WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, issued the following statement on July 25, 2023: * * * Congressman Ryan Zinke released the following statement of support following Governor Gianforte's request to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to identify areas in Western and North-Central Montana impacted by severe drought conditions as natural disaster areas. Due to abnormally low snowpack combined with dry conditions and little rainfall, Western Montana's livestock, crop, and eco-to  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release and a letter: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho), Jon Tester (D-Montana), Steve Daines (R-Montana), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), and U.S. Representatives Kelly Armstrong (R-North Dakota), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington), Ryan Zinke (R-Montana), and Matt Rosendale (R-Montana) introduced legislation requiring U.S. Customs and Border Prote  more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release on July 24, 2023, and a letter: U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) and Steve Daines (R-Montana) with U.S. Representatives Matt Rosendale (R-Montana), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), and Ryan Zinke (R-Montana) today wrote U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore urging the agency to analyze and release standing sawtimber levels in high priority firesheds. This data is important to motivate and focus collabora  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 26, 2023: U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester today joined with a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce a resolution calling for the immediate release of Marc Fogel from Russia. Fogel is a U.S. citizen and career educator who has been unjustly imprisoned by Russia since August 2021. The resolution urges the Biden Administration to prioritize securing the release of Mr. Fogel, whose immedia  more

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 25, 2023, and a letter: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined a group of his colleagues in urging U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore to analyze and release standing sawtimber levels in high priority firesheds in Montana. This data is important to motivate and focus collaborative work between federal land management agencies and private forest product companies as they work to remove hazardous fuel  more

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release and letters: U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined his colleagues in sending letters to major shipping companies regarding their policies surrounding firearms and ammunition. Over the past year, several large freight and shipping companies have implemented policies that discriminate against the firearm and ammunition industries, ranging from prohibiting shipments containing certain firearm parts to total bans on f  more

WASHINGTON, July 21 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following statement: * * * U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the following statement after the Biden administration announced a new proposed rule that would drastically increase the cost of oil and gas production on public lands. "Since Day One President Biden has sent a clear message to Montana energy producers: this administration is coming for you. From shutting down lease sales to begging our adversaries for oil to thi  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following remarks on July 26, 2023: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today delivered remarks at the weekly Republican Senate Leadership press conference highlighting the continued destruction of made-in-America energy by the Biden administration. Last week, the Department of Interior (DOI) proposed a rule that would increase the cost of energy production. These costs would be passed on to consumers in Montana and across the country. It's   more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 27, 2023: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today at a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing discussed Tribal priorities for the upcoming Farm Bill, including the Good Neighbor Authority to promote Tribal involvement in forest management and Tribal access to ag programs. Abi Fain, Director of Policy and Government Relations with the Intertribal Agriculture Council headquartered in Billings, spoke before the  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 25, 2023: U.S.Senator Steve Daines today announced that his bipartisan bill to blacklist China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from investing in, purchasing or otherwise acquiring land or businesses involved in agriculture was officially included in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). "Food security is national security and folks across Montana are rightfully concerned that China and ou  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 27, 2023: In his role as the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today led a key mark-up of the Defense Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill. Following mark-up by the Committee, Tester's defense bill advanced to the Senate floor. "As Chairman of the Senate committee that sets the military's budget, my top priority is making sure our armed forces have t  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, issued the following news release: The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs passed Congressman Rosendale's (MT-02) H.R. 3874, the Veterans Education Assistance Improvement Act. This legislation will allow veterans on the GI Bill to take only the number of courses needed to graduate while still receiving this Monthly Housing Allowance and require the VA to notify students of rule changes related to the GI Bill within 180 days of the rule tak  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) cosponsored H.R. 4707, introduced by Rep. Matt Gaetz (FL-01). This legislation would prohibit federal funding for Special Counsel John "Jack" L. Smith's Office following his political witch hunt against President Trump regarding January 6, 2021. "Biden's Department of Injustice is a danger to our Republic, and this latest investigation is another example of the Left's we  more

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, issued the following news release: This week, the House of Representatives is debating the Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) filed the following amendments: Amendment 14, Amendment 15, Amendment 67, and Amendment 70. "The core function of the VA is to care for our nation's heroes," Rep. Rosendale said. "It is unacceptable for the Biden Admi  more

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) joined members of the House Freedom Caucus at a press conference hosted by FreedomWorks on upcoming spending negotiations. Congressman Rosendale was joined by Reps. Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Keith Self (TX-03), Bob Good (VA-05), Ralph Norman (SC-05), Andy Ogles (TN-05), and FreedomWorks President Adam Brandon. "Over the next several weeks, we're going to see if the House of Re  more

WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, issued the following news release and a letter: Recently, Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) wrote a letter to Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Touton requesting her agencies reconsider their recent decision not to release more water from the Hungry Horse Reservoir into Flathead Lake. "Low water levels at Flathead Lake haven't just been devastating for the community's small businesses that rely on the lake for tourism, but the area's far  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 27, 2023: Today, Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) voted in favor of H.R. 4366, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This piece of legislation fully funds veterans' health care and benefits programs while cutting wasteful spending on the radical left's biggest priorities. The bill also includes an amendment by Congressman Rosendale that would prohibi  more

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 28, 2023, and aletter: Rep. Ryan Zinke (MT-01) and a bipartisan group of thirty Members of Congress sent a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough asking him to delay the effective date of a finalized VA rule "Changes in Rates VA Pays for Special Modes of Transportation" (88 Fed. Reg. 10032) until Congress passes legislation authorizing the VA to contract emergency ambula  more

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 28, 2023: Today, the United States House of Representatives approved the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2024 which authorizes spending to more than $317 billion toward Veterans Affairs and military construction. The bill maintains House Republicans commitment to veterans by fully funding veterans' health care programs, benefits, and Vete  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news on July 26, 2023: During a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing today on implementation of the landmark Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, Chairman Jon Tester pressed Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officials on the Department's ability to effectively manage an increased demand for veterans' p  more

WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news: Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) recently introduced bipartisan legislation to save taxpayer dollars and increase oversight of major Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) acquisitions and contracts. The Senators' Acquisition Review Board and Cost Assessment Act of 2023 would create an oversight bo  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 27, 2023: As a part of his long-standing efforts to increase transparency and accountability in Congress, U.S. Senator Jon Tester will reintroduce legislation today to shut the revolving door in Washington by banning Members of Congress from ever becoming lobbyists. "I came to the Senate to fight for working families and defend our Montana way of life, and I don't think any Member of Congress should ca  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 27, 2023: Following months of pressuring the Biden Administration to reopen Montana's northern ports of entry to pre-pandemic hours, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today introduced a bipartisan bill requiring U.S. Customs and Border Protection's hours of operations at northern ports to match or exceed pre-pandemic hours. "Folks along Montana's northern border rely on consistent trade and commerce with Canada   more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 26, 2023: During a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing today on implementation of the landmark Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, Chairman Jon Tester pressed Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officials on the Department's ability to effectively manage an increased demand for veterans' programs and services while rapidly bolsterin  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As part of his continued efforts to defend Montana and keep our country safe, U.S. Senator Jon Tester secured major victories for Montana as part of the must-pass annual national defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which just passed the Senate with broad bipartisan support. Tester successfully included multiple bipartisan amendments in the final passage of the bill including legislati  more

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 25, 2023: As a part of his continued fight to strengthen Montana's nursing homes, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today secured $232,728 in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development funding for Valley View Home in Glasgow to restore their lost health care revenue from the pandemic. Tester secured this Rural Development funding for Valley View Home through his American Rescue Plan Act. Te  more

WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 26, 2023: U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines today joined with a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce a resolution calling for the immediate release of Marc Fogel from Russia. Fogel is a U.S. citizen and career educator who has been unjustly imprisoned by Russia since August 2021. The resolution urges the Biden Administration to prioritize securing the release of Mr. Fogel, whose immediate  more

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Ranking Member Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) recently introduced bipartisan legislation to save taxpayer dollars and increase oversight of major Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) acquisitions and contracts. The Senators' Acquisition Review Board and Cost Assessment Act of 2023 would create an oversight board to review major VA acquisitions early in  more