Thursday - March 28, 2024
U.S. Congressional Tipoffs Involving Montana Newsletter for Sunday May 17, 2020 ( 31 items )  

Breast Cancer Screening Coverage Expanded for Servicemembers and Veterans on TRICARE Following Sen. Tester Push
WASHINGTON, May 16 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on May 15: Following efforts by Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester, the Department of Defense announced that it will implement a new policy covering 3D breast cancer screening for female servicemembers and veterans on TRICARE starting at the end of the month. This announcement follows Tester's bipartisan push to provide servicemembers, retirees, and their families with this life-saving  more

During National Police Week, Sen. Tester Continues Fight for Montana Law Enforcement
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jon Tester is honoring Montana's police officers by marking National Police Week and doubling down on his ongoing effort to ensure the country's law enforcement officers have the resources and benefits they need to keep communities secure and families safe. Tester is backing a resolution recognizing the work of law enforcement officers during the COVID-19 outbreak, and honoring the officers who di  more

Rep. Duncan: HEAT Members Support DOJ Opposition of Nationwide Injunction Jeopardizing Utility Line Projects
WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-South Carolina, issued the following news release: House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and HEAT members Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) and Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) led a joint letter to the U.S. Department of Justice Attorney General William Barr in support of the Department's opposition to nationwide injunctions and the Department's effort to challenge the District Court for the District of Montana's nationwide   more

Rep. Gianforte Leads Letter to President Trump in Support of State Funeral for Last Surviving WWII Medal of Honor Recipient
WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Congressman Greg Gianforte and U.S. Senators Jon Tester, Steve Daines sent a bipartisan letter calling on President Donald Trump to designate a state funeral in honor of the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, and to recognize millions of Americans for their service and sacrifice during the war. "The 'Greatest Generation' represents the character and strength of Montana and the   more

Rep. Gianforte Secures Greater Flexibility for America's Truckers
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) updated its hours of service (HOS) rules for commercial motor vehicle drivers, changes Gianforte has championed for years. "As we have confronted the COVID-19 outbreak, America's truckers have been among our nation's heroes, ensuring our grocery stores and ph  more

Rep. Gianforte, Sen. Daines to President: Work to Overturn Judge's 'Terrible and Far Reaching' Permitting Decision
WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: In response to Judge Brian Morris's decision to cancel a permit used for multiple infrastructure projects, Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) and U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) urged President Trump to work to overturn Morris's decision. Describing Morris's decision as "terrible and far reaching," Gianforte and Daines wrote in a letter to Trump, "We urge you to use the full resources of your Adminis  more

Sen. Daines Pushes for PPP Relief Eligibility for Montana Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts
WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines sent a letter urging the Trump administration to allow qualifying veteran service organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) to be eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. "The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) perform services to veterans and their families in states across our nation, and this is certainly the case i  more

Sen. Daines Pushes to Protect National Guard Members Retirement During Coronavirus Pandemic
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines sent a letter urging Senate leadership to temporarily lower the minimum requirement for a satisfactory year of service to accommodate National Guard personnel who are unable to drill and acquire points towards retirement because of the COVID-19 outbreak. "Many guardsmen and women who have dedicated a life of service, face the very real possibility of being a couple points short of r  more

Sen. Daines Secures Nearly $50 Million to Expand Testing for Coronavirus in Montana
WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced that Montana will be receiving $49,914,794 to develop, purchase, administer, process, and analyze COVID-19 tests, scale-up laboratory capacity, trace contacts, and support employer testing. "I am glad to have secured this critical funding to boost testing for the coronavirus in Montana," Daines said. "As we work to safely reopen the economy, it is critical that Montana's t  more

Sen. Daines Secures Over $1 Million for Community Services During the Coronavirus Pandemic
WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be directing $1,258,912 to Montana through the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program. "This critical funding will support Montana's most vulnerable residents during the coronavirus pandemic including low-income individuals and families and Montana seniors," Daines said. "I'm glad to have worked to secure th  more

Sen. Daines Secures Over $200,000 to Expand Telehealth Services in Montana During Coronavirus Pandemic
WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be directing $264,641 to the University of Montana System and Montana State University to support increased telehealth capabilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. "In Montana, telehealth is a powerful tool for our providers to expand access to care, especially in vulnerable communities during this publ  more

Sen. Daines, Colleagues Lead Bipartisan Letter in Support of State Funeral for Last Surviving WWII Medal of Honor Recipient
WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Steve Daines, Jon Tester, and U.S. Congressman Greg Gianforte sent a bipartisan letter calling on President Donald Trump to designate a state funeral in honor of the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, and to recognize millions of Americans for their service and sacrifice during the war. "The 'Greatest Generation' represents the character and strength of Montana and the U  more

Sen. Daines: We Must Prioritize Made in Montana Beef, Support Montana Ranchers
WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced a resolution that would urge the President and U.S. Trade Representative to prioritize mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) for beef in trade negotiations. "During these unprecedented and challenging times, Montana producers and ranchers are struggling to keep their operations going," Daines said. "That's why it is important we pursue negotiations with our trading   more

Sen. Tester Announces $264,651 for Pandemic Telehealth Programs
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced $264,651 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds for pandemic workforce enhancement programs at Montana State University and the University of Montana. "For Montanans--many of whom have to drive hundreds of miles to the nearest health care provider--telehealth is a critical lifeline to medical resources, particularly in times of crisis," said Tester  more

Sen. Tester Announces Nearly $50 Million Headed to Montana to Expand COVID-19 Testing
WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced that nearly $50 million is coming to Montana to help the state expand its COVID-19 capabilities. The $49,914,794 is part of the nearly $11 billion in CARES Act funding Tester fought for to help states improve their overall testing ability, and is allocated based on a formula that considers prevalence of the coronavirus in the state and overall population. "Testing is key to u  more

Sen. Tester Keeps His COOL, Fights for Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling as Part of Rancher Relief Plan
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: In the third plank of his Rancher Relief Plan to provide urgent support to Montana cattle producers hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Jon Tester reintroduced--for the first time ever with a Republican--his resolution to support country of origin labeling (COOL) for beef products along with Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota. Tester, the Senate's only working farmer, is pushing to bring back laws and  more

Sen. Tester Leads Bipartisan Letter in Support of State Funeral for Last Surviving WWII Medal of Honor Recipient
WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on May 11: U.S. Senators Jon Tester, Steve Daines, and U.S. Congressman Greg Gianforte sent a bipartisan letter calling on President Donald Trump to designate a state funeral in honor of the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II, and to recognize millions of Americans for their service and sacrifice during the war. "The 'Greatest Generation' represents the character and strength of Montana a  more

Sen. Tester Leads Legislation to Bring More Transparency, Accuracy to Livestock Markets as Part of Rancher Relief Plan
WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: Rolling out the second plank of his Rancher Relief Plan to bring critical support to Montana cattle producers who have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Senator Jon Tester, the Senate's only working farmer, introduced bipartisan legislation to increase the proportion of cash payments in the cattle market to improve pricing transparency and provide stability to independent producers and small feede  more

Sen. Tester to Senate Leadership: Schools Can't Afford to Lose More Teachers & Workers
WASHINGTON, May 16 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As many Montana schools resort to cutting teaching and staff positions because of budget deficiencies amid the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Jon Tester is demanding that Senate leadership prioritize robust funding for public schools in order to prevent accelerated teacher and other personnel shortages and ensure students retain access to quality educations. In a recent letter to Majority Leader Mitch McConne  more

Sen. Tester Urges FEMA to Increase Efforts to Deliver Food to Those in Need
WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Peter Gaynor urging the agency to increase its efforts to deliver food aid to those in need. "We call on FEMA to be more proactive in using all of its authorities and availabl  more

Sen. Tester, Colleagues Urge Transparency in VA Disability Claims Process During COVID-19 Outbreak
WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on May 12: Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester is leading the call for more transparency and accountability as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) suspends in-person compensation and pension (C&P) exams for veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie today, Tester and his committee colleagues pressed the Department to outline its plans for transi  more

Sen. Tester, Colleagues Urge Transparency in VA Disability Claims Process During COVID-19 Outbreak
WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester is leading the call for more transparency and accountability as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) suspends in-person compensation and pension (C&P) exams for veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie, Tester and his committee colleagues   more

Sen. Tester, Rep. Moran Lead Bipartisan Call for Reimbursement Plan to Support VA's COVID-19 Pandemic Response
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), along with Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Ranking Member Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.), are requesting that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) outlines its reimbursement plans for services provided to Americans during t  more

Sen. Tester: Breast Cancer Screening Coverage Expanded for Servicemembers, Veterans on TRICARE Following Tester Push
WASHINGTON, May 16 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on May 15: Following efforts by Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester, the Department of Defense announced that it will implement a new policy covering 3D breast cancer screening for female servicemembers and veterans on TRICARE starting at the end of the month. This announcement follows Tester's bipartisan push to prov  more

Sen. Tester: Cut Cattle Market Red Tape, Allow Interstate Meat Sales
WASHINGTON, May 12 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As Montana ranchers have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Senator Jon Tester released the first plank of his Rancher Relief Plan, calling on Senate leadership to include his legislation, the bipartisan New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act in the next coronavirus relief package. The New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act would allow meat and poultry products inspecte  more

Sen. Tester: Effective Rural Broadband Development is Critical Amid COVID-19 Crisis
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As schools and health care providers become increasingly reliant on the internet to deliver services during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Jon Tester is stressing the need to close the digital divide in rural communities that lack broadband access, without the unnecessary spending of taxpayer dollars. At a Senate Commerce Committee Hearing, Tester questioned broadband association officials about the effec  more

Sen. Tester: Montana's Community Development Programs are Critical for Small Businesses, Must Be Included in Next Coronavirus Relief Bill
WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As part of his effort to make sure no Montana community is left behind during the coronavirus crisis, U.S. Senator Jon Tester is urging Senate leadership to include critical community development programs in the next coronavirus relief bill. In a letter to Senate leadership, Tester and a bipartisan group of his colleagues wrote that Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are critical to keeping s  more

Senate Unanimously Passes Sen. Tester Bill Guaranteeing Benefits to Families of Fallen or Disabled Pandemic First Responders
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on May 14: During National Police Week, the Senate unanimously passed U.S. Senator Jon Tester's Safeguarding America's First Responders (SAFR) Act, a bill that makes it easier for first responders who are disabled or die as a result of COVID-19 to receive benefits through the Public Safety Officers Benefits Program (PSOB). "Today my colleagues on both sides of the aisle came together to pass a commonsense fix t  more

Sens. Tester, Daines Lead Bipartisan Push to Expand Child Care During COVID-19 Outbreak
WASHINGTON, May 13 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines are leading a bipartisan push to expand critical child care support for families and child care providers amid the coronavirus outbreak as the Senate considers the next coronavirus relief bill. In a letter to Senate leadership, Tester and Daines, along with a group of their Senate colleagues, wrote that child care is critical to keeping essential workers on the frontli  more

Sens. Tester, Moran Lead Bipartisan Call for Reimbursement Plan to Support VA's COVID-19 Pandemic Response
WASHINGTON, May 14 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Chairman Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), along with Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Ranking Member Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.), are requesting that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) outlin  more

Sens. Tester, Rounds and Colleagues Fight to Reinstate Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling
WASHINGTON, May 15 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) along with a bipartisan group of their colleagues introduced a resolution to support country of origin labeling (COOL) for beef products in the United States in an effort to provide critical support to American cattle producers hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution, cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Thune (R-S.D.), and Cor  more