WASHINGTON, July 17 (TNSLrpt) -- A new report from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) warns that the rapid expansion of federal livestock and rangeland insurance programs, particularly the Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) and Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) programs, is leading to surging taxpayer costs and disproportionately benefiting large agricultural operations and corporations. Authored by Eric J. Belasco, an AEI nonresident senior fellow and professor at Montana State University more PR

HELENA, Montana, July 18 -- The Alliance for the Wild Rockies issued the following blog posting: * * * Gas pipeline will destroy dwindling Sage Grouse Habitat -- but you can help stop it The Forest Service authorized a Special Use Permit in March to allow a private company to clear-cut and bulldoze a 50-foot wide, 18.2-mile-long corridor through six National Forest Inventoried Roadless Areas for construction of a gas pipeline from Montpelier, Idaho to Afton, Wyoming. But here's the deal: The more PR

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * Daines Chairs Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing * Discusses Need to Reduce American Dependence on Russian Minerals and Repeal Jackson-Vanik Trade Restrictions U.S. SENATE - U.S. Senator Steve Daines today chaired a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, where he spoke with Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Michael Rigas. The two discussed the need to decrease Ame more PR

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * Daines Highlights Importance of Fort Belknap Water Settlement, Tribal Law Enforcement In Indian Affairs Hearing * U.S. SENATE - U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Mr. William Kirkland, nominee to serve as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs during a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing. Daines emphasized the importance of ensuring Montana tribes have the federal resources they need to  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * Daines Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Access to Prosthetics and Orthotics for Medicare Patients * U.S. SENATE - U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced the Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Patient-Centered Care Act. This bipartisan, bicameral bill will improve access to critical orthotic and prosthetic care for Medicare beneficiaries across the country. Under current Medicare requirements, b more PR

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * Daines Introduces Resolution Recognizing 30 Years of U.S.-Vietnam Relationship * U.S. SENATE - U.S. Senator Steve Daines introduced a bipartisan resolution to commemorate the 30 th anniversary of the normalization of relations between the United States and Vietnam. "This year, as the U.S. and Vietnam celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations, we celebrate the strides our two nations have taken as more PR

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * Daines on Fox Business: Big Beautiful Bill Shows the Path Forward as Democrats Lurch Left * U.S. SENATE - U.S. Senator Steve Daines today joined Fox Business to discuss the growing divide between the far-left policies of some Democrat candidates and the values of everyday Americans. Daines also discussed the critical midterm election and pointed to the recent success of the Big Beautiful Bill as pro more PR

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * Daines Statement on Senate Passage of Rescissions Package * U.S. SENATE - U.S. Senator Steve Daines released the below statement following the passage of the rescissions package in the United States Senate: "The federal government is $37 trillion in debt. Today I voted to reduce waste and fraud in several federal programs so that Montanans' taxpayer dollars are used effectively. This spending cut  more PR

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * Daines: "The UN is a Hotbed of Antisemitism" * Discusses Support for Israel, Natural Resources in Central Asia with Ambassador Nominee Waltz U.S. SENATE - U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke with Michael Waltz, President Trump's nominee to be Ambassador to the United Nations, during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. Daines called out the UN for their persistent allowance of antisemit more PR

WASHINGTON, July 19 -- Rep. Troy Downing, R-Montana, issued the following news release on July 18, 2025: * * * Downing Secures $20 Million Funding Request for Montana in Defense Appropriations Bill Today, Congressman Troy Downing (MT-02) released a statement following passage of Republicans' Department of Defense Appropriations bill which includes two amendments sponsored by Congressman Downing. "We owe it to our men and women in uniform to provide our military with the tools it needs to del more PR

HELENA, Montana, July 19 -- The Montana Democratic Party issued the following news release: * * * MDP Slams Gianforte's Department of Health and Human Services for Attacking Montanans' Access to Medicaid Gianforte's Department of Health and Human Services hopes to rush federal changes to the Medicaid Expansion program, forcing Montanans to pay higher costs and jump through additional hoops to receive basic healthcare * Helena, MT- Governor Greg Gianforte's Department of Health and Human Ser more PR

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Merkley, Daines Recognize 30 Years of U.S.-Vietnam Relationship * Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Montana's U.S. Senator Steve Daines teamed up in a bipartisan effort to mark the 30 th anniversary of the normalization of relations between the United States and Vietnam. "Vietnam is a critical partner to the United States, and only together will we be able to tackle the mult more PR

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- The National Farmers Union issued the following news release on July 16, 2025: * * * Montana Farmers Union Member Delivers Testimony to House Agriculture Subcommittee on Credit and Risk Management WASHINGTON - Montana Farmers Union member John Wicks today testified in front of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management and Credit, to detail the importance of credit and risk management to family farmers. In his test more PR

WASHINGTON, July 15 -- The Montana Native Plant Society has submitted comments to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service advocating for the retention of the existing regulatory definition of "harm" within the Endangered Species Act regulations. The current definition includes habitat modification or destruction, a provision the FWS is proposing to rescind. Habitat destruction is the primary cause of species extinction, underpinning the importance of the current federal definition of harm in ESA reg more ST

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- The Montana Natural Resource Coalition (MtNRC) has submitted a public comment letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging the agency to rescind the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Final Historical Range Rule as published in the Federal Register. The coalition, which represents 21 county governments in Montana, argues that the rule undermines previous regulatory standards aimed at protecting species and their habitats. In its letter, MtNRC emphasizes th more ST

WASHINGTON, July 15 (TNSFR) -- Signal Peak Energy, Roundup, Montana, has received affirmative decisions from the U.S. Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration regarding its petitions for modification of mandatory safety standards. This action allows the company to use alternative approaches to comply with existing safety rules at its Bull Mountains Mine No. 1. Under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, mine operators or representatives of miners can ask to use a diff more PR

WASHINGTON, July 18 -- Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * The One Big Beautiful Bill Delivers Tax Relief, Family Affordability, Healthcare Security, and Economic Growth for Montana * Washington, D.C - On July 3rd, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke voted to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), a historic piece of legislation delivering major wins for Montana families, workers, seniors, and small businesses. The bill was signed into law by President Do more PR

WASHINGTON, July 16 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency issued the following news release: * * * USDA Offers Disaster Assistance to Agricultural Producers in Montana Impacted by Recent Severe Storms * BOZEMAN, Mont., July 15, 2025 - Agricultural operations in Montana have been significantly impacted by recent severe weather, tornadoes and flooding. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has technical and financial assistance available to help farmers and livestock pr more PR

WASHINGTON, July 9 -- The White House sent the nominations of three individuals for positions in the federal government: * * * Nominations Sent to the Senate Joshua D. Dunlap, of Maine, to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit, vice William J. Kayatta, Jr., retired. William W. Mercer, of Montana, to be United States District Judge for the District of Montana, vice Dana L. Christensen, retiring. Eric Chunyee Tung, of California, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth more PR

WASHINGTON, July 17 -- Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * Zinke's $20 Million to-do list for Western Montana water, roads, and bridges advances in Transportation Appropriations Bill * Washington, D.C. - Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke released this statement after Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Bill passed full committee markup. As a member of the Appropriations Committee and THUD subcommittee, Zinke has an early  more PR