WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Wildfire Tax Assistance Act would let folks affected by wildfires focus on recovering, not filing taxes * * * As wildfires rage across the Mountain West, U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) are teaming up to give relief to families impacted by the blazes. The Senators are introducing their bipartisan Wildfire Tax Assistance Act, which would allow the IRS to give folks who liv  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that $300,000 will be directed towards Rosebud County to strengthen Colstrip and support the economic infrastructure of the local community. "This is about making sure the folks at Colstrip aren't left behind," Daines said. "These grants will strengthen the local community in Rosebud by creating good paying jobs and spurring economic development for Rosebud County's   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced legislation to protect Montana veterans from being scammed by pension poachers. "It is a shame that there are bad actors out there looking to take advantage of our nation's heroes," Daines said. "My legislation cracks down on pension poachers and ensure our veterans in Montana and across the country are protected from these illegal scams." The FREE Veterans Act rei  more

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that $3,563,796 will be directed towards strengthening Montana's air travel infrastructure in Billings and Miles City. "Having the necessary resources to support our air infrastructure is important for Montana's economy," Daines said. "These grants will help support Montana jobs, strengthen our tourism industry and make it easier for folks from all across the countr  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Legislation will protect communities from deadly wildfires * * * U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the following joint statement on bipartisan legislation they are developing to protect public safety by expediting and expanding the removal of dead, dying and hazardous trees in national forests: "The 2017 and 2018 fire seasons brought unspeakable lo  more

WASHINGTON, July 28 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Montana Congressman Greg Gianforte this week celebrated two Montanans who won at June's National High School Finals Rodeo. On the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, Gianforte congratulated Shai McDonald, of Gardiner, and Brice Patterson, of Bozeman, who competed at the international event in Wyoming. McDonald won second place in barrel racing, and Patterson took fourth in bareback riding. "The o  more

WASHINGTON, July 26 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: The U.S. House of Representatives this week passed the bipartisan Stopping Bad Robocalls Act which included Congressman Greg Gianforte's Tracing Back and Catching Unlawful Robocalls Act. Gianforte spoke on the House floor encouraging lawmakers to pass the bill. "Too many robocalls are deceptive and destructive - from bogus insurance offers to threats of legal action. Scam artists scheme to steal hardworki  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following statement after the Fish and Wildlife Service relisted the grizzly bear in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem: "Today's listing is the result of an activist judge siding with environmental extremists and refusing to follow the scientific findings of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that the grizzly bear recovered in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. "This unnecessary judicial overstep is another reason Congress needs to   more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte recently held a town hall event with Montana seniors, his sixth telephone town hall event of 2019. "I appreciate every chance I get to talk to Montanans," Gianforte said. "With town halls, I hear about issues important to folks and carry their concerns with me as I serve them. I look forward to continuing these conversations as I travel the state and meet with more Montanans dur  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following statement on his vote against the bipartisan budget agreement: "I voted no on the budget deal today. "It is absolutely irresponsible for Washington to increase the limit on the nation's credit card while busting the budget and increasing government spending by hundreds of billions with no effort to reform out of control spending and deficits. "We need reforms like my Balanced Budget Accountability Act that holds Congre  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - $1,096,128 grant will support Early Head Start program in Great Falls region * * * As part of his ongoing support for early childhood education, U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced $1 million in funding for Great Falls Early Head Start Program, serving kids in the greater Great Falls region. "Head Start ensures that children across Montana have the educational, physical, and emotional support they nee  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following statement on the announcement of a deal to open up the European Union to more U.S. beef exports: "Montana produces some of the finest beef in the world. This deal allows ranchers to sell even more of their high-quality beef in the global marketplace--which will boost production, create jobs, and make it easier to make a living ranching here in Montana. We should always be working to expand markets, not contract them, so all   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following statement on the news that a district court judge sided with Montana in the fight against dark money: "This ruling is a step in the right direction in the fight to get dark money out of our politics. The court said what we already know to be true: special interests should have to disclose their donors so that every American knows who is behind the curtain. But without a law on the books, the IRS or other government agencies   more

WASHINGTON, July 29 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following statement on the news that William Pendley has become the top official at the Bureau of Land Management: "William Pendley has built a career advocating for the sale of public lands to the highest bidder. "His leadership of the agency tasked with protecting the very entities he'd like to sell is a grave threat to the future of public lands in Montana and across the country." Until last year William Pendley served as presi  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Senate passes Ranking Member's resolution declaring 'American Legion Week' * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester's bipartisan resolution (https://www.veterans.senate.gov/download/american-legion-week-resolution) honoring American Legion's 100 years of service to veterans and families of the United States Armed Forces has unanimously passed  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Senate passes Ranking Member's resolution declaring 'American Legion Week' * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester's bipartisan resolution honoring American Legion's 100 years of service to veterans and families of the United States Armed Forces has unanimously passed the Senate. The resolution declares the week of August 23rd as "American Legion Week" to coincide with the Legion's 100th Anniversary conventio  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement in reaction to a ruling by the Montana District Court blocking Internal Revenue Service repeal of nonprofit donor reporting requirements: "The Treasury Department broke every rule in the book to repeal donor reporting requirements and open the floodgates to illegal dark and foreign money flowing through organizations like the NRA and Chamber of Commerce to i  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 -- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee on National Parks issued the following hearing information: To examine opportunities to expand visitation at lesser-known National Park System units at Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Deer Lodge, Montana at 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 8: Witness Panel 1 * Palmer "Chip" Jenkins, Acting Regional Director, Intermountain Region, National Park Service * Ralph E. Mannix Jr., Commissioner ,Powell County, Montana * Sarah Ban  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, and Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following joint statement on bipartisan legislation they are developing to protect public safety by expediting and expanding the removal of dead, dying and hazardous trees in national forests: "The 2017 and 2018 fire seasons brought unspeakable loss and grief to California and Montana communities. Unfortunately, millions of acres of forests in our states and across the West remain at high risk of  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Proposed rule would put working families--and their kids--at risk of losing critical food security benefits * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester slammed a recent Trump Administration rule to rip a critical food aid program from millions of working families who need temporary help getting dinner on the table. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the proposed rule would cut 3.1 mi  more

WASHINGTON, July 31 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Senator's provisions will benefit state, local, and Tribal projects * * * As part of his ongoing efforts to #ConnectMT, U.S. Senator Jon Tester successfully pushed the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee to include a number of his key priorities that give Montana the funding and flexibility to make critical infrastructure improvements. The America's Transportation Infrastructure Act  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Senator announces grants funding terrorism prevention, border protection, & disaster relief * * * In his continued efforts to keep Montanans safe, U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced that communities across the state will receive funding through four separate grants to support security initiatives and programs at the state, local, and Tribal levels. The grants--adding up to $9,390,333 in total--will p  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - $882,791 in Community Development Block Grants, HOME Grants awarded to Missoula County * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that the City of Missoula will receive two grants totaling nearly $900,000 to build and repair housing for low income Montanans. The $882,791 in funding--which is provided by the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) program and the HOME program--is allocated to lo  more

WASHINGTON, July 30 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Senators introduce the Department of Veterans Affairs IT Reform Act increasing transparency and accountability over critical IT projects for veterans * * * In an ongoing effort to bring 21st century care and benefits to veterans across the country, U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) are unveiling bip  more