WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today advanced key Montana priorities with U.S. Senate passage of the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA passed with a vote of 86-8. "The Senate defense bill protects and promotes Montana's critical contributions to our national security," Daines said. "I look forward to working with the House to ensure we keep critical Montana provisions that strengthen  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that $8,019,366 million will be directed towards strengthening Montana's air travel infrastructure across the state. "Strengthening the infrastructure that supports air travel in Montana is vital to our local economy," Daines said. "These grants will lead to greater access for Montana's visitors and more good paying jobs for Montana's thriving tourism industry."   more

WASHINGTON, June 28 -- The U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of eight individuals for positions in the Trump Administration on June 20: Rita Baranwal, of Pennsylvania, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Nuclear Energy). Seth Daniel Appleton, of Missouri, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Dino Falaschetti, of Montana, to be Director, Office of Financial Research, Department of the Treasury, for a term of six years. Robert Hunter Kurtz, of Virginia, to be a  more

WASHINGTON, June 29 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a decision denying a bid protest filed by ACME Endeavors of Missoula, Montana. According to the GAO, ACME Endeavors "protests the terms of request for quotations (RFQ) No. 1204H119Q7000, issued by the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, for commercial vehicle weed washing services and equipment. ACME argues that the RFQ is ambiguous and limits competition by overstating the agency's minimum requirements.  more

WASHINGTON, June 28 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines received a letter from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in response to the Senator's call for action to take away convicted pedophile Stanley Patrick Weber's government pension. "I'm glad to see HHS respond to my demand and take action in finding a way to prevent this convicted pedophile from receiving a dime of his government pension," Daines said. "This disgustin  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: In response to low numbers of Native American Tribes receiving grants through the Victims of Crime Act because of excessive red tape, U.S. Senator Jon Tester successfully led a bipartisan letter that pressured the Department of Justice (DOJ) to extend and improve the application process for funding through the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) set aside for Tribes. Currently, more than four in five American Indians an  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte today spoke on the House floor to congratulate the participants and winners of the Code Girls United Northwest Regional App Challenge. "Congratulations to all the participants. The skills and ideas they are developing could help tackle the challenges we face today, and in the years to come," Gianforte said. Gianforte highlighted the winners of the competition, all from Kalispel  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Today, Montana Congressman Greg Gianforte and Representative Mike Levin (D-CA,) introduced a bipartisan resolution to establish October 1 as National Health Literacy Day. The resolution encourages individuals to assess their health knowledge and history and urges the Secretary of Health and Human Services to adopt tools and incentives to improve health literacy. "Empowering people through health education  more

WASHINGTON, June 28 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte recognized Ellen Crain of Butte with his Spirit of Montana commendation for her leadership and dedication to preserving Montana's historic impact on the country and the world. Ellen, a native of Butte, has served as the Director of the Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives for nearly 30 years. She led the efforts for a major expansion of the archives and helped transform it into a re  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte recently introduced legislation, the Tracing Back and Catching Unlawful Robocalls Act, to assist in the identification and prosecution of companies who participate in illegal robocalls. Tuesday, that legislation was unanimously adopted by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology as an amendment to the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, a major bill add  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte recognized Kyla Johnston of Columbia Falls and Karlee Albertson of Billings with his Spirit of Montana commendation for their entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to serving their communities. Kyla conducts a children's reading program and provides the kids with books to encourage them to read. Karlee has raised more than $20,000 for charity over the past six years painting fin  more

WASHINGTON, June 28 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte and U.S. Senator Steve Daines reintroduced legislation to permanently extend the Indian Coal Production Tax Credit (ICPTC). "The Indian Coal Production Tax Credit benefits the Crow Tribe, its members, and the people of Montana," Gianforte said. "I am proud to introduce legislation to permanently extend the tax credit, support tribal development, and help strengthen Montana's eco  more

WASHINGTON, June 28 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Congressman Greg Gianforte reintroduced legislation to permanently extend the Indian Coal Production Tax Credit (ICPTC). "This is about bringing economic opportunity and jobs to Indian country" Daines said. "This tax credit will create good, high paying jobs, generate vital local tax revenue to support essential services, and promote tribal self-determination and energy indepen  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, a member of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Defense, issued the following statement applauding the inclusion of his Cyber Red Team Assessment amendment, cosponsored by Sens. Jon Tester, D-Montana, and Mark Warner, D-Virginia, in the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act: "Over the past several years, Congress has made a worthy and significant investment in our troops, their training and their equipment to make certain our Arm  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Milk River Infrastructure Project will improve irrigation, save money for thousands of Montana producers * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester expressed his disappointment today after the Trump Administration announced its opposition to his bipartisan St. Mary's Reinvestment Act, which would boost critical investments in the Milk River Infrastructure Project that thousands of Montana farmers rely on for acc  more

WASHINGTON, June 28 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Senator pressures agency officials to make smart investments into America's commuter rail system with rural America--and towns like Havre and Shelby--in mind * * * Following the Trump Administration's repeated attempts to cut rail funding in rural America, U.S. Senator Jon Tester pressed Amtrak officials on their failure to invest in long-distance commuter rail lines that connect rural areas to the   more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security, issued the following statement on Senate passage of the supplemental border appropriations bill to provide funding for the humanitarian crisis at the southern border: "This is a serious humanitarian crisis that requires immediate additional resources to address the most urgent needs at the border, including improving unsanitary conditions and providing basic medical   more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians is one step closer to achieving federal recognition today, thanks to a legislative push by U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester. The Senators' legislation passed today as a Daines amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act--the Senate's must-pass annual defense bill. "Today is a historic day for Montana's Little Shell Tribe," Daines said. "For the fir  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians is one step closer to achieving federal recognition today, thanks to a legislative push by U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines. The Senators' legislation passed today as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act-the Senate's must-pass annual defense bill. "This is a big day: after more than 12 years, our legislation to federally recognize the Littl  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee issued the following testimony by Brian Yablonski, executive director of the Property and Environment Research Center, at a hearing to review the implementation of the Land and Water Conservation Fund program: "Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you to provide testimony on the Land and Water Conservation Fund. My name is Brian Yablonski, and I am the executive director of the Property and Environment Research C  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As part of his ongoing effort to #ConnectMT, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced more than $8 million in federal funding to upgrade 13 airports across the state. "When you live in a place called Big Sky Country, air travel is a necessity," Tester said. "That's why it's critical that we invest in our airports, because families, tourists, and businesses across our great state rely on Montana's air travel i  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Senator votes for pay raise for troops, critical upgrades for Malmstrom, prevention of military sexual trauma * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester voted to send critical national security legislation to the President's desk today- joining his colleagues to approve the annual National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 86-8. The bill includes key Tester-backed provisions that will provide the largest pa  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: The U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources held a hearing today on the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), featuring experts from the U.S. Forest Service, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Department of the Interior testifying about the importance of this critical conservation initiative. "LWCF is the best conservation tool we have," Tester said after the hearing. "But the fight to f  more

WASHINGTON, June 28 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Senators demand answers from VA Secretary Wilkie * * * Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Jon Tester led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie asking how the VA intends to pay back more than $286.4 million in home loan fees that were erroneously charged to thousands of exempted veterans as part of the VA Home Loan Program. The Department's Office of Insp  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Senator's bipartisan bill expands care and benefits to veterans exposed to toxic substances in the line of duty * * * President Donald Trump has signed U.S. Senator Jon Tester's bipartisan Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act into law. As Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, Tester has fought tirelessly for   more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Senator's bipartisan bill expands care and benefits to veterans exposed to toxic substances in the line of duty * * * President Donald Trump has signed U.S. Senator Jon Tester's bipartisan Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act into law. As Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, Tester has fought tirelessly for years to extend VA benefits to these Vietnam veterans. The Blue Water N  more