WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Senators request VA continue processing the claims of veterans who are already eligible for benefits * * * Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Jon Tester is continuing his push to ensure veterans living with the effects of toxic exposure receive the benefits and health care they earned. After President Trump s  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As Facebook plans their 2020 roll out of Libra-a new global cryptocurrency-U.S. Senator Jon Tester today grilled the project's top executive on its plans to mitigate cybersecurity risks and potential fraud in the wake of the tech giant's misuse of consumer data during the 2016 election. At today's Senate Banking Committee hearing, Tester prodded the project's head David Marcus on how Facebook intends to prote  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Letter follows introduction of legislation laying out path to more granular mapping, including crowdsourcing verification * * * U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Brian Schatz (D- Hawaii), and Jerry Moran (R-Kan)-all members of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee-are urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take specific, concrete steps to  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Kirsten Gillibrand today wrote a letter urging Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Robert Wilkie, to reverse his decision to delay benefits by another six months to the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans. "This is a disheartening and unnecessary action," the senators wrote. "Delaying these benefits for another six month without specific and valid cause only adds insult to these veter  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on the extent to which the Border Security Improvement Plan includes the elements required by the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act. The report (GAO-19-538R) is titled "Border Security: Assessment of the Department of Homeland Security's Border Security Improvement Plan". The report was sent to Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-West Virginia, chairman, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, ranking member of the Se  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Two grants will provide funding for low income housing construction and restoration * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that the City of Great Falls will receive two grants worth more than $1 million to build and repair housing for low income Montanans. The $1,067,754 in funding-which is provided by the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program and the HOME program-is allocated to  more

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: The Energy and Commerce Committee today passed a bipartisan bill to end illegal robocalls that included measures from Congressman Greg Gianforte. The Stopping Bad Robocalls Act passed the committee by a vote of 48-0. The U.S. House of Representatives will consider the bill. "[Montanans are] getting called with bogus insurance offers, threats of legal action, and false promises of government grants," Gian  more

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte recognized Doug Follett of Whitefish with his Spirit of Montana commendation for serving 70 years as an ambassador of Glacier National Park and Montana to the millions of visitors who visit the park each year. Known as "Ranger Doug," Follett has guided countless visitors through Glacier National Park as a seasonal interpretive ranger for 58 seasons, often sharing poems he's auth  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Ross Spano, R-Florida, issued the following statement after he introduced the No Pensions for Pedophiles Act: This bill would qualify federal crimes related to the sexual abuse of children as additional criteria for losing one's federal pension. "I was deeply disturbed to read news reports earlier this year surrounding the conviction of Stanley Patrick Weber. He was a doctor at Indian Health Service hospitals who misused his position of trust and responsibility to s  more

WASHINGTON, July 12 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte and Senator Steve Daines yesterday introduced the bipartisan Small County Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Parity Act. "In Montana, 55 of our 56 counties receive PILT funding. As the largest landowner in our state, the federal government must keep its commitment to our communities and make them whole," Congressman Gianforte said. "The existing PILT formula punishes many of Montan  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Senate Indian Affairs Committee moves forward with Tester-backed bill funding water infrastructure projects in Indian Country * * * In his ongoing commitment to Tribal water rights, U.S. Senator Jon Tester worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass key legislation through the Senate Indian Affairs Committee that funds congressionally approved Indian water projects. The Indian Water R  more

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - $2,824,832 grant will help fund early education initiatives for kids in Indian Country * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) will receive more than $2.8 million to fund their Head Start and Early Head Start Programs which will provide education, health, and nutrition services to low-income children. "Every child deserves a chance at su  more

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Taxpayer's Right to Know Act would make public the details, costs, and performance metrics of every federal * * * As part of his continuing effort to promote transparency and hold government accountable to Montanans, U.S. Senator Jon Tester is backing legislation giving taxpayers better insight into exactly how their money is being spent. The Taxpayer's Right to Know Act would expand the availabili  more

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Senators request VA continue processing the claims of veterans who are already eligible for benefits * * * Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Jon Tester is continuing his push to ensure veterans living with the effects of toxic exposure receive the benefits and health care they earned. After President Trump signed his Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act into law last month, Te  more