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Well it has been an incredible
month here at home. After Congress recessed for the month of August, I
set out on a whirlwind tour of Montana. Whether it was bringing top
Cabinet officials to Montana, meeting with fire crews across the state,
or just catching up with old friends, and making new ones, this was a
very productive and fun trip for me.
We got a lot of work done, and we even managed to
squeeze in time to get a Blizzard or two from Dairy Queen. No matter how
many times I travel across Big Sky Country, I am always amazed at the
beauty of our state. From the peaks of Glacier
National Park, to the rolling
hills of central Montana,
our state truly is the Last
Best Place. There is a reason people reference
“western hospitality” because every where I went folks always had a kind
word to say.
While we got a lot of work
done this August, there’s still more to do. I’m looking forward to
rolling up my sleeves when Congress reconvenes in September, and I plan
to take all the valuable insight and comments I heard on the road. Enjoy
the rest of the summer, and I look forward to talking with you all soon.
Working For Montana’s Children:
For the last several weeks one issue that has had everybody
buzzing is the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Before coming home, I
was able to pass my CHIP plan through the Senate which would provide $35
billion additional dollars to the program, covering an estimated 3.1
million kids across the country, and 12,000 in Montana. However, this
plan has received a veto threat from the White House. Quite frankly, I’m
dumbfounded that anybody would choose to deny children health insurance.
That’s why I brought
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, who is President Bush’s
top adviser on CHIP, to Bozeman to meet with families who participate in
the CHIP program. I wanted him to see first hand how important CHIP
is to Montana families . The meeting was very beneficial, and I’m
going to keep pushing to get the ball across the goal line. To read the
Bozeman Daily Chronicle story click here. (Subscription required)
Fighting For Justice In Libby:
What happened in Libby was a tragedy at best, a heinous, atrocious crime
at worst. And I have made a pledge to my friends in Libby, including our
late friend Les Skramstad, that I would do everything possible to bring
justice to the folks there. That is why I brought EPA Administrator
Stephen Johnson to Libby to find out what the EPA has been doing in
regards to clean up. I
wanted to find out exactly why a public health emergency wasn’t declared,
and why toxicity studies weren’t done earlier. While I am still waiting
for answer, I won’t give up until the people in Libby get the answers
they deserve. To read the story from the Missoulian click here.
Creating More Good Paying Jobs:
Montana has one of the most dynamic economies in the country, and my top
priority is to continue creating more good-paying jobs here at home.
That’s why I invited Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson to Billings to meet
with business owners to think of new, innovative ways to boost our
economy. We toured the MRL plant, and met with dozens of people at a
community forum. This was a great opportunity to put our heads together
and find ways to propel our economy into the 21st century. To read the
Billings Gazette story click here.
Combating Wildfires:
Fires are on everybody’s minds these days. Even folks who don’t live by
the fires, are still feeling the effects. Every year it seems that fires
break out in every corner of the state, and I want to make sure we are
prepared. That is why I have introduced legislation to create a wildland
fire fighting trust fund.
When I met with incident
commanders at the Jocko fire, one thing they said was the need for
resources. And to often we have to rob Peter to pay Paul when it comes to
footing the bill for fires, and that just makes
no sense. The trust would provide a steady stream of revenue to fight
fires. I’ve also looked at providing tax incentives for folks who fire
proof their homes. Sometimes an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure. To read the Missoulian story click here.
Bringing Resources To Montana:
Living in a rural state like Montana, we often get overlooked when
national foundations are distributing grants. To often they look at
Harlem, New York before Harlem, Montana. And I want to change that, to
bring some equality in national philanthropy. That’s why I hosted the
first Rural Philanthropy conference in Missoula. This was a great
opportunity for folks from all over the country to see what great things
are going on across our state. Not only did they visit Missoula, they
went out to Seeley Lake, Arlee, Helena, Lewistown and Browning. To read
the Missoulian article click here.
Meeting With Tribal Leaders:
With seven reservations, Montana has a strong and vibrant Native
community, and I always love getting to meet with them. This trip I had
the pleasure of meeting with the
leaders of the Salish and Kootenai Tribes, including Chairman Steele.
This was a great meeting, and important for making our state a better
place to live, work, and raise a family. To read the Charkoosta News
story please click here.
Opening A New School In Montana:
A good education is the key to a strong economic future, and students at
the new Glacier High School are in for one phenomenal education
experience. The new high school can only be described as revolutionary.
With new technology, and education equipment, these students are going to
be very well prepared for the future. To read the Daily Inter Lake story
click here
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Offices
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Billings
222 North 32nd Street
Suite 100
Billings, MT 59101
(406) 657-6790
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Bozeman
Federal Building
32 East Babcock
Suite 114
Bozeman, MT 59715
(406) 586-6104
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Butte
Silver Bow Center
125 West Granite
Suite 100
Butte, MT 59701
(406) 782-8700
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Great Falls
113 3rd Street North
Great Falls, MT 59401
(406) 761-1574
(406) 452-1117 (TDD)
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Helena
Empire Block
30 West 14th Street
Suite 206
Helena, MT 59601
(406) 449-5480
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Kalispell
8 Third Street East
Kalispell, MT 59901
(406) 756-1150
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Missoula
1821 South Avenue West
Suite 203
Missoula, MT 59801
(406) 329-3123
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Washington D.C.
511 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2651
(202) 224-0515 (Fax)
(800) 332-6106 (from MT)
(202) 224-1998 (TDD)
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