WASHINGTON, June 17 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (both R-Idaho) joined Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), Joe Manchin (I-West Virginia), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Steve Daines (R-Montana) and J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) in introducing the Guarding Readiness Resources Act. This legislation provides an exemption from the Miscellaneous Receipts Act for State Active Duty (SAD) reimbursement payment  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: "This is Joe Biden's America and it's Joe Biden's border crisis" U.S. Senator Steve Daines today delivered remarks at the weekly Republican Senate Leadership press conference blasting President Biden and Senate Democrats for the southern border crisis that is allowing violent criminals to come into our country illegal and commit violent crimes against Americans. Watch Daines' remarks HERE. "'More fair, an  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined a group of Republican senators in sending a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding answers after individuals with suspected ties to ISIS were apprehended at the southern border, underwent vetting and were then released into the United States. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently arrested these individual  more

WASHINGTON, June 13 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Fox News' America's Newsroom with Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino to discuss the state of our nation under President Biden's failed leadership. Watch Daines' remarks HERE. Daines on the State of the U.S. Under Joe Biden: "Well, look, we are four and a half months away from the most consequential election certainly in my lifetime, if not a couple of generations. I mean,  more

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02), and Congressman Ryan Zinke (MT-01) sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) highlighting concerns regarding the VA's recent elimination of frontline care providers, despite the VA's previous declaration that such positions would be protected from job cuts. "Too many people in including some of our colleagues in the U.S. Congr  more

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), Congressman Ryan Zinke (MT-01) and Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) highlighting concerns regarding the VA's recent elimination of frontline care providers, despite the VA's previous declaration that such positions would be protected from job cuts. "Too many people in including some of our colleagues in the U.S. Con  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing and Critical Materials released the following written testimony by Matt Vincent, executive director of the Montana Mining Association, from a June 13, 2024, hearing entitled "Securing America's Critical Materials Supply Chains and Economic Leadership": * * * Summary of Key Points: Introductory; Montana as a state example of U.S. mineral policies and supply chains, historic and present; Positive deve  more

WASHINGTON, June 22 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on June 21, 2024: U.S. Senator Jon Tester today spoke in East Helena to announce he has secured more than $10.2 million in Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant funding to improve housing and critical infrastructure in the community. Funding for the grant comes in part from Tester's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - Tester was the only member of Montana's Congressional de  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on June 18, 2024: As part of his continued efforts to keep Montana and our nation safe, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today chaired a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing where he pressed National Guard leadership on the delivery timeline for C-130J aircraft arriving at Montana Air National Guard Base (MANG) in Great Falls. Tester pressed National Guard General Daniel R. Hokanson to confirm that delive  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Today, Congress Matt Rosendale (MT-02) released the following statement after Joe Biden officially introduced his newest mass amnesty, the "parole in place" program. This measure will give legal status to 1.1 million aliens already in the U.S. illegally. "With each passing week as November nears, Joe Biden is using more of the tools at his disposal to make his border catastrophe permanent," said Rep. Rose  more

WASHINGTON, June 17 -- Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, issued the following news release: BABB, MT - Today, Congress Matt Rosendale (MT-02) was alerted by the Milk River Irrigation Project Joint Board of Control that the St. Mary Canal suffered a catastrophic failure while Reclamation personnel were monitoring a crack. There were no injuries reported, but the damage is extensive. The canal was shut down before the failure, but the hillside, Hook's Hide-Away bar, hotel, and roping arena have al  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, issued the following news release on June 18, 2024: Today, Congressman Zinke introduced, The Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024 to provide a solution for the settlement of water rights in the Fort Belknap Indian Community (FBIC). The bill will achieve a fair and final settlement of claims to water rights in the State of Montana for the Fort Belknap Indian Community. Senator Daines and Senator Tester have sponsored  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, issued the following news release on June 18, 2024: Today the Biden Administration announced that the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has launched the Columbia River Task Force to implement Biden's long promised plan to remove dams on the Snake River system that supply western Montana with affordable and reliable electricity. These dams provide between 60-70% of the electricity in the Pacific Northwest. Hydropower is the most abundant, a  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke (MT-01), U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), and Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) highlighting the recent elimination of 10,000 frontline jobs that serve clinical needs for veterans' healthcare, such as psychologists and clinical social workers. These eliminations directly contradict claims from the VA that frontlin  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on June 18, 2024: After a preliminary investigation by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) revealed that the Chinese Communist Party is dumping pea protein in the U.S. market to the detriment of American producers, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today urged them to uphold trade standards that level the playing field for American producers and manufacturers. In his letter, Tester emphasized the importance of  more

WASHINGTON, June 22 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on June 21, 2024: As a direct result of his bipartisan infrastructure law, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced he has secured $25,000,000 in Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant funding for the Belgrade Urban Project, which will make critical safety improvements to key intersections in Belgrade. Tester worked with five Republicans and four Democrats to negotiate t  more

WASHINGTON, June 22 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As a direct result of his bipartisan infrastructure law, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced he has secured $3,906,652 in Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant funding for the Blackfeet Tribe, which will work to improve safety and accessibility of the Tribe's transportation system and provide opportunities for future economic and tourism development. Tester worked  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on June 20, 2024: Following a major siphon burst on the Milk River Project near Babb, Montana, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today took to the Senate floor to successfully pass the Fort Belknap Indian Community (FBIC) Water Rights Settlement Act which would provide critical funding for repairs on the Milk River Project. The legislation is led in the Senate by both Tester and Senator Daines. The FBIC Water Settlement  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining released the following testimony by Bureau of Land Management Deputy Director for State Operations Karen Kelleher from a June 12, 2024, hearing on 15 bills. The legislation includes Bolts Ditch Act (S. 2156); Modernizing Access to Our Public Waters Act (S. 3123); Ranching Without Red Tape Act of 2023 (S. 3322); Montana Headwaters Legacy Act (S. 3346); Truckee Meadows Public Lands Man  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining released the following testimony by Bureau of Land Management Deputy Director for State Operations Karen Kelleher from a June 12, 2024, hearing on 15 bills. The legislation includes Bolts Ditch Act (S. 2156); Modernizing Access to Our Public Waters Act (S. 3123); Ranching Without Red Tape Act of 2023 (S. 3322); Montana Headwaters Legacy Act (S. 3346); Truckee Meadows Public Lands Man  more

WASHINGTON, June 21 -- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining released the following testimony by Troy Heithecker, associate deputy chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Forest Service, from a June 12, 2024, hearing on 15 bills. The legislation includes Bolts Ditch Act (S. 2156); Modernizing Access to Our Public Waters Act (S. 3123); Ranching Without Red Tape Act of 2023 (S. 3322); Montana Headwaters Legacy Act (S. 3346); Truckee Mea  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The Senate Indian Affairs Committee released the following testimony by Frank Whiteclay, chairman of the Crow Nation of Montana, from a June 12, 2024, hearing on the Crow Water Settlement Amendments Act (S. 4442): * * * Good Afternoon, Honorable Members of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. I am Frank Whiteclay, Chairman of the Crow Nation of Montana, and I am honored to present this testimony in support of the Crow Water Settlement Amendments Act, Senate Bill 4442.  more

WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The Senate Indian Affairs Committee released the following testimony by Ervin Carlson, president of the InterTribal Buffalo Council, and a member of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana, from a June 12, 2024, hearing on the Indian Buffalo Management Act (S. 2908): * * * INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND My name is Ervin Carlson and I am a member of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana and serve as the President of the InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC). Please accept my sincere appreci  more

WASHINGTON, June 18 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news on June 17, 2024: Continuing his oversight efforts of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Senator Jon Tester, Chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, today called on the Biden Administration to take immediate action to protect Montana veterans' access to health care and mental health care by reversing its decision to cut staffing at VA Montana.   more

WASHINGTON, June 14 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news: Leveraging authorities granted to it by Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester's PACT Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today added three new cancer types to its list of service-connected disabilities presumed to be caused by military toxic exposure. Presumptive service connection ensures VA automatically assumes a disease is service-connec  more