiguity and are forced to rely on general tax principles and sub-regulatory guidance. If we don’t get our tax code right, we will lose our lead in this space. We’re going to push jobs and money overseas and stall any growth from this industry. When I fought for permanency in the One Big Beautiful Bill, American leadership was one of the main motivators. We won that battle a few months ago, and I’m going to ensure we win on this battle as well. More than 50 million Americans are invested in cryptocurrency, and as this number grows, the more important it becomes to deliver certainty and stability to the American people. Given the progress my colleagues and this Congress have made this year with passage of the GENIUS Act and the ongoing development of digital asset market structure legislation, this Committee needs to do our part to address the tax side of the ledger. That is why I am proud to announce that I’ve started working on putting together a framework that will provide much-needed clarity to protect American jobs, revenue, and competition. Daines on clarity for taxpayers: Daines: The SEC recently issued guidance allowing for exchange traded products, ETPs, to stake the crypto they hold. This follows other regulatory efforts this year by the SEC to increase access to crypto for everyday investors through cryptocurrency ETPs. These regulatory developments will result in more American taxpayers holding investments and ETPs, which I commend. As popularity around crypto ETP products grows, so too does the imperative of providing clarity and certainty to U.S. taxpayers by ensuring our tax code accommodates this unique and innovative feature offered by crypto focused products. For example, staking is a feature that underlies much of the value proposition for investing in proof of stake crypto and is an important incentive for investors. However, the current rules and limitations for grantor trusts do not contemplate novel concepts such as the staking of digital assets, leaving many taxpayers relying solely on advice from well-meaning accountants as to whether these tax structures are viable investment vehicles in the first place. Mr. Zlatkin, given your expertise in digital assets, can you explain why it’s important that any comprehensive crypto tax package that will cement U.S. leadership and innovation in digital assets provides certainty and clarity around the use of structures like grantor trusts for crypto ETPs? Zlatkin: This is actually a relatively simple fix. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/10/01/daines-on-america-reports-its-time-to-reopen-the-government-and-end-the-schumer-shutdown/,Daines on America Reports: It’s Time to Reopen the Government and End the Schumer Shutdown,2025-10-01,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"“Shutdowns begin with a bang. They end with a whimper.” U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined America Reports to discuss the Schumer Shutdown and how the American people agree that it is time to end the shutdown. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on the public opinion of the government shutdown: Daines: If you look at that poll and dig a little deeper, you’ll see that Democrats polled by the New York Times are divided about this shutdown, let alone independents and the American people. Two to one are saying a shutdown is a bad idea. But as further evidence, this is truly a Schumer shutdown. Chuck Schumer is worried about his political future. He’s worried about what happened last March when he voted to support a clean CR to prevent a shutdown. And now he’s against a clean CR. So, this is one of the greatest political stunts that I’ve seen in Washington, but sadly it comes at tremendous cost, in terms of disrupting services to the American people, stopping pay to our troops. But let’s be clear, President Trump wants to keep the government open. J.D. Vance wants to keep the government open. Senate Republicans do as well. It was good to see three Democrats join us in this last vote to open it up. Now, we just need five more Senate Democrats to join us, and we’ll put this mess behind us. Daines on internal disagreement within the Democrat party: Daines: The fact we’re just five Democrats away already shows the cracking that’s going on within the Democrats under incredible pressure. Look, I’ve been through a couple of shutdowns. I was here during the 2013 shutdown, the 2018 shut down. They begin with a bang. They end with a whimper. At some point, they realize keeping the hand on that hot stove is not a good idea. It becomes very painful. They’ve got to stop yielding to the radical left part of the Democrat Party, come to their senses and join us to be the adults in the room to have the clean CR that’s past the house. We have bipartisan support in the Senate. Five more Democrats and we’ll have this and then we can get back to negotiating between now and November 21st with your regular appropriations process to return to regular order and common sense back in Washington. Daines on the need to get rid of government shutdowns: Look, I remember that very well going back to 2013 when we had to endure a similar kind of pain. And that’s why we really should pass the legislation that Ron Johnson had on the floor this week and that is to eliminate government shutdowns. We should not allow a shutdown to be a hostage taken in negotiations when you’re upset about some policy outcome. You know we should do is we just suspend pay for members of Congress. If we get to a point where we can’t get all the appropriation bills done by the end of the fiscal year, put the pain back on members of Congress, not on the American people. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/30/daines-chairs-senate-foreign-relations-subcommittee-hearing-on-the-importance-of-central-asia-black-sea-for-u-s-energy-security/,Daines Chairs Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee Hearing on the Importance of Central Asia and Black Sea for Global Energy Security,2025-09-30,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today chaired a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing where he discussed the need for Europe to decrease dependence on Russia, energy security and the importance of the Black Sea. Watch his full opening remarks HERE. Daines: First I want to thank our three witnesses for being here today to share their expertise on such an important topic. And I just wanted to take a quick moment to thank the Ranking Member Senator Murphy, for his partnership on these issues as well as our work to repeal Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions on Central Asia. It is time to put these antiquated Soviet-era trade restrictions to bed and further strengthen U.S. relations with the region. I am very appreciative of his work on this issue and am looking forward to continuing to work with him on it. The Black Sea holds many of the keys for European security and U.S. national interests. A clearly defined Black Sea strategy is imperative to the United States effectively countering Russian aggression in Europe and elsewhere… …Energy security is national security. And this fact was made even more abundantly clear in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In some respects, Europe has made some positive changes, but the fact of the matter is that significant steps need to immediately be taken to protect Europe’s future. Reliance on Russia for energy supply is a recipe for European acquiescence to Russian influence and aggression. The Western side of the Black Sea presents a warning for the rest of the continent. The nations who border the Black Sea face profound challenges to their national security due to unreliable energy flows and lack of baseload power. They are all taking positive steps towards rectifying this situation, and their proactive action to address their insecurity should motivate the rest of Europe and encourage them to take steps to avoid a similar outcome. Now is the moment for practical energy solutions, which countries like Moldova, Romania, and Bulgaria are pursuing. The recent peace deal in the Caucasus uncorks Central Asia’s vast energy resources and creates a future wherein these resources as well as other sources of power, be it gas, oil, nuclear, hydro or others to build the reliable baseload power necessary for their economies and national security. The eastern side of the Black Sea holds many of the solutions to problems found on the western side. Now is the moment for further engagement and for the Western world to stand together and facilitate reliable energy flows that will help ensure a bright and more secure future for the region. Beyond energy, the eastern shore of the Black Sea promises huge opportunities for western commerce. The Caucasus and Central Asia contain large amounts of natural resources, much of which has not yet been fully utilized or even developed. Joint investment and westward trade flows will create a rising tide that truly lifts not just the countries of origin, but those along the trade route as well as Europe and the broader western world. What happens in Europe does not stay in Europe. Two World Wars have proven that fact. The United States must lead the rest of the world in fighting back against the encroachment of our adversaries. Without U.S. leadership and a secure Europe, we may once again find ourselves fighting a war, Cold or otherwise, to protect the values of democracy and universal human freedom. My sincere hope for this hearing is that we can openly and honestly discuss U.S. Black Sea strategy, the importance of the region for global security, and work towards truly a more cohesive, comprehensive U.S. policy towards the region. This critically important part of the world needs more attention from the United States and our allies, and I hope today serves as the beginning of that new conversation. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/30/daines-statement-on-schumer-shutdown/,Daines Statement on Schumer Shutdown,2025-09-30,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines released the below statement after Senate Democrats voted to shut down the federal government: “Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats showed their true colors when they ignored the best interests of the American people and voted to shut down the federal government tonight. Shutdowns do nothing but hurt our country- our brave service members will not get paid and millions of Montanans, including our veterans, will lose access to services they depend on. This shutdown is nothing but an attempt by Senate Democrats to score political points from their radical base, but the American people see right through it. I’ll keep fighting to reopen the government, so we can get back to work delivering wins for Montana and the nation.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/30/icymi-daines-op-ed-in-the-washington-times-supporting-made-in-montana-energy/,ICYMI: Daines Op-Ed in the Washington Times: Supporting Made-In-Montana Energy,2025-09-30,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines wrote an opinion piece about how to support Made-In-Montana energy. Read the highlights below. SEN STEVE DAINES: Supporting Made-In-Montana Energy Senator Steve Daines Washington Times September 30th, 2025 “Unleashing made-in-America energy has been a hallmark priority of the conservative movement for years. It bolsters our economy and provides millions of jobs. Most importantly, having strong domestic energy production decreases our reliance on foreign nations and protects our national security. The demand for U.S. energy is expected to grow at least 50% over the next 25 years. It’s critical that we do everything we can to support more made-in-America energy, so we are prepared for this growth in demand and maintain our energy dominance in an increasingly competitive global market and continue to bolster our workforce… …Montana is rich in natural resources and a net supplier of energy to the rest of the nation. We have more recoverable coal than any other state in the U.S. as well as abundant sources of crude oil and natural gas. Montana also has abundant renewable energy like hydropower, which provides the second largest share of electricity generation in our state… …Thanks to Montana’s unique geography, hydropower is an affordable and reliable source of baseload power in the Treasure State. Six of our ten major electric power plants run on hydropower. And uniquely, Montana is home to the first tribally owned electric plant in the U.S., on the Flathead River. It’s clear that hydropower is a critical source of energy produced in Montana and powering the nation… …But unfortunately, the relicensing program for hydropower dams can take nearly a decade- a product of D.C. bureaucracy that slows the process and harms Montana as a result… …Earlier this year I introduced S. 1020 with Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.), as well as my Republican colleagues Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy of Louisiana, Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and Tim Sheehy (Mont.), to approve six-year extensions for hydropower projects licensed before 2020. The bill will end construction delays due to supply chain shortages and keep these critical projects running… …I am confident that under the leadership of President Trump and his administration, and with a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate, we will be able to get these important permitting reforms in place. I look forward to working with my colleagues to further made-in-America energy and increase effective energy production.” Read the full op-ed in the Washington Times HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/23/icymi-daines-op-ed-in-lee-newspapers-the-abortion-pill-is-harmful-to-women/,ICYMI: Daines Op-Ed in Lee Newspapers: The Abortion Pill is Harmful to Women,2025-09-23,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines wrote an opinion piece about the dangers of the abortion pill that ran in Montana newspapers this week. Read highlights below. SEN STEVE DAINES: The Abortion Pill is Harmful to Women Senator Steve Daines Lee Newspapers September 23rd, 2025 “The abortion pill, easily sold over the counter at the local drug store or shipped out by mail, causes traumatic adverse effects for the women who take it. Yet the federal government lauds the pill as safe. Pro-abortion advocates call it “safe as Tylenol,” despite overwhelming evidence showing otherwise… …There is evidence that proves mifepristone is not safe, with numerous women reporting experiences of hemorrhaging, sepsis and infection. But because of lies pushed by pro-abortion advocates, what was once looked at as taboo is now performed on demand at any cost, flaunted, and even deemed a triumphant advance of our society. By repeating these claims, the very people who claim to care about women’s health endanger the lives of countless women in Montana and throughout the country… …A new study by the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) assessed the health insurance claims of 865,727 mifepristone prescriptions from 2017-2023. The insurance claims showed that nearly 11% of women who used mifepristone experienced serious adverse effects. This is 22 times higher than the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates. The data is a reflection of real-world insurance claims from real women who have used mifepristone. Clearly, the evidence shows this pill can have devastating impacts… …Unfortunately, the Lee Montana newspapers ignored these facts in a recent article (Sen. Daines cites ‘flawed’ abortion pill study during RFK Jr. hearing) and instead chose to use pro-abortion sources to denounce this evidence from EPPC as “flawed.” By doing so, they misrepresent the dangers of the abortion pill to thousands of Montana women… …I am encouraged by President Trump and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s promises to look into this issue and I’ll continue to work with the administration to protect women and fight for the most vulnerable in our society… …I am confident that with continued advocacy about the dangers of mifepristone coupled with the efforts of pro-life groups across Montana, we will once again return to a point where our culture respects the dignity in every life, born and unborn, and where abortion is unthinkable.” Read the full op-ed in the Billings Gazette HERE, the Missoulian HERE, the Montana Standard HERE, the Ravalli Republic HERE, and Helena Independent Record HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/19/daines-introduces-bill-to-protect-religious-liberty-for-montana-college-students/,Daines Introduces Bill to Protect Religious Liberty for Montana College Students,2025-09-19,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – Senator Steve Daines introduced the “Equal Campus Access Act of 2025” to protect religious liberty for college students and ensure that religious student organizations are not discriminated against on campus. “America would not be the land of the free without our fundamental right to freedom of religion, and our college campuses should be the strongest defenders of these rights. This bill makes certain that public colleges treat religious student organizations the same as every other student group. Now more than ever, our nation needs students to live out and share their faith together. I’m proud to stand behind this bill,” said Daines. Read the full text of the bill HERE. Background: Daines is a strong supporter of religious freedom and led a resolution designating January 16th as Religious Freedom Day- read the press release HERE. Read more of Daines’ work to protect religious liberty HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/18/daines-introduces-bill-to-support-montana-moms-help-prevent-stillbirths/,"Daines Introduces Bill to Support Montana Moms, Help Prevent Stillbirths",2025-09-18,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced the bipartisan “SHINE for Autumn Act” to support mothers and reduce stillbirths by improving data reporting standards, developing guidelines, and raising awareness for families and health care providers. “Stillbirth is a tragedy faced by thousands of moms and families every year, both in Montana and throughout the nation. I’m glad to join my colleagues on this bipartisan bill to help expand research, education, and data collection surrounding stillbirths, so we can save lives and provide hope for stillbirth families,” said Daines. Read the bill text HERE. Background: The “SHINE for Autumn Act” aims to bridge gaps in stillbirth data, research, and education by: Providing grants to states to support consistent, secure data collection, assessment, and reporting on stillbirth and risk factors; Strengthening privacy protections to ensure sensitive health data is protected; and Directing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with health care providers, to develop best practices and educational materials for state health departments on stillbirth data collection and prevention strategies. The SHINE for Autumn Act is named in honor of Autumn Joy, who was born still on July 8, 2011. Her mother, Debbie Haine Vijayvergiya, has spent more than a decade advocating for families and giving a voice to the stillbirth community. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/18/daines-reacts-to-president-trumps-visit-to-the-u-k-on-newsmax/,Daines Reacts to President Trump’s Visit to the U.K. on Newsmax,2025-09-18,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Applauds New Technology Prosperity Deal U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Newsmax’s National Report to discuss President Trump’s visit to the United Kingdom and react to the new Technology Prosperity Deal signed by President Trump and Prime Minister Starmer this morning. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on how President Trump is strengthening the U.S.-U.K. partnership: America is the most powerful nation in the world, and we have the most powerful leader in the world in President Trump. I’m so proud of what President Trump is doing, [and] Secretary Bessent. They’re going on our allies’ turf. The UK is one of our great allies. Strengthening these relationships is so important. They announced a $200 billion deal that involves AI, involves quantum computing, and nuclear energy. This is exactly what we need at this moment in time in our history and the world’s history-bringing allies closer together in a world that’s increasingly dangerous. Think about the threats of China, of Iran, of North Korea, Venezuela. It’s the good guys that he’s pulling together, and we need that. Think about China, they are graduating 10 times more engineers every year than we are here in the United States. I’m a chemical engineer by degree and very pro-STEM education. One way we can help raise our competitiveness to compete long-term with China is to bring our allies closer together. President Trump’s doing exactly the right thing with this visit… … This says a lot about President Trump. He didn’t bring the Prime Minister to the United States for this meeting. He went onto their turf. That’s the sign of a great leader. President Trump right now, as I travel the world, I’ll be heading back overseas next week. I’m meeting with a lot of the Presidents and Prime Ministers around the world. Let me tell you something, the guy in the greatest demand in the world to have a meeting with or a phone call with is President Trump. He’s doing a great job of being a wonderful ambassador for the United States, projecting our strength, but also strengthening relationships. Daines on the legacy of Charlie Kirk: This is a very personal issue for so many of us. I’ve known Charlie Kirk since he was a teenager. He would come to Montana in his early years. Some of his early financial supporters were actually in Montana. He had a tremendous influence on me personally, on our children and our entire family. But what’s so troubling is the reaction to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, as it’s taken the temperature up on the left in terms of their response. And it’s heartbreaking when you think about this moment when Erika is grieving, now two children without a father, Charlie Kirk’s parents. It’s sickening to see the response, whether it’s comedians on TV or others who have a view that’s left of center. And I think it’s a moment of time that we should be reflecting on the appropriate response in terms of this terrible tragedy that’s hit our nation. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/16/daines-applauds-blm-for-supporting-mt-energy-increasing-oil-and-gas-lease-sales/,"Daines Applauds BLM for Supporting MT Energy, Increasing Oil and Gas Lease Sales",2025-09-16,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines released the below statement following the news that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) secured over $38 million in an oil and gas lease sale, including 23 parcels in Montana and North Dakota. “The announcement from the BLM shows that President Trump’s administration is committed to commonsense policies that are in the best interests of Montana energy. The BLM has focused on expanding America’s energy dominance, which benefits Montana’s economy and provides well-paying jobs for our communities. Thank you President Trump and Secretary Burgum for unlocking these oil and gas lease sales in the Big Beautiful Bill, which will have a lasting benefit in our state,” said Daines. Background: Unlocking increased oil and gas lease sales was a key priority for Daines in the One Big Beautiful Bill, which President Trump signed into law on July 4th, 2025. His “Supporting Made in America Energy Act” requires four annual onshore lease sales in top oil and gas producing states, including Montana. Read more HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/16/icymi-daines-op-ed-in-the-daily-caller-a-roadmap-for-the-u-s-israel-alliance/,ICYMI: Daines Op-Ed in the Daily Caller: A Roadmap for the U.S.-Israel Alliance,2025-09-16,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines wrote an opinion piece about the future of the U.S.-Israel relationship that was published in the Daily Caller. Read highlights below. SEN STEVE DAINES: A Roadmap For The U.S.-Israel Alliance Senator Steve Daines The Daily Caller September 16th, 2025 I travelled to Israel this past weekend, and with the two-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 atrocities approaching, it’s important to remember what happened, reflect on where the conflict stands, and offer suggestions for where we go from here… …Oct. 7 was the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and murdered 1,200 people from 41 countries, including 39 Americans. They raped women, beheaded men, burned babies alive in ovens and took 255 people hostage, including 12 Americans… …Hamas is funded by the political leadership of Iran, the world’s largest state sponsor of terror. Iran’s top priority is to annihilate Israel… …The soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces have been a model for bravery and courage as they defend their homeland and freedom. It’s important to note that the IDF has soldiers of every faith and political persuasion. Conservatives and liberals, Jews, Christians, Druze, and Muslims fight shoulder to shoulder… …This is the way of the Israelis. And unlike their enemies, they do not target innocent civilians or use hospitals for military headquarters… …To date, Israel has recovered 135 hostages, many in daring raids. It has destroyed the leadership structure of the Hezbollah network, an Iranian proxy, and used explosives in pagers and walkie-talkies to kill Hezbollah fighters. Rooting out the source of extremism and violence, they have killed other enemies in Tehran, Damascus, and Beirut… …In a short amount of time, through unique skill and strength, Israel has neutralized many threats to peace in the Near East… …America must continue to stand with its staunchest and oldest ally in the Middle East. If we don’t, we give evil a chance to triumph. Read Daines’ full op-ed in the Daily Caller HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/15/daines-meets-with-israeli-prime-minister-benjamin-netanyahu/,Daines Meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,2025-09-15,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Attends Ceremony Unveiling Pilgrim’s Road U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. He also attended the unveiling ceremony of the “Pilgrim’s Road” at the City of David National Park with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “It was an honor and privilege to travel to Israel this weekend and convey my support to Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli people. As we approach the two-year anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in Israel’s history, it’s important to remember that there will not be peace in Israel or Gaza until Hamas is eradicated and every single hostage is returned. The United States must stand with Israel. “It was also an honor to attend the unveiling ceremony of the Pilgrim’s Road, one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the world. To see firsthand the steps that Jesus walked on and the Pool of Siloam where he healed the blind man was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/15/daines-on-fox-news-charlie-kirk-was-a-martyr-martyrs-create-movements/,Daines on Fox News: “Charlie Kirk was a Martyr. Martyrs Create Movements.”,2025-09-15,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined Brian Kilmeade on Fox News’ One Nation on Sunday evening. They discussed the impact that Charlie Kirk had on the nation as well as foreign policy developments in China and South America. Watch their full exchange HERE. Daines on the legacy of Charlie Kirk: This was one of these moments in life for the Daines family that was a profound moment. My children were deeply affected in a positive way by Charlie Kirk and had friendships with him. We all had our family pictures and we got them out standing with Charlie at Montana State University. What a terrible, terrible loss for the country. But you ask yourself, how do we move forward in this moment with incredible division to take the temperature down? Charlie Kirk was an example of somebody who was doing exactly that. When he would go on campuses, he didn’t tell the students who opposed him what to believe. He asked them questions. He said, “What do you think?” He was always throwing it back to them so they would clarify their positions. And I think it’s very important that we don’t back away. This is a time to advance. Charlie Kirk is a martyr. Martyrs create movements. We need more of this dialogue on our college campuses. But we can do that in a way like Charlie did. It was thoughtful dialogue. He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t shout and scream. He just talked in a thoughtful way, asking questions, continuing to stand for the truth. Going back to our Declaration of Independence, remember we said, “We hold these truths to be self-evident.” What Charlie painted was the truth…endowed by our Creator. He brought the intersection of faith and politics in a way that was winsome, it was attractive, and he did it in a Socratic way of asking questions of what the other side believed to help them see falses in their beliefs… …I was around campaigning for President Trump in ’24, working to win the Senate races that gave the majority to the President so we could move forward his cabinet and the Big Beautiful Bill and so forth, people would ask me, “What’s the secret with young people on college campuses and young adults?” I had a two-word answer: “Charlie Kirk.” He was doing that when he continued what his efforts were producing. Daines on Trump’s strong leadership in regards to China: I spent five years working in China when I was in the private sector for Procter & Gamble launching brands into China to compete. I’ve made several visits as a U.S. Senator into China meeting with officials. I was there in March in Beijing meeting with the Premier, so I’ve been engaged with China issues for a long time. But let’s come back to a fundamental fact. Joe Biden was a weak president and adversaries will exploit weakness. The Chinese respect President Trump because he is strong. He has strong leaders like Secretary Hegseth, like Secretary Rubio, like Ambassador David Perdue in Beijing, who used to work in Hong Kong once upon a time. President Trump has an all-star lineup. And they also see the world through what I’ll call moral clarity in terms of the issues. And what’s very encouraging is Secretary Hegseth just last week had a call with his counterpart in China, Admiral Dong Jun. So you’ve got to keep this dialogue going back and forth. Daines on U.S.-South America relationships: …There’s a battle right now for our hemisphere. Secretary Hegseth is correct. We’ve got to continue to strengthen our relationship as we look south into South America and Latin America- bring them closer to us. They want to work more directly and closely with us. It’s very important that we stay strong in our own hemisphere. I could believe completely in Secretary Hegseth in his position. This is truly about peace and strength. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/12/daines-on-the-hugh-hewitt-show-remembering-the-legacy-of-charlie-kirk/,Daines on the Hugh Hewitt Show: Remembering the Legacy of Charlie Kirk,2025-09-12,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"“Charlie was Bold, Unafraid, and Humble” U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined the Hugh Hewitt Show on Salem News Network to remember and honor Charlie Kirk’s legacy. Read the highlights below. Watch their full exchange HERE. Daines: Charlie Kirk had a big influence on my life, on my wife’s life, on my children’s lives. I’m grateful our children are solid in their faith and their worldview and their politics. And I can tell you, it’s leaders like Charlie Kirk who absolutely impacted our family. There was nobody quite like him. And when you see what he did on university campuses…. he’d been in Montana many times. In fact, some of his early starts were out here in the West…now-Governor Greg Gianforte, but back then, my colleague in a software business, we were in the software together, Greg was one of those early supporters of Charlie as a teenager when nobody knew who Charlie Kirk was. So we just had had an early insight into this guy back when Charlie was not a household name. .. …The way he would go on university campuses, and he would engage with I would call the Socratic teaching philosophy, which is asking questions of his adversaries versus telling them what to believe, was a really important part of Charlie as a “winsome warrior,” confronting the radical ideologies that are so toxic on our university campuses today. And Charlie was one of these- bold, unafraid, humble, but as they called him, tender-hearted lion. That’s Charlie Kirk… …And I remember when I was campaigning with President Trump in the ’24 election, when I was running the NRSC in this last cycle, making sure we got the [Senate] majority back for Republicans. When people would ask me, they would say, “How are we going to win the youth vote? How are we going to influence this next generation to embrace the ideals, the foundations of this great country called the United States of America?” I always had a two-word answer, and it was Charlie Kirk… …You could see the maturation. Not only in the way he presented his case, frankly, through a lot of just trial and error over and over on the campuses, refining the way he engaged the radical left. But I also saw deepening in his faith. He just became increasingly more anchored in his faith, which despite the popularity and the success he experienced…he never lost sight of who he served, ultimately, his Savior, and it kept him humble and grounded. You saw that as a loving husband, an amazing father, those two sweet children, and at the end of the day, I always think that people only believe what they discover for themselves, and that’s why Charlie was effective. He brought people who were opposed to his ideas through a process of self -discovery by using that Socratic teaching methodology. He helped them articulate what they really believed. And through that process, he was almost like an evangelist in terms of for conservative thinking, but also for faith. That intersection made him uniquely, uniquely effective across campuses in the United States. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/11/daines-applauds-trump-administration-for-advancing-relationships-with-central-asia/,Daines Applauds Trump Administration for Advancing Relationships with Central Asia,2025-09-11,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Also Calls for Repeal of Outdated Jackson-Vanik Trade Restrictions U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Sergio Gor, nominee to be Ambassador to India and special envoy to South and Central Asia and Herschel Walker, nominee to be Ambassador of The Bahamas. Daines stressed the importance of United States diplomatic engagement in Central Asia and the need to overturn outdated Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions. Daines also emphasized the need to reduce the flow of narcotics into the United States through the Bahamas. Watch the full exchange HERE. Daines emphasized the need to increase investment and cooperation in Central Asia: Daines: Mr. Gor, it’s good to see you here today. Congratulations on your nomination. There’s a lot of talk about India, certainly, as you will be, if confirmed, the next ambassador. I’m confident you will be the next ambassador in India. But you also carry another very important role, and that’s the Special Envoy to the President, to both Central Asia and South Asia. I just want to bring Central Asia back into the forefront here in this Foreign Relations Committee. I don’t think it gets enough attention and talk. And while we have this moment, I want to jump into Central Asia, some of the questions there. We spoke the other day about how U.S. adversaries are really undermining the increased US engagement we’re seeing today in Central Asia. And clearly, that breakthrough peace agreement that President Trump led between Azerbaijan and Armenia is one of these moments. It’s been under-reported, in my opinion, under-appreciated, but significant geopolitically in the ramifications it will have for Central Asia. Question for you, Mr. Gor, how important is it to show our allies in Central Asia that the United States is turning the page from the last administration and is now looking towards real investments and stronger cooperation in the region? Gor: Senator, thank you for your question. It is vitally important. Daines: Thank you, Mr. Gor. And having visited all five of the Central Asian countries in the last 18 months, met with the Presidents of each in their respective capitals, there was one common thread. There were several common threads, but one was their great respect and appreciation of President Trump. They truly want to engage. They think so highly of the president. It’s a great opportunity for us. And I’m grateful to see both the President and yourself engaging more now in Central Asia. Gor: I appreciate that, Senator….we’re fully committed to that relationship. Daines on repealing the outdated Jackson-Vanik policy: Daines: And one of the specific issues that always gets brought up is certainly the outdated policies of Jackson-Vanik. That was a Soviet-era type policy that really serves no purpose today as we move forward. Senator Chris Murphy and I have been working on this in Congress in a bipartisan way to repeal it. And I look forward to working with you in your special envoy capacity of Central Asia to see if we can get Jackson-Vanik repealed and we’re working with the Chairman as well. That’s going to be one of the top topics. It shows a lot of respect I think for Central Asia and the fact they’ve moved on from the Soviet area of the past. Gor: You’re 100 percent right. Daines on curbing the flow of narcotics into the U.S.: Daines: Mr. Walker it’s good to see you here today. Thank you for your willingness to serve as Ambassador to the Bahamas. I’ll cut right to the chase. As you know as Ambassador, you’re going to be working to strengthen this relationship with the Bahamas and with our government. Can you work to build an even stronger law enforcement and counter-narcotic relationship between the United States and the Bahamas and work to stem the tide of this poison that’s entering our country? Walker: Thank you for your question Senator…I can commit to that. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/11/daines-emphasizes-need-to-boost-tribal-energy-in-senate-indian-affairs-hearing/,Daines Emphasizes Need to Boost Tribal Energy in Senate Indian Affairs Hearing,2025-09-11,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines spoke with Mr. David Conrad, Acting Director and Deputy Director of the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs at the U.S. Department of Energy. Daines emphasized the need to expand energy production in tribal communities and the importance of the Crow Revenue Act and the Crow Tribe Water Settlement Amendment Act, which will promote tribal sovereignty and enhance economic development. Watch the full exchange HERE. Daines emphasized the need to expand energy production in tribal communites: Daines: The purpose of today’s hearing is to discuss unleashing Indian energy. It’s a great topic. We’ve been talking about this for a lot of years in Montana, and it’s very much in line with President Trump’s goal of securing American energy dominance. We need more reliable, affordable energy. I remember the days before AI, when you meet with the great tech leaders in this country the first thing they would talk about is that one of their constraints was not enough skilled software developers and programmers to meet the needs of these growing businesses. Today, the number one issue they bring up is energy and not enough energy. And no matter whose numbers you look at, it’s somewhere between 50-80 percent more power we’re going to need in the next 20 years than what we currently use today. But reliable affordable energy is critical, not only just to meet the needs of the economy going forward, but for economic development, and particularly in some of our rural communities in Montana on our seven Indian reservations. As we say in Montana, it’s a beautiful state. Grateful I got to grow up there and still call it home, But oftentimes, you speak with Montanans and they say we’ve got poverty with a view. We’ve got to do better here [Montana] in economic development. And by enhancing an all -of-the-above energy portfolio centered on baseload power sources, that can mean the difference between life and death during some of our bitter winter months. Montana has seen a number of success stories coming from important collaborations between tribes and the Department of Energy, the Office of Indian Energy was helpful in providing the Confederated, Salish, and Kootenai tribes with funding and technical assistance to acquire the operation of the SKQ Dam. This helped the tribe create a number of very good high-paying jobs, generating affordable hydroelectric renewable power to sell on the open market. The Crow tribe in southeastern Montana are also trying to expand their energy capacity. Montana sits on the largest recoverable coal reserves in the nation. We’re famous for a lot of things, great skiing, wonderful streams to fly fish on, but some folks don’t recognize that Montana has more recoverable coal than any state in the United States. There’s also large tracks on the Crow Reservation. My good friend Chairman Frank Whiteclay of the Crow Tribe will tell you that coal mining is a crucial economic driver for his tribe. The Crow Revenue Act would authorize a land swap to allow the tribe to control subsurface holdings within their reservation. This would put the tribe in the driver’s seat to make decisions about their own land, a very important word called sovereignty, and provide a key revenue stream to promote economic development. The Crow are also eager to develop hydropower capabilities on the Yellowtail Afterbay dam. The Crow Tribe Water Settlement Amendments Act extends the hydropower authorization with the Bureau of Reclamation to ensure the tribe has enough time to complete the project and this is key because time is running out. Daines on the importance of increasing energy revenues in tribal communities: Daines: First question is for Deputy Director Conrad. Would you agree that increasing energy revenues, no matter the source, is important for tribes to both bolster their economies and enhance tribal sovereignty? Conrad: Thank you, Senator, for the question. And yes, of course. Daines: A follow-up on that, thank you. Would you agree and support our efforts that Congress should pass legislation that would allow tribes to develop their own resources, whether it’s coal or hydropower? Conrad: Absolutely. It’s that tenant of tribal sovereignty and tribal energy sovereignty that they have The right to develop what they have for the benefit of their people. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/10/daines-applauds-doi-rules-to-restore-multiple-land-use-increase-montana-timber-sales/,"Daines Applauds DOI Rules to Restore Multiple Land Use, Increase Montana Timber Sales",2025-09-10,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines released the below statement following the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)’s proposal to rescind the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Public Lands Rule and restore multiple-use land management. Daines also applauded the DOI’s recent action to increase timber sales in Montana. “President Trump and Secretary Burgum are bringing back commonsense land management policies that will benefit Montana farmers, ranchers, and producers. The harmful Public Lands Rule would have blocked access to use of public lands for outdoor recreation and also would have restricted energy production, grazing, and forest management. By rescinding the Public Lands Rule and unlocking more timber sales in Montana, we’ll be better able to manage our forests and prevent catastrophic wildfires. President Trump is committed to Treasure State priorities and this is welcome news,” said Daines. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/10/icymi-daines-op-ed-in-fox-news-americas-national-parks-are-at-a-crossroads-heres-how-congress-can-protect-them/,ICYMI: Daines Op-Ed in Fox News: America’s National Parks Are at a Crossroads. Here’s How Congress Can Protect Them,2025-09-10,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines co-wrote an opinion piece with Senator Angus King (I-Maine) that was published by Fox News this morning. America’s National Parks Are at a Crossroads. Here’s How Congress Can Protect Them Senators Steve Daines, Angus King Fox News September 10th, 2025 From Acadia’s rocky Atlantic coastline to Glacier’s snowcapped valleys, our national parks are America’s crown jewels, admired at home and abroad. Our parks represent more than natural beauty, however. They embody our history, our freedoms and our future. It’s our responsibility to ensure they remain a critical part of these shared values… … All of these places, large and small, tell the story of America: where families gather to camp and fish, where veterans reflect at historic battlefields and where local economies thrive on outdoor recreation and tourism. In recent years, we’ve made progress toward maintaining the national parks to make them safer, more modern and better equipped to handle hundreds of millions of visitors each year — all thanks to the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF), a federal program dedicated to repairing and restoring our parks. But the LRF is set to expire Sept. 30, 2025, and there is much more work to be done to honor the heritage and history the parks represent, especially ahead of America’s 250th anniversary. That is why we introduced the America the Beautiful Act to reauthorize the LRF. It continues the vision Congress advanced with the Great American Outdoors Act and builds on the strong bipartisan consensus that preserving our parks and public lands is a duty we all share — and a natural investment… …As we approach America’s 250th birthday, Congress has the chance to reaffirm a bipartisan promise by passing the America the Beautiful Act: to protect the lands, history and freedoms that unite us as a nation. Let’s not let this opportunity pass. Read the full piece on Fox News HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/09/daines-on-fox-business-there-will-be-no-peace-until-hamas-is-eradicated/,Daines on Fox Business: There will be No Peace Until Hamas is Eradicated,2025-09-09,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Reacts to Israel’s Latest Air Strikes Against Hamas Terrorists U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Fox Business to discuss Israel’s attack on senior Hamas leadership. Daines also discussed the need to eradicate Hamas in order to finally bring peace to the Middle East. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on Israel’s attack on Hamas leadership: I think we have to step back and remember we’re coming up on the two -year anniversary of October 7th, 2023, when Hamas launched the worst terror attack in Israel’s history, slaughtering 1,200 innocent Israelis and taking 300 hostages. There will not be peace in Gaza or in Israel until Hamas is eradicated. That is a cancer that must be eradicated. Imagine for a moment, Stuart, that 40 miles away from Washington, D.C., you had terrorists. That’s how far Gaza is from Tel Aviv, about 50 miles from Jerusalem. Imagine if we had a bunch of terrorists 40 miles from Washington who slaughtered 1,200 Americans and took 300 hostages. We would not hesitate for a moment to eradicate the source of the threat. That’s Hamas. Israel’s exactly right in taking the fight to Hamas, eradicating the cancer. Until they do that, you’re not going to see peace and relief for the Palestinians as well as for the Israelis. Daines on the end of the war and why Israel has every right to defend itself: Well, I think we all hope and pray the sooner the better, but ultimately, we’ve got to allow Israel to do what it needs to do to protect herself. It’s right in her neighborhood. Forty miles from Tel Aviv is where Gaza is, and until Hamas is eradicated, there will not be peace, there will not be any kind of restoration of normalcy. That’s why Israel needs to be allowed to take the fight to Hamas and eradicate Hamas. Daines on Zohran Mamdani’s radical views on Hamas: It’s just chilling, frightening, when you think about somebody who could be the next mayor of New York with those kinds of values, and a complete lack of any kind of moral clarity. That’s why I’m thankful of President Trump, for Marco Rubio, for Bibi Netanyahu. They have moral clarity in this moment, and they know who the good guys are, and the bad guys are. Look, the bad guys are Hamas. They need to be eradicated. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T15:07:37Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/05/daines-heinrich-zinke-fernandez-call-for-completion-of-tribal-water-settlements/,"Daines, Heinrich, Zinke, Fernandez Call for Completion of Tribal Water Settlements",2025-09-05,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) as well as Representatives Ryan Zinke (MT-01) and Teresa Leger Fernandez (N.M.-03) led a letter to Leader John Thune, Speaker Mike Johnson, and additional chairs and ranking members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives calling for the completion of current outstanding water settlements and related technical amendments. “We write as members representing states and districts with pending Indian water rights settlements. Completion of these settlements will save taxpayers millions of dollars, provide water access and certainty to Tribal and non-Tribal water users across the West, avoid years of protracted and costly litigation, and support the United States’ trust responsibility to Indian Country. We urge you to prioritize passage of these bills and utilize an extension of Customs User Fees to offset the costs of those that require new spending,” they wrote in the letter. Senators Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), as well as Representatives Troy Downing (MT-02), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), and Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) also joined the letter. Read the full letter HERE. Background: The Northern Montana Water Security Act is the last remaining water settlement in Montana. Daines has been advocating for its completion- read his recent remarks in a Senate Indian Affairs committee hearing HERE. In January 2025, Daines led the Montana delegation in introducing the “Northern Montana Water Security Act.” Read the release HERE. The Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act would make technical adjustments to the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2009 to ensure the Crow Tribe can successfully implement its water rights settlement. It will give the Crow Tribe the necessary flexibility to deliver clean water to the reservation and complete critical energy development projects without reopening the existing settlement. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/05/daines-warner-crapo-warnock-introduce-bill-to-increase-economic-prosperity-strengthen-cdfi-fund/,"Daines, Warner, Crapo, Warnock Introduce Bill to Increase Economic Prosperity, Strengthen CDFI Fund",2025-09-05,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) today introduced the bipartisan “CDFI Fund Transparency Act.” The bill will ensure operations surrounding the CDFI fund are more transparent. “CDFIs play a critical role in helping hardworking families in Montana, especially those in rural or underserved communities, gain access to the opportunities they need for financial success. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan amendment that will help boost economic development and ensure transparency surrounding the operations of the CDFI fund,” said Daines. “Since its inception over three decades ago, the CDFI Fund has played a crucial role in fostering economic growth in low-income and rural communities across Virginia. By requiring greater oversight over the program, this bipartisan bill will boost accountability and transparency, allowing the Fund to better serve communities,”said Warner. “CDFIs play an important role in Idaho and nationwide. Transparency around the CDFI Fund will enhance public trust in these vital institutions and ensure they are available to fuel economic growth for years to come,”said Crapo. “I’ve worked hard in the Senate to serve American consumers, especially those from low-income, underserved, and rural communities, and the institutions that serve them, like CDFIs. Putting people at the center of good public policy translates to economic opportunities in our state and transparency is critical to ensure the CDFI fund program is working as intended. I’m proud to work across the aisle on this bipartisan effort,” said Warnock. Read the bill text HERE. Statement of Support: “Transparency builds trust among decision makers and the public. The Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund plays a critical role in strengthening vulnerable Americans, low-income and underserved communities—it must remain focused on its mission. To ensure that accountability and trust remain strong, we thank Senator Daines for introducing the CDFI Fund Transparency Act. The provisions within this bill are essential to ensuring the CDFI Fund continues its impact for millions of Americans in need, and we urge Congress to advance and pass this legislation.” – Jim Nussle, President/CEO of America’s Credit Unions Background: Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) play a critical role in bringing capital and financial services to a wide range of small businesses, homeowners and housing developers. The “CDFI Fund Transparency Act” would require the Secretary of the Treasury to testify annually before the Senate Banking and House Financial Services Committees regarding the operations of the CDFI Fund during the previous fiscal year. Daines is a member of the bipartisan Senate CDFI Caucus and has strongly supported efforts to strengthen CDFI programs. In August 2025 Daines joined his colleagues in sending a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging the disbursement of $324 million in congressionally-appropriated funding from the CDFI Fund. Daines also co-sponsored an additional amendment in the NDAA that would expand codified language impacting CDFIs and extend the CDFI Bond Guarantee Program for four years and lower the bond amount from $100 million to $25 million. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/04/daines-encourages-energy-regulatory-commission-to-focus-on-economic-and-safety-regulation-not-climate/,"Daines Encourages Energy Regulatory Commission to Focus on Economic and Safety Regulation, Not Climate",2025-09-04,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Lauds Montana Hydropower U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Laura Swett and David LaCerte, nominees to be members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), about FERC’s mission as an economic and safety regulator. Daines also emphasized the need for hydropower permitting reform. Watch the full exchange HERE. Daines on FERC’s mission: Daines: The FERC’s mission, as stated on their website, is, and I quote, “To assist consumers in containing reliable, safe, secure, and economically efficient energy.” FERC is not and should not be a climate regulator. FERC is and should remain an independent body that focuses on safety and economics and stays true to the mission. My first question is for both – Ms. Swett and Mr. LaCerte. And it’s been the same for many of the FERC nominees that have come before this committee over the past several years. It’s a yes or no question. Do you agree that FERC’s primary mission is to be an economic and safety regulator? Swett: Yes. LaCerte: Yes. Daines on the need for hydropower permitting reform: Daines: Hydropower provides the second largest share of electricity generation in Montana. It’s a wonderful source of renewable energy and baseload power, and a very affordable and reliable power. Many of the existing dams are currently undergoing relicensing. Unfortunately, the existing process is broken and can take nearly a decade to relicense a hydropower dam that has been operating for four decades. I’ve worked long and hard in this committee to make changes to that process. This includes modest changes to speed up the process, focus it on the actual effects of the project moving forward instead of a wish list of mandatory conditions from agencies and outside stakeholders. My question again for Ms. Swett and Mr. LacCerte, do you agree that we need to speed up licensing and relicensing for hydropower in order to continue to grow and maintain renewable baseload sources? Swett: Given our unprecedented demand that we’re facing, getting every single molecule of electricity on the grid is of tantamount importance. LaCerte: I acknowledge that hydro is an important component of our energy mix, and we need to do a better job of not only of the licensing for hydro, but across the board. Daines on supporting Made-In-America energy: Daines: If we’re going to meet demands, we simply need more of virtually every energy source. We simply need to be building more, which includes permitting more and trying to accelerate, getting, as you said, more of these electrons on the grid, more natural gas, more coal, more hydropower, more nuclear, more geothermal, more wind, more solar, we need more electrons. I encourage the nominees to keep that in the back, and I might argue the front, of your minds when you’re making decisions on the future of U.S. energy policy. So thank you for being before this committee today and for being willing to serve in these very important roles for our great country. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T15:07:37Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/04/daines-heinrich-king-introduce-bill-to-support-medical-students/,"Daines, Heinrich, King Introduce Bill to Support Medical Students",2025-09-04,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Provides Equal Opportunities for Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines, Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Angus King (I-Maine) today introduced the “Fair Access in Residency” Act. This bill would address disparities and barriers within Medicare-funded Graduate Medical Education (GME) programs that often exclude or impose undue burdens on DOs. “DOs are essential to the physician workforce and provide millions of people in Montana and across the nation with quality care. DOs put in countless hours of hard work and personal sacrifice to help others, but often face unnecessary barriers when applying for residency programs. I’m glad to work with my colleagues on the FAIR Act, which will increase transparency into Medicare-funded residency programs and help expand access for DOs, so we have more doctors serving our country,” said Daines. “New Mexicans already face too many barriers to accessing care, especially in rural and Tribal communities. We cannot afford to leave qualified medical students on the sidelines because of outdated barriers in the residency process. The bipartisan FAIR Act will bring greater transparency and fairness to residency programs, helping ensure that both DO and MD students have equal opportunity to complete their training and serve patients. By opening the door to more highly trained physicians, this bill will help strengthen our health care workforce and expand access to care for New Mexicans,” said Heinrich. “Osteopathic medicine is one of the fastest growing health professions in the United States, including in Maine, and is integral to our state’s health workforce. The FAIR Act is a commonsense measure, aimed at ensuring fairness in the medical residency process and affirming that residency candidates graduated from osteopathic schools have an equal shot at these positions. Expanding access to residency slots for Dos means expanding access to healthcare, and primary care in particular, for those in the most rural communities to those in our major urban centers,” said King. Read the bill text HERE. Statements of Support: “It is difficult to overstate the importance of the Senate’s FAIR Act introduction. Having both congressional chambers advance this bill brings us one step closer to parity for DOs and improved access to healthcare for communities across the country, especially those in rural and underserved areas. AACOM deeply appreciates the leadership and support of Senators Daines, Heinrich and King in championing this vital effort.”— AACOM President and CEO Robert A. Cain, DO “Rocky Vista University and the Montana College of Osteopathic Medicine proudly support the Fair Access in Residency (FAIR) Act. This legislation is essential to ensuring that qualified DO graduates have equitable access to federally funded residency programs, alongside their MD peers. At a time when Montana and communities across the nation face growing physician shortages, the FAIR Act will help us continue fulfilling our mission of educating tomorrow’s healthcare leaders. We are proud to stand alongside Senator Daines in support of this critical effort to strengthen the physician workforce and improve the health of communities here in Montana and across the country.” – Dean John E. Moore, DO, MPH, DABFM, DABOFP, FAAFP “At TouroCOM-MT, we are proud to support Senator Daines’ leadership on the FAIR Act, which ensures our students are evaluated on their merits and have equal access to residency opportunities. By recognizing COMLEX-USA and USMLE equally, this legislation removes unnecessary barriers for future physicians and helps Montana address its critical shortage of rural healthcare providers.” – Interim Associate Dean Stephanie Zeszutek, DO, FACOG, RPh Background: The FAIR Act would require all hospitals participating in Medicare-funded graduate medical education (GME) programs to annually report to HHS the number of DO and medical doctor (MD) applicants and accepted residents, and to affirm that DO applications and the COMLEX licensing exam are accepted for consideration of residency. The bill does not federalize medical education or impose quotas on any residency programs. Montana is home to two colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Rocky Vista University in Billings and Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Great Falls. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/04/daines-in-finance-committee-the-abortion-pill-is-extremely-harmful-to-women/,Daines in Finance Committee: The Abortion Pill Is Extremely Harmful to Women,2025-09-04,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"New Study Shows Women Experience Adverse Effects 22 Times More Often Than FDA Estimates U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, about the dangers of the chemical abortion pill and the need for FDA review of mifepristone. Daines also emphasized the need to strengthen Montana’s Medicaid expansion program. Watch the full exchange HERE. Daines on how the abortion pill is harmful to women: Daines: I want to begin my time by talking about the issue of federal deregulation of chemical abortion drugs Since mifepristone was approved in 25 years ago, the FDA has steadily stripped away safeguards related to this drug no longer requiring a doctor’s prescription, no follow-up visits, no adverse event reporting, and now allowing it to be sent through the mail. Earlier this year there was a new study and analyzed 865,000 real-world insurance claims and it found that nearly 11 percent of women experienced a serious adverse event within 45 days of taking mifepristone. To put that in perspective, that is 22 times higher than the FDA’s long standing estimate of less than 0.5 percent. Well, these findings alone are shocking. My conversations with those in the medical profession, credible medical professionals, lead me to believe that even this study may indeed under represent the scale of the problem. For years we’ve heard the misleading and frankly very harmful lie that’s being sold to women that this drug is, and I quote, “safe as Tylenol.” These lies sadly have real-world consequences. Just last year, two women died as a result of taking chemical abortion pills because they were able to access them without appropriate medical oversight. And by the way, that’s all allowed by the FDA. Mr. Secretary, I am grateful that you and FDA Commissioner Makary have already begun the process of reviewing this new data on the safety of a first and we talked about this during your confirmation hearing. The question is could you provide any updates on the status and the scope of that review and whether the FDA intends to replicate studies like the one that I referenced? Kennedy: Those studies are progressing and they’re ongoing. So I will keep your office informed at every stage. Daines on repealing the prescription of abortion drugs via telehealth appointments: Daines: Given the legitimate safety concerns surrounding mifepristone and your actions to roll back other COVID emergency measures, will you repeal the COVID-era telemedicine allowance, given that we’re repealing these COVID-era regulations and emergency measures, would you repeal the COVID-era telemedicine allowance for chemical abortion drugs and restore the requirement for an in-person doctor visit? Kennedy: Senator, I need to get back to you on that I don’t know if the White House has yet taken a position on that. Daines on the need to strengthen Montana’s Medicaid expansion program: Daines: I want to close with a Montana question earlier this week the state of Montana submitted a Medicaid demonstration waiver application with CMS [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services] to strengthen the state’s Medicaid expansion program. This waiver seeks to require community engagement and enhance cost sharing for working-age able-bodied adults enrolled in the program. I applaud our Governor, Gianforte, and Director Brereton for their proactive leadership in this space. My question is, Mr. Secretary, could you commit the CMS will work quickly in its consideration of Montana’s waiver application? Kennedy: Absolutely. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:10:29Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/09/03/daines-applauds-dots-order-to-approve-skywest-charter-air-service-for-rural-montanans/,Daines Applauds DOT’s Order to Approve SkyWest Charter Air Service for Rural Montanans,2025-09-03,2025,2025-09,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Order Comes After Years of Inaction Under Biden Administration U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines released the below statement following the news that the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final order enabling SkyWest Charter to serve small and rural communities. “Today’s order by the Trump administration is a huge win for Montana. Many of our small and rural communities, especially in Butte and Yellowstone, rely on small community air service, but the Biden administration stonewalled SkyWest Charter’s operations for over two years. I fought the Biden administration on this every step of the way and am thrilled that President Trump and Secretary Duffy are supporting this vital service for Montana’s rural communities. I look forward to seeing the great impact this will have on our state,” said Daines. Background: Daines called on Biden’s Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to review SkyWest Airline’s request to operate flights in rural Montana as a commuter air carrier in June 2023, and followed up after months of inaction in February 2024. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T15:07:37Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/08/23/daines-colleagues-urge-dol-to-support-american-workers-retirees/,"Daines, Colleagues Urge DOL to Support American Workers & Retirees",2025-08-23,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines and his colleagues sent a letter today to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) urging Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to expeditiously implement President Trump’s recent Executive Order that unlocks access to investments in alternative assets for Main Street America and retirees with a 401(k) defined-contribution plan. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) joined Daines in sending the letter. “We are thankful for President Trump’s recent executive order directing the Department of Labor to expand Americans’ access to a modern retirement framework by increasing investment choice and diversification. Like the President, we believe this is a critical step in leveling the playing field for the 90 million American workers with a 401(k) or other defined contribution retirement plan who lack the freedom to invest in private equity, cryptocurrency, and other alternative assets… … We urge you to work expeditiously to implement the executive order with a regulatory safe harbor through a formal notice and comment rulemaking. Doing so will maximize the order’s effectiveness and ensure industry has the certainty needed to deliver on behalf of American retirees… … Today, more than eight times as many workers have defined-contribution plans than defined-benefit plans, a significant reversal from 1975 when defined-benefit plans outnumbered defined-contribution plans. However, whereas defined-benefit plans allocate roughly one-third of their $12 trillion in retirement assets to alternative assets, these same assets are unfairly unavailable to those with defined-contribution or 401(k) plans—America’s preferred retirement savings vehicle. This disparate treatment is especially unfair considering the lack of material differences between the average characteristics or risk profiles of workers with a 401(k) versus those with a defined-benefit plan. As the preference for defined-contribution plans has continued to grow, modernizing the regulatory framework and addressing the lack of equal access has become even more essential to enhancing the retirement security of America’s workers,” the senators wrote in the letter. Read the full letter HERE. Background: President Trump’s recent Executive Order levels the playing field for millions of Americans who are unable to invest in cryptocurrency, private equity, and other alternative assets. Daines sent a letter to President Trump in May urging this action- read it HERE. Read Daines’ statement praising the President’s EO HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:57:50Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/08/14/daines-visits-bull-mountains-mine-lauds-energy-wins-in-one-big-beautiful-bill/,"Daines Visits Bull Mountains Mine, Lauds Energy Wins in One Big Beautiful Bill",2025-08-14,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Daines’ Provision in the OBBBA Will Keep the Bull Mountains Mine Operational U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today visited the Bull Mountains Mine near Roundup, Montana. The mine was under threat of closure, but was kept operational by Daines’ provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill. “The Bull Mountains Mine provides nearly 250 jobs for hardworking Montanans in Musselshell County and is critical for our nation’s energy independence. I’m proud that my provision to keep this important mine open was signed into law by President Trump in the One Big Beautiful Bill, and it was great to be on site today to receive updates about its operation. Montana plays a huge role in supporting Made-In-America energy and I’ll always fight to further our energy dominance. Keeping the Bull Mountains Mine open is one of many monumental energy wins in the Big Beautiful Bill and our state and our country will be better off because of it,” said Daines. Background: The Bull Mountains Mine in Musselshell County is one of three large-scale active coal mines in Montana. The mine was under threat of closure during the Biden administration, but thanks to Daines’ provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill, and actions by the Trump administration, the mine will continue to operate. Keeping the mine open has been a top Daines priority. In March 2025, Daines introduced a bill, S.362, that would allow specific sections of federal minerals to be mined in order for the Bull Mountains Mine to keep operating. He urged his colleagues to support the measure in an Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing- watch it HERE. Read Daines’ statement when it passed committee with bipartisan support HERE. In January 2025, Daines introduced the “Crow Revenue Act,” which would authorize a mineral swap to help the mine continue operating and support the Crow tribe with additional revenue. Read more about Daines’ wins in the One Big Beautiful Bill HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:57:50Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/08/08/daines-joins-president-trump-at-white-house-to-hail-landmark-peace-agreement-and-joint-declaration-between-azerbaijan-and-armenia/,Daines Joins President Trump at White House to Hail Landmark Peace Agreement and Joint Declaration Between Azerbaijan and Armenia,2025-08-08,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"“President Trump kept his promise of America First through this process and the American people and the world will be better off for it” U.S. SENATE— U.S. Senator Steve Daines, Chairman of the European Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined President Trump, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today at the White House for the historic signing of a landmark peace agreement and joint declaration between the two countries as well as related bilateral agreements. Additionally, the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity was announced at the ceremony, which will help stabilize the region and benefit the American people and American businesses. Daines travelled to both countries in May with members of President Trump’s team and helped lay the groundwork for the agreement. “Today’s agreement is a remarkable achievement and another step toward stability in the south Caucasus that advances international peace for the region as well as the United States. I commend President Trump and his team for combining the President’s peace-through-strength model with pragmatic, creative diplomacy in order to unlock the promise of brighter days ahead for both countries. President Trump kept his promise of America first through this process and the American people and the world will be better off for it,” said Daines. Background Daines’ op-ed in The Wall Street Journal on the agreement can be found here. Photos of Daines’ trip to Azerbaijan and Armenia can be found here and here. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:57:50Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/08/08/daines-previews-signing-of-historic-peace-agreement-between-armenia-and-azerbaijan-on-fox-news/,Daines Previews Signing of Historic Peace Agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan on Fox News,2025-08-08,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"WASHINGTON D.C.—U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Fox News’ America Reports to preview the historic peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia and his role in the matter. Daines will join President Trump at the White House this afternoon for the historic signing of the agreement. Watch the full video HERE. Daines on the importance of a peace deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia: Well, this is a historic moment, thanks to President Trump’s leadership. You have to think about where in this part of the world we’re talking about, Azerbaijan is the only country in the world that borders, both Russia and Iran. It’s in the Caucasus. It is an important strategic realignment that has global implications thanks to President Trump’s leadership. For far too long, Russia has been the power broker in that part of the world. This will bring peace to a region that’s had 40 years of war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Azerbaijan is a Shiite Muslim country. Armenia has Christian roots dating back to 400 AD. This is a peace breakthrough. And I can tell you, having spent time with both leaders in the respective countries in May, working to bring this deal together, thanks to President Trump’s leadership, it’s going to happen today at the White House. And I can tell you, Secretary Rubio, as well as Steve Witkoff and his teams, have been masterful in putting this together. Another feather in the cap for President Trump bringing peace to very troubled parts of the world. Daines on how he helped broker the peace deal: Well, look, think about it you are meeting with leaders. With President Aliyev in Baku, Azerbaijan, and then went to Yerevan, Armenia [and met with] Prime Minister Pashinyan. These countries have been at war for 40 years. There’s not always a lot of trust between these countries, certainly at war. Who is the leader who can bring them together? It is President Trump. When I met with each of those leaders, they told me that a meeting in Washington with President Trump brokering the peace deal was key. Remember, Joe Biden tried to do this, he failed. Vladimir Putin has tried to do this, he failed. There’s one leader that got this done, it’s President Trump. And I can tell you, in meeting both those leaders in May, that was the secret sauce. It was President Trump and in meeting at the White House, they could bring them together and get this very important peace deal signed. Daines on the importance of growth and stability in the Caucuses and the implications: I think it’s important to understand not only the geopolitical significance, but what this means for oil, for gas, energy, and critical minerals, because the caucuses, as one leader described it, is the cork that uncorks the wine bottle, which is Central Asia. The countries like Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan. I’ve been in each of those five countries, meeting with each of their Presidents in the last 15 months. That’s the link from Central Asia across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan which allows the flow of oil, natural gas, critical minerals then to go west to Europe to help allies instead of going to Russia and to China and to Iran. So this has major implications for the stability because far too long is the Russians and the Chinese and the Iranians who have had their way in that part of the world. Now we have President Trump stepping in. It’s really realigning that very important part of the world. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:57:50Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/08/07/daines-applauds-president-trump-for-supporting-american-workers-retirees/,Daines Applauds President Trump for Supporting American Workers & Retirees,2025-08-07,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines released the below statement following the news of President Trump’s executive order that unlocks access to investments in alternative assets for main street America and retirees with a 401 (k) defined-contribution retirement plan. The announcement comes after Daines sent a letter to the President encouraging the White House to utilize the regulatory process to democratize access to alternative assets and increase retirement security for workers. “Today’s EO will level the playing field for millions of workers who are unable to invest in private equity, cryptocurrency, and other alternative assets. For too long, outdated and burdensome regulations have stood in the way of financial freedom and today’s announcement from President Trump will help support main street America and improve retirement security for American workers with defined-contribution retirement plans. I urge the Department of Labor to work expeditiously to implement the executive order with a regulatory safe harbor through a formal notice and comment rulemaking,” said Daines. Daines sent a letter to President Trump in May urging this action- read the full letter HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:57:50Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/08/06/daines-introduces-bill-to-hold-corrupt-public-officials-accountable/,Daines Introduces Bill to Hold Corrupt Public Officials Accountable,2025-08-06,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Would Give Trump Admin New Tools to Target Those Who Commit Bank, Tax, Loan, or Mortgage Fraud U.S. SENATE –U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced the Law Enforcement Tools to Interdict Troubling Investments in Abodes (LETITIA) Act, which would empower the Trump administration to hold public officials who commit acts of federal bank fraud, tax fraud, or loan or mortgage fraud accountable for using their position of public trust to enrich themselves: “I’ve always believed that for those of us lucky enough to hold positions of public trust— we are here to serve, not be served, and the interests of the American people and this country should always come before personal gain. This bill will increase penalties for public officials who commit fraud and help ensure they serve with integrity and honesty, and I’ll fight with my colleagues to get it across the finish line,” said Daines. Daines joined Senators John Cornyn (R-Tex.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) in introducing the legislation. Background: The Law Enforcement Tools to Interdict Troubling Investments in Abodes (LETITIA) Act would: Increase federal statutory maximum sentences and fines for public officials who abuse their offices and violate the public trust to commit bank fraud, loan or mortgage fraud, or tax fraud; Create new mandatory minimum sentences – one year for bank fraud, one year for loan or mortgage fraud, and six months for tax fraud – to ensure corrupt public officials serve prison time; And, for public officials who engage in a continuing course of criminal conduct by committing three or more of these offenses, increase the mandatory minimum sentences to five years for bank or loan fraud, and two years for tax fraud. The U.S. Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation into New York Attorney General Letitia James following a referral from the Federal Housing Finance Agency earlier this year alleging mortgage application fraud involving her properties in New York and Virginia. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:57:50Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/08/05/daines-sheehy-urge-doi-to-address-decreased-lake-levels-at-flathead-lake/,"Daines, Sheehy Urge DOI to Address Decreased Lake Levels at Flathead Lake",2025-08-05,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy today sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) urging a long-term solution to decreased lake levels at Flathead Lake. “We are writing regarding ongoing challenges at Flathead Lake in northwestern Montana. Over the last several years, we have seen unseasonably warm conditions that have resulted in accelerated runoff in the northern reaches of the Flathead basin. Decreased inflows into the lake have precipitated lower lake levels, adversely affecting environmental and economic conditions for residents and visitors alike. I appreciate your responsiveness and decisiveness toward granting a temporary modification from minimum instream flow requirements from the Séliš Ksanka Qlispé (SKQ) Project. This, combined with significant increases in precipitation levels for July, helped avoid catastrophically low lake levels. Given the drought conditions over the last few years, I urge you to identify a path forward that does not depend on granting annual emergency authorities to maintain sufficient lake levels for the local communities that call Flathead Lake home… …I request that you collaborate with various relevant parties to identify a solution that maintains hydropower production and economic development, abides by statutory requirements and other legal obligations, including President Trump’s recent Executive Order 14154- Unleashing American Energy, respects property rights, promotes outdoor recreation, has the support of the local communities, and minimizes future conflict,” the senators wrote in the letter. Read the full letter HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:57:50Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/08/04/daines-gives-update-on-montana-manhunt/,Daines Gives Update on Montana Manhunt,2025-08-04,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Discusses DOJ Investigation into Origins of Russia Collusion Hoax BOZEMAN, MT—U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Fox News’ Special Report to discuss the ongoing manhunt in Montana and The Department of Justice investigation into the origins of the Russia collusion hoax. Watch the full video HERE. Daines on the ongoing manhunt in Montana: Well, it’s such a tragic situation. Of course, the town of Anaconda has just been a gut punch as there have been four citizens there that were murdered, the bartender and three patrons on Friday. But Michael Brown, as you described, was suffering mental [illness]. He went in and shot those four in that bar, and then he fled just west of Anaconda. I mean, this is a local. He knows the territory well, but I’m very proud of law enforcement. We’ve got the FBI. We’ve got our county sheriffs across multiple counties, as well as highway patrol resources and others that have got a perimeter around him. We’re hoping that we will bring him and apprehend him, bring him to justice soon. But he’s hiding just west of Anaconda. And we pray for the safety of those brave men and women who are operating a 24/7 operation. They’re using infrared cameras. They’ve got dogs. They’ve had a few hits with the dogs. I’m hopeful that very shortly our law enforcement is going to get this guy and apprehend him and bring him out. There’s no problem with our national parks. They’re fine. We know where this guy is at. I’m getting regular updates from local law enforcement that are right there on the front lines. We know where he’s at. We’ve got a good perimeter around him at the moment. We’re going to bring this guy out one way or the other. Dead or alive, we’re going to get him. I’m very confident, but it’s located in a very tight radius just outside the town of Anaconda, just in South West Montana. Daines on the DOJ’s Russiagate investigation: Look, this is a serious matter. The Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has issued a criminal referral to the Attorney General of the United States. I can’t tell you, and we can’t all say how many times we heard the Democrats talking about President Trump and Russia and interference in the elections by the Russians to help President Trump. President Trump said without stuttering, over and over again, these are lies. This is nonsense. I hope justice will finally prevail and President Trump will be exonerated by the Justice Department, perhaps a grand jury, as we see what the truth is behind these lies spread by the Democrats, this collusion theory between the Russians and President Trump in this election, 2016. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:57:50Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/08/04/daines-touts-big-beautiful-bill-wins-for-montana-servicemembers-during-visit-to-malmstrom-air-force-base/,Daines Touts Big Beautiful Bill Wins for Montana Servicemembers During Visit to Malmstrom Air Force Base,2025-08-04,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Lauds Increased Funding for Quality of Life, Including Special Pays and Funding for Housing and Healthcare U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today visited Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana, where he discussed the historic wins for America’s defense and national security in the Big Beautiful Bill. Daines also received briefings and updates about operations at the base. “Montana’s servicemembers play a vital role in our national security and deserve the best, so I am pleased to visit Malmstrom to discuss critical provisions of the Big Beautiful Bill that will help them better fulfill their mission and take care of their families. President Trump proved with the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill that he is committed to restoring our military dominance and I was glad to share relevant updates with the team at Malmstrom. I’ll continue to advocate for Malmstrom’s military priorities and reinforce America’s ‘peace through strength’ strategy to deter our adversaries,” said Daines. Defense wins in the Big Beautiful Bill include: $9 billion in funding for servicemember quality of life, including allowances, special pays, improvements to housing, healthcare, childcare, housing, and education $25 billion in funding for the Golden Dome missile defense system $2 billion for ICBM systems $21 billion to restock America’s arsenal of munitions and increase domestic production of critical minerals $34 billion for expanding our naval fleet $29 billion for shipbuilding and the Maritime Industrial Base. Expands the size and enhances the capability of our naval fleet. Invests in autonomous surface and subsurface technology. Builds capacity and improves infrastructure in the maritime industrial base. $15 billion for nuclear deterrence. Accelerates modernization of the triad. Improves readiness of our current nuclear deterrent. Invests in infrastructure needed to restore America’s ability to manufacture nuclear weapons. $350 million to replace antiquated business systems and inject automation and AI at the DOD. This funding would support DOGE so that the DOD can finish its first audit by end of 2028. $16 billion to improve readiness, including through modernization of depots, additional spare parts for aircraft, and expanded naval maintenance. $16 billion to expedite innovation to the warfighter. This legislation increases scale production of innovative low-cost and next-generation weapons like drones, counter-drone tech, low-cost munitions, and artificial intelligence. Background: Malmstrom Air Force Base is one of three U.S. Air Force bases that maintains and operates the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, and therefore is mission critical to America’s nuclear deterrence. Daines has supported the base’s operations, previously introducing a bill to strengthen Malmstrom’s Sentinel program by providing multiyear procurement authority for LGM-35A Sentinel ICBMs. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:57:50Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/08/03/daines-lauds-wins-for-montana-veterans-farmers-and-ranchers-in-senate-appropriations-bills/,"Daines Lauds Wins for Montana Veterans, Farmers and Ranchers in Senate Appropriations Bills",2025-08-03,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement after the Senate passed appropriations bills funding the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Agriculture: “Today is a win for Montana’s veterans, farmers and ranchers. We protect the 2nd Amendment rights of our veterans and provide funding for a number of programs that will benefit Montana’s agriculture industry. This is also a step in the right direction for funding the government through a bipartisan and transparent process, which is a win for the American people,” said Daines. Click HERE to see a list of Daines’ wins in the appropriations bills. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:57:50Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/08/01/daines-collins-king-urge-support-for-rural-veterans/,"Daines, Collins, Cortez-Masto Urge Support for Rural Veterans",2025-08-01,2025,2025-08,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"Send Letter to DOL in Support of Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nevada) today sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor expressing concerns with a recent change in the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP). HVRP is a grant program that provides employment opportunities and career training to homeless veterans. “Under the recently issued notice FOA-VETS-25-01, prospective grant applicants must maintain a physical location within 50 miles of any county they wish to serve. This follows the previously proposed “hub and spoke” model. Both Congress and the first Trump Administration considered and rejected this approach. Congress held public discussions regarding its implementation in 2019 and ultimately decided not to pursue the model. The hub-and-spoke model consistently fails rural veterans and creates unnecessary and arduous barriers for organizations that seek to assist them. It is simply not practical for veterans’ service organizations to maintain physical locations in all or even most counties in rural states like ours, which limits the areas they can serve. … We hope that you and your Department will take corrective action and rescind this rule to ensure that rural veterans receive the service they deserve. Our nation owes a debt to our veterans, and we must ensure that the federal government is working to get them more support, not less,” the senators wrote in the letter. Read the full letter HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:57:50Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/07/31/daines-on-newsmax-america-stands-with-israel/,Daines on Newsmax: America Stands with Israel,2025-07-31,2025,2025-07,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"“Why Aren’t Canada, the UK and France Calling for the Release of Innocent Hostages?” U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Newsmax’s National Report to discuss how Canada, the UK and France have recognized the Palestinian state and how this sets a dangerous precedent, one that rewards Hamas for its atrocities. Watch the full interview HERE. Daines on Canada, France, and the UK recognizing the Palestinian state: “Well, first of all, I thank God for President Trump’s moral clarity in this terrible situation. Let’s not forget, why are we here at this moment? This started on October 7th when Hamas launched the barbaric attack, a terror attack on Israel. It was a barbaric attack. Innocent Israelis slaughtered. Why isn’t Canada, the UK and France calling first and foremost for the release of these innocent hostages? That is step one. Step two is calling for a ceasefire to stop Hamas from blocking the food aid because that is the problem. The problem is not Israel, the problem is Hamas. They began this terrible conflict via a terror attack and for Canada and the UK and France to suggest a two-state solution is the answer at this moment? It rewards Hamas and their atrocities.” Daines on a two-state solution: “We all agree with the horrible plight of those innocent Palestinians there in Gaza who are suffering as a result of Hamas. And if you want to see an example of why a two-state solution can fail, look no further than Gaza. Back in 2005, when the Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza and allowed them to have their autonomy, that is when Hamas stepped in, radicalized, won elections, took control of Gaza, and the people suffer because you had terrorists leading the country. This is why Israel has always said they’re open to a two-state solution, but this solution starts with Israel and the Palestinians negotiating directly, and it starts with the Palestinians accepting the fact that the Jewish state of Israel has a right to exist. That’s where the true peace negotiations would begin. This is a negotiation between the Palestinians and Israel. Canada, the UK, France should stay out of it. This is a moment when Israel needs to do what it needs to do to eradicate Hamas. That is the fastest way to stop the suffering that’s going on right now in Gaza with these innocent Palestinians.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:40:33Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/07/30/daines-in-foreign-relations-subcommittee-we-need-to-end-americas-dependence-on-russias-critical-minerals/,Daines in Foreign Relations Subcommittee: We Need to End America’s Dependence on Russia’s Critical Minerals,2025-07-30,2025,2025-07,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Jonathan Pratt, the Senior Bureau Official at the Bureau of African Affairs, and Scott Woodard, the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Economic Growth, Energy, and Environment in a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing. Daines expressed his sympathy for the recent loss of life at Montana’s Stillwater Mine and emphasized the need to end America’s reliance on Russia for critical minerals. Watch the full exchange HERE. Daines addressed the recent loss of life at Montana’s Stillwater Mine: Daines: Before engaging on this topic, I want to take a moment to recognize a community at the Stillwater Mine in Montana. That’s a palladium and platinum producer. As we confront these pressing geopolitical and economic threats at the mine it’s the people on the ground, the hard -working folks and their families who are truly the heart of the community. This past weekend there was a tragic loss of life incident at the Stillwater Mine. Our hearts break for the family and all those involved. It was an electrician, there was an electrical related incident that sadly resulted in a fatality. As you know, when that kind of thing happens, it’s a gut punch to everybody. [Stillwater] is a wonderful operation. [I’ve] been there. Leadership is fantastic. This has been a tough, tough several days. We’ll be working with close with the mine and the federal regulators to reaffirm our commitment for a safe and secure future for everybody at the mine and the broader community at large. Daines emphasized the need to work with Africa and stop U.S. dependence on Russian critical minerals Daines: There are three locations in the world that mine platinum and palladium. Very important components for catalytic converters found in automobiles. The three places are Russia, South Africa, and Montana. In Montana the Stillwater and East Boulder mines are the only primary producers of platinum and palladium in the United States and right now they’re being targeted by dumping from the Russians. For over a year Russia has been dumping palladium on the market to drive down prices in hopes of closing the mines in Montana, and making the United States dependent on Russians for this critical mineral. The irony behind all this is they’re dumping palladium in the United States, driving the price down. The mine had to lay off 700 workers because of the low prices, and yet we’re buying Russian palladium to help fund Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine. If we don’t act soon, this crisis is only going to grow greater and we’re going to see a sad reality of dependence on Russia for palladium instead of a Montana mine. Mr. Woodard and Mr. Pratt, the Montana platinum and palladium mines are owned and operated by the Sibanye-Stillwater, which are headquartered in South Africa. This partnership has ensured the United States and South Africa can continue to produce critical minerals even when prices are low. But the market manipulation by the Russians is a national security threat and one that we should aggressively counter and that’s why I’ve introduced Senate Bill 808, the “Stop Russian Market Manipulation Act,” to prohibit Russian imports of certain critical minerals. I’ve also urged President Trump to take action through trade remedies, sanctions, and the Defense Production Act. I’m also asking this committee to include language in the State Department reauthorization that will target Nornickle and other Russian bad actors. So, my questions for Mr. Woodard and Mr. Pratt, do you agree, and I’ll start with Mr. Woodard, that in order to bolster jobs, economic development, and national security in both the United States and Africa, we must take action to counter Russian illegal dumping? Woodard: We’ve seen this administration emphasize things like emphasizing reforms that will make mining and processing easier in the United States, which could open up possibilities for greater investments, which would strengthen the capital foundation of some of these projects and allow them to compete a bit better…it was recently announced regarding rare earths with mountain pass, which is a floor price, is another option that maybe the administration can consider or has considered and may consider going forward to address some of these problems. Pratt: I agree 100 percent with the question that we need to find ways to break monopolistic behavior. Daines: We need the help of the Administration. And I think if there’s a chance, the quickest way to remedy this would be either a targeted sanction or a targeted tariff against Russian palladium coming to the United States. That could fix this problem quickly. As I’ve chatted with the mine officials, we could probably bring 500 of these jobs back in a very short period of time and importantly, restore the supply chain of Made-in-America palladium, instead of produced in Russia. So, this is where we could use the help, and it’s dire right now. The sooner, the better. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:40:33Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/07/30/daines-speaks-in-support-of-william-mercer-as-federal-judge-for-the-district-of-montana-in-senate-judiciary-committee/,Daines Speaks in Support of William Mercer as Federal Judge for the District of Montana in Senate Judiciary Committee,2025-07-30,2025,2025-07,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke in support of William Mercer at his nomination hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Mercer has been nominated by President Trump to serve as United States District Judge for the District of Montana. Watch Daines’ remarks HERE. Read Daines’ remarks as prepared for delivery below. Thank you, Chairman Grassley and Ranking Member Durbin, It is great to be here today with you all to speak in support of my friend, Mr. William Mercer and his nomination to serve as the next Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. Bill is a lifelong Montanan. Born in Billings, the “Magic City,” we were high school rivals and debated each other in speech and debate. Bill went on to receive a Master’s of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and his law degree from George Mason. He also attended my rival college, the University of Montana for his undergraduate degree. Bill has served Montana and his country in various roles over the past three decades. In Montana, he served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana from 2001 to 2009 and has represented Billings in the Montana House of Representatives for the past seven years. At the U.S. Department of Justice, Bill served as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General and Acting Associate Attorney General during the George W. Bush administration. He has also been actively engaged in his community, serving on five non-profit boards of directors in Montana. Bill has been a member of the Montana Bar for 32 years. He has appeared in state and federal court in Montana in numerous civil and criminal cases as lead counsel. He has also represented clients in appellate courts, which resulted in oral argument in 15 cases in the Courts of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, D.C. Circuit, and the Montana Supreme Court. Bill has been recognized by his peers in the legal community for his outstanding track record, being rated among the best lawyers in Montana for environmental and commercial litigation. Throughout his extensive legal career and years of public service, Bill has represented Montana’s interests well. He is committed to the rule of law and original interpretation of the Constitution. Bill understands Montana-specific laws and issues. His experience as a widely-respected and effective member of the Montana House of Representatives brings him in tune with the needs of our state, our families and our communities. I believe his time in Helena has given him an important additional perspective on the law and the importance of judicial impartiality. Senator Sheehy and I are confident Bill is the top choice to once again serve Montana, this time as our Federal Judge. His time at the Department of Justice, as U.S. Attorney, and as a state legislator have prepared him well, and I can’t think of a better pick to represent us once again in this new role. I look forward to working diligently with my colleagues to confirm his nomination. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:40:33Z https://www.daines.senate.gov/2025/07/30/icymi-daines-op-ed-in-the-wsj-a-peace-deal-for-armenia-and-azerbaijan/,ICYMI: Daines Op-ed in the WSJ: A Peace Deal for Armenia and Azerbaijan,2025-07-30,2025,2025-07,Republican,Senate,MT,Steve Daines,D000618,www.daines.senate.gov,daines,https://www.daines.senate.gov/news/press-releases/,scraper,"U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines penned an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal explaining the historic potential of a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan and hisinvolvement in the matter. Excerpts from his piece are below. A Peace Deal for Armenia and Azerbaijan Senator Steve Daines The Wall Street Journal President Trump is on the cusp of bringing about a peace deal in the South Caucasus between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This would be a remarkable achievement—another step toward stability that advances regional and international peace as well as economic gains that extend far beyond the countries involved… … This year, I traveled to both countries with members of Mr. Trump’s team. We explored the region’s economic potential and facilitated conversations on some of the peace talks’ more difficult issues. I met with both Azerbaijani President Ilhan Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and we discussed practical solutions. Both leaders recognize the moment’s urgency and the profound opportunities before them… …The Middle Corridor’s geography affords it unique strategic and economic importance. Situated between such U.S. adversaries as Iran and Russia, it is the only sliver of land where trade to the West can flow unhindered from Central Asia. The five countries that comprise Central Asia—Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan—collectively hold significant oil, natural gas, coal, uranium, and other key resources…. …The Trump administration’s resolve has helped create a historic opportunity for these two nations. This pending agreement will alter the course of geopolitics in a way that benefits not only the South Caucasus and Central Asia but the U.S. and our allies for decades to come. For the sake of peace and stability in the region and the world, Armenia and Azerbaijan’s leaders should finalize it without delay… Read the full op-ed in The Wall Street Journal HERE. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-07T14:40:33Z