Thursday - March 28, 2024
U.S. Congressional Tipoffs Involving Montana Newsletter for Sunday July 26, 2020 ( 28 items )  

Conservationists Praise Rep. Gianforte's Support of Great American Outdoors Act
WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) voted for the Great American Outdoors Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives on a 310-107 vote. The bill now goes to President Trump, who has indicated he will sign it into law. Conservation groups praised Gianforte for his leadership and support of the Great American Outdoors Act: Glenn Marx, executive director of Montana Association of Land Trusts: "Gre  more

Join Me in Voting for Great American Outdoors Act, Rep. Gianforte Urges Lawmakers
WASHINGTON, July 23 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte urged lawmakers to join him in voting for the Great American Outdoor Act. "[The Great American Outdoors Act is] a fitting complement to our successful efforts to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund. It provides dedicated funding to increase public access to public lands across Montana. I know how important LWCF is to Montana, and I'll continue working to  more

Sen. Daines Brings EPA Administrator Wheeler to Montana, Tour Kalispell Brownfield Sites
KALISPELL, Montana, July 25 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines brought U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler to Kalispell to visit multiple Brownfield sites including Glacier Rail Park, the former CHS Country Store, the CHS Agronomy Center, and SunRift Restaurant. Daines secured funding for cleanup of the contaminated sites which allowed for redevelopment of the areas boosting the local economy and supp  more

Sen. Daines Fighting to Help Montana Families, Expand Access to Affordable Child Care
WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines this week cosponsored a bill to provide assistance for Montana child care providers to help them offer critical, affordable services for working parents during the COVID-19 outbreak. "During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Montana's working moms and dads need access to affordable child care services so they can work to put food on the table," Daines said. "My bill provides the criti  more

Sen. Daines Fights for Montana Families, Healthcare and Jobs in Phase Four COVID-19 Relief Package
WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines highlighted several priorities he is working on to be included in the Senate's Phase Four COVID-19 Relief Package. "We need to come together, in a bipartisan effort, to continue to prioritize public health and get our economy going again in the wake of this coronavirus pandemic," Daines said. "As the Senate is set to debate the next COVID-19 relief package, I will be pushing for cr  more

Sen. Daines Pushes to Expand Benefits for Service Members Who Die or Become Disabled Due to COVID-19
WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines sponsored a bipartisan bill that ensures military personnel and their families will be adequately compensated should they pass away or become disabled from COVID-19 during the pandemic. "Our men and women in uniform who are putting their lives on the lines to keep our communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic deserve to know their families will be taken care of if they pass awa  more

Sen. Daines Secures Nearly $6 Million for Public Transportation in Missoula
WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced that the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will be directing $5,941,992 for public transportation in Missoula in response to the impacts of COVID-19. "This critical funding will support the transportation needs of Montanans in Missoula during the COVID-19 pandemic," Daines said. "I will continue working to ensure we support public transportation routes for Montanans."   more

Sen. Daines Secures Senate Passage of Critical Montana Priorities in Defense Bill
WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today voted for and secured Senate passage of critical Montana priorities in the Senate defense bill called the "National Defense Authorization Act" (NDAA). Daines secured a 3% pay raise for the military, relief for service members impacted by COVID-19 and support for the Montana Army and Air National Guard and Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls. "This bipartisan bill strength  more

Sen. Daines to USDA: Cattle Market Investigation Update is Important Step Forward, More Works Needs to Be Done
WASHINGTON, July 23 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines issued the following statement following the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) releasing a report and update on the ongoing investigation into allegations of price-fixing and market manipulation within the cattle market and the meatpacking industry. Daines has been urging the USDA and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate this issue in a quickly and thorough manner. "U  more

Sen. Daines Working to Improve PPP Program to Help Montana Restaurants, Food Supply Chains
WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines urged Senate leadership to increase flexibility for restaurant owners and food supply chain workers under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). "By matching PPP forgiveness to the needs of restaurants, Congress will ensure that these cornerstones of our communities are ready to welcome us back when we all can be together again," Daines wrote. "Additionally, PPP forgiveness for mat  more

Sen. Daines: House Passes Daines' Bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act
WASHINGTON, July 23 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines praised the passage of his bipartisan bill, the "Great American Outdoors Act," out of the U.S. House of Representatives. Daines' conservation bill provides full, permanent funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and addresses the maintenance backlog facing the nation's national parks and public lands. "The U.S. House just passed in a strong bipartisan vote, the Great  more

Sen. Jones, Colleagues Urge Administration to Enforce Housing Eviction Bans During Pandemic
WASHINGTON, July 21 -- Sen. Doug Jones, D-Alabama, issued the following news release: As the coronavirus pandemic continues to put many Americans in danger of falling behind on monthly rent payments, U.S. Senators Doug Jones of Alabama and Jon Tester of Montana today led a group of their colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to enforce bans on housing evictions for the duration of the crisis. In a letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, U.S. Dep  more

Sen. Tester Announces Nearly $6 Million in Transportation Investments for Missoula During Pandemic
WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 23: U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced $5,941,992 in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds for the Missoula Urban Transportation District. These funds were appropriated through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. "Montana's transportation infrastructure is essential for the safety of folks in Missoula and also for the bottom line of Main Street businesses that power one   more

Sen. Tester Backs Bills to Increase Access to Mental, Behavioral Health, Prevent Drug Misuse, Ensure Coverage During Cancer Treatment for Montanans
WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As part of his continuing effort to secure more health care resources for Montanans during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Jon Tester recently announced his support of four bills aimed at increasing access to mental and behavioral health care; addiction and cancer treatment and prevention; and family planning resources. The four bills aim to provide Montanans with critical access to health care resources   more

Sen. Tester Delivers More Than $1 Million for Great Falls Early Head Start
WASHINGTON, July 21 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As part of his continued effort to increase access to childcare and early childhood education across Montana, U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced a $1,096,128 grant for the Opportunities, Inc. Early Head Start program in Great Falls. "As the coronavirus pandemic continues to upend life as we know it across Montana, the folks who are being hit the hardest--low income families and their children--need our support  more

Sen. Tester Demands Trump Administration Reverse Move to Undermine Montana's COVID-19 Hospital Data Collection, Reporting
WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jon Tester led a group of his colleagues in demanding that the Trump Administration reverse course on recent changes that would require Montana hospitals to report COVID-19 data to a new system set up by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) instead of the well-established National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), which is run by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC  more

Sen. Tester Introduces Bill to Provide Benefits to Veterans and Military Families Fighting COVID-19 Crisis
WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 23: U.S. Senator Jon Tester introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation yesterday to remove barriers to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation and survivor benefits for certain active duty servicemembers, National Guard members, and Reservists, exposed to COVID-19 on the front lines. "Members of the National Guard and Reserve always stand ready to protect our communities when disa  more

Sen. Tester Statement on USDA Update on Tyson Beef, Coronavirus Pandemic Investigation
WASHINGTON, July 23 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following statement: U.S. Senator Jon Tester released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) report on its ongoing boxed beef and fed cattle price spread investigation following the closure of the Tyson beef packing plant in Holcomb, Kansas and the coronavirus pandemic. * * * "The investigation so far clearly shows that Congress needs to take action in order to make sure the market is working and tha  more

Sen. Tester's Historic Great American Outdoors Act Clears House, Headed for President's Desk
WASHINGTON, July 23 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jon Tester's historic bill securing full, permanent funding for the critical Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is one step away from being signed into law. The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) cleared the chamber 310-107, and now awaits President Trump's signature. In addition to fully funding LWCF at $900 million a year, the GAOA allocates $9.  more

Sen. Tester's Landmark Bill to Provide Benefits to Vets Exposed to Agent Orange Passes Senate
WASHINGTON, July 23 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on July 22: Vietnam veterans suffering from diseases associated with exposure to Agent Orange are one step closer to receiving critical care and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) following sustained efforts from U.S. Senator Jon Tester to include his bipartisan legislation (https://www.veterans.senate.gov/newsroom/minority  more

Sen. Tester's Landmark Bill to Provide Benefits to Vets Exposed to Agent Orange Passes Senate
WASHINGTON, July 23 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 22: Vietnam veterans suffering from diseases associated with exposure to Agent Orange are one step closer to receiving critical care and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) following sustained efforts from U.S. Senator Jon Tester to include his bipartisan legislation in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) - a must-pass annual defense bill. Tester took to the Senate floor ear  more

Sen. Tester, Colleagues Urge Trump to Increase PPE, Testing Capacity
WASHINGTON, July 25 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As coronavirus cases continue to rise across the country and in Montana, U.S. Senator Jon Tester recently led his colleagues in urging President Trump to use every resource available to increase the production of personal protective equipment (PPE) and improve the nation's testing and contact tracing capacity to stem the rising tide of infections. In a letter to President Trump, Tester and his colleagues wrot  more

Sen. Tester, Western Senators Lead Call for Expedited Hearing on Anti-Public Lands Crusader William Perry Pendley's Nomination to Bureau of Land Management
WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: Following President Trump's formal nomination of anti-public lands activist William Perry Pendley to lead the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Senator Jon Tester led his Western colleagues in calling for an expedited Senate confirmation hearing for Pendley, who was installed as the de facto acting director of the agency nearly a year ago without a confirmation hearing or vote. Tester and his colleagues wrote t  more

Sens. Tester, Jones, Colleagues Urge Administration to Enforce Housing Eviction Bans During Coronavirus Pandemic
WASHINGTON, July 21 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As the coronavirus pandemic continues to put many Americans in danger of falling behind on monthly rent payments, U.S. Senators Jon Tester of Montana and Doug Jones of Alabama led a group of their colleagues urging the Trump Administration to enforce bans on housing evictions for the duration of the crisis. In a letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, U.S. Department o  more

Sens. Tester, Moran Bill to Expand Protections for Military Families Impacted by COVID-19 Heads to President's Desk
WASHINGTON, July 21 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: The House passed bipartisan legislation from Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and provide additional legal protections for members of the military impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The bill now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. The Senators' legislation expands SCRA pro  more

Sens. Tester, Moran Bill to Expand Protections for Military Families Impacted by COVID-19 Heads to President's Desk
WASHINGTON, July 21 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: The House passed bipartisan legislation from Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and provide additional legal protections for members of the military impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The bill now heads to the President's d  more

Sens. Tester, Rounds Bill to Streamline Education Benefits for Veterans Heads to President's Desk
WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Mike Rounds' (R-S.D.) bipartisan G.I. Bill Work Study Improvement Act of 2019 is heading to the President's desk to be signed into law. The Senators' bill will provide timelier education benefits to student veterans participating in the VA Work-Study Allowance Program by cutting down excessive bureaucra  more

Tester Introduces Bill to Provide Benefits to Veterans and Military Families Fighting COVID-19 Crisis
WASHINGTON, July 24 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jon Tester introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation (https://www.veterans.senate.gov/download/covid-19-benefits-for-active-duty-servicemembers-the-reserve-components-and-their-survivors-act-of-2020-) yesterday to remove barriers to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation and survivor benefits for certain   more