WASHINGTON, July 7 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines recently joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues in sending a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to stress the importance of NATO members fully meeting spending commitments ahead of the NATO summit next week. Since 2006, NATO member nations have agreed to commit a minimum of 2 percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense spending. The letter notes that despite i  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 14, 2023: U.S. Senator Steve Daines helped introduce the bipartisan "Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act"to maintain the pay raise secured for Montana wildland firefighters in Daines' bipartisan "Wildland Firefighter Fair Pay Act" that was signed into law in 2021. Daines' "Wildland Firefighter Recognition Act" which was also signed into law in 2021 and required the Office of Personnel Managem  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following remarks on July 11, 2023: * * * U.S. Senator Steve Daines today delivered remarks at the weekly Republican Senate Leadership press conference slamming President Biden for his mishandling of the Chinese spy balloon debacle and called on the Administration to provide answers on how China was able to acquire American technology that was used to spy on Montanans. "We've seen over the course of the first half of the year tha  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 14, 2023: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today released the list of amendments he plans to introduce next week as part of the "National Defense Authorization Act" (NDAA), including legislation to crack down on Chinese espionage, ban drag shows on U.S. military bases and launch an investigation into potential side effects of the previously mandated COVID-19 vaccine for U.S. service members. Daines introduc  more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Yesterday, U.S. Senator Steve Daines co-sponsored a bicameral, bipartisan bill to ensure the continued availability of AM broadcast in new vehicles at no additional charge to the consumer. "AM radio is absolutely vital to maintaining the important fabric of our rural Montana communities and plays a critical role in public safety. Whether it be local news, weather or commodity prices, our AM radio stations i  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release and letter on July 11, 2023: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today sent a letter to the Biden administration highlighting concerns with the recent reports that China used American technology to spy on the United States. In the letter, Daines demands the U.S. Departments of Defense, Commerce and Treasury investigate the situation and provide Congress a report of their findings in order to prevent future violations o  more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news: The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee held a hearing yesterday to solicit feedback from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officials and Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) on 19 pending proposals--including five priorities authored by Chairman Jon Tester to improve suicide prevention efforts, reform the Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program, expa  more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 13, 2023: The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee held a hearing yesterday to solicit feedback from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officials and Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) on 19 pending proposals--including five priorities authored by Chairman Jon Tester to improve suicide prevention efforts, reform the Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program, expand long-term and community   more

WASHINGTON, July 13 -- Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 12, 2023: This week, the House of Representatives began debating the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) filed and testified in support of the following amendments to the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act: Amendment 194, Amendment 350, Amendment 546. "Anything that does not contribute to making our military the most effective fig  more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 13, 2023: Today, Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) introduced legislation that will authorize $5 million for the operation of the Southwest Montana Veterans' Home in Butte, Montana. Congressman Rosendale's bill would redirect funds from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs' disastrous effort to carry out the Electronic Health Modernization program and instead spend that money improving healthcare outc  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 14, 2023: Today, Congressman Matt Rosendale (MT-02) voted in favor of the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. The legislation includes two amendments introduced by Congressman Rosendale. The first would prohibit the Department of Defense from using taxpayer dollars for gender reassignment surgery and gender hormone therapy, while the second limits the U.S. military's ability to deta  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 14, 2023: Today, the technical management team (TMT) that advises the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on the Columbia River System has denied the request by Gov. Gianforte, Sen. Daines and Congressman Zinke to stabilize Flathead Lake levels. Congressman Zinke released the following statement following the Bureau of Reclamation's refusal: "Let's be clear, the Commissioner of Reclamation has the authority to  more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 13, 2023: Today, the Office of Congressman Ryan Zinke announces the passage of the House Appropriations Transportation Housing and Urban Development (THUD) subcommittee bill for consideration before the entire House Appropriations Committee. The bill includes six of Rep. Zinke's Community Project Funding requests to bring more than $31.5 million in funding directly to Montana communities. Rep. Zinke's   more

WASHINGTON, July 13 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 12, 2023: In his continued effort to support Montana's wildland firefighters, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today backed the bipartisan Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, a bill to preserve predictable, competitive pay for Montana's wildland firefighters. As part of his bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Tester championed a provision that included $600 million in temporary p  more

WASHINGTON, July 11 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 10, 2023: In his ongoing effort to protect Montana firefighters from deadly diseases, U.S. Senator Jon Tester cosponsored the bipartisan Firefighter Cancer Registry Reauthorization Act, to renew critical funding for the registry, which was enacted in 2018 and officially went online earlier this year. "Every time Montana's brave firefighters suit up, they are putting their own lives at risk to keep our   more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news on July 13, 2023: Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester today led a bipartisan Committee effort to advance Tanya Bradsher, the nominee to be the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Deputy Secretary, to the full Senate for consideration. "The Department needs a steady, strong hand to tackle challenges and uphold its important mission to those who fou  more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 13, 2023: Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester today led a bipartisan Committee effort to advance Tanya Bradsher, the nominee to be the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Deputy Secretary, to the full Senate for consideration. "The Department needs a steady, strong hand to tackle challenges and uphold its important mission to those who fought for our freedoms," said Tester. "Tanya B  more

WASHINGTON, July 13 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release and letter on July 12, 2023: U.S. Senator Jon Tester, who is leading the Senate's bipartisan investigation into the Chinese spy balloon that was first spotted over Montana in February, today called on the Biden Administration to immediately investigate how the spy balloon used American-made technology. "I write with my deep concerns about the reports indicating the Chinese spy balloon first spotted by American  more

WASHINGTON, July 11 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 10, 2023: As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senator Jon Tester joined his colleagues recently in unanimously passing the Fiscal Year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, and the Agriculture Appropriations Act through the committee, clearing a major legislative hurdle. In the bills, he helped secure critical funding and provi  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 11, 2023: Following last year's historic flooding in Carbon County, U.S. Senator Jon Tester this week secured $6,936,167.99 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding for the replacement of the East Side South, East Side North, and Meeteetse Trail Bridges through the FY23 government funding bill. In December, 2022, Tester was the only member of Montana's congressional delegation who voted to  more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 13, 2023: U.S. Senator Jon Tester, who is leading the Senate's bipartisan investigation into the Chinese spy balloon that was first spotted over Montana in February, today announced he will offer a bipartisan amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual must-pass defense bill, to assess commercially available technology that can and is being used in foreign espionage programs. "This   more

WASHINGTON, July 14 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on July 13, 2023: U.S. Senator Jon Tester's historic bill to create jobs, protect thousands of acres of public land, and ensure future generations can access the world-class outdoor recreational opportunities available in the Blackfoot River Watershed, received a key hearing this week in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Tester's Blackfoot-Clearwater Stewardship Act, which is supported by 84% o  more

WASHINGTON, July 11 -- Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 10, 2023, and a letter: Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke urged Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton to increase the release of water from Hungry Horse Reservoir to stabilize water levels in Flathead Lake ahead of the lake reaching historically low pool levels. Due to a rapid runoff and laws requiring the minimum flow at the SKQ Dam, the lake is expected to be 18-inches below fu  more