Daily News Roundup
March 14, 2024
Montana's Congressional Delegation Joins to Honor Charlie Dowd, Montana's Last Pearl Harbor Survivor
By Denise Rivette Working together, Montana’s Senator Steve Daines and Representative Ryan Zinke along with Senator Jon Tester and Representative Matt Rosendale today wrote a letter to their Senate and House leadership in support of legislation to honor Montana’s last Pearl Harbor survivor by renaming Butte’s VA clinic to the Charlie Dowd VA Clinic. Charlie Dowd passed away in March 2023. The Senate bill to accomplish the renaming was introduced by Steve Daines on November 9, 2023. On January 30, 2024, Congressman Ryan Zinke introduced the companion bill in the House.
Attorney General Candidate Condemns Knudsen’s Inaction in Flathead Criminal Jurisdiction
By: Nicole Girten for the Daily Montanan Democratic candidate for Montana Attorney General Ben Alke slammed his opponent and the state’s top lawyer, Republican Attorney General Austin Knudsen, for what he perceived as inaction over felony jurisdiction on the Flathead Indian Reservation.
Montana Department of Transportation Announces Employee Memorial
By Denise Rivette Today, the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) announced the creation of a memorial to honor department employees who tragically passed away in service to the state of Montana. "This memorial honors our employees who have lost their lives while serving Montana,"
America Worries About Health Costs — And Voters Want to Hear From Biden and Republicans
By Julie Appleby and Phil Galewitz for KFF Health News - Updated March 8, 2024 Originally Published March 4, 2024 President Joe Biden is counting on outrage over abortion restrictions to help drive turnout for his reelection. Former President Donald Trump is promising to take another swing at repealing Obamacare.
Exclusive: Social Security Chief Vows to Fix ‘Cruel-Hearted’ Overpayment Clawbacks
By Fred Clasen-Kelly for KFF Health News The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) new chief is promising to overhaul the agency’s system of clawing back billions of dollars it claims was wrongly sent to beneficiaries, saying it “just doesn’t seem right or fair.”
Montana, an Island of Abortion Access, Preps for Consequential Elections and Court Decisions
By Arielle Zionts for KFF Health News A years-long battle over abortion access in a sprawling and sparsely populated region of the U.S. may come to a head this year in the courts and at the ballot box. Challenges to several state laws designed to chip away at abortion access are pending in Montana courts. Meanwhile, abortion rights advocates are pushing a ballot initiative that would add extra protections to the state constitution. And two open state Supreme Court seats could shape whether the high court upholds past decisions that protected abortion rights in the state.
Montana Incorporates Forestry, Agricultural and School-Related Initiatives in Climate Plan
by Amanda Eggert for Montana Free Press The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has generated a list of 15 initiatives to reduce greenhouse gasses in the state that it views as strong candidates for federal funding. The DEQ submitted the
GOP U.S. Sen. Lankford of Oklahoma Blocks Bill Expanding IVF for Veterans, Service Members
By Jennifer Shutt for States Newsroom WASHINGTON — Washington state Democratic Senator Patty Murray tried to pass a bill Tuesday that would expand access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) for military service members and veterans, but Oklahoma Republican Senator James Lankford raised an objection and prevented the legislation from moving forward.
Business Owners, Union Leader Urge U.S. Senate to Move Ahead Soon on Stalled Tax Package
By: Ashley Murray for States Newsroom WASHINGTON — Business owners, CEOs and a steelworkers’ union official urged lawmakers Tuesday to quickly pass a tax policy bill that has been stalled in the U.S. Senate since the end of January. The witnesses invited to testify on manufacturing taxation before the Senate Committee on Finance told the panel that the proposal, which includes extending and restoring three business tax incentives, is “critical” to growing their businesses.
Montanans Losing Insurance Much Faster Than Anticipated
By Darrell Ehrlick for the Daily Montanan Data released by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services after demands by Democrats in the Legislature show that Montanans are losing Medicaid health insurance at a rate higher than expected, and many of those people are children and Native Americans. Moreover, the report shows that majority of Montanans losing health coverage is due to administrative reasons, like incomplete paperwork, not necessarily because they no longer qualify.
History Repeating Itself: Federal Court Strikes Down Flathead National Forest Plan
By Darrell Ehrlick for the Daily Montanan A federal court magistrate has found that the Flathead National Forest has failed to consider the impacts of new road-building projects on grizzly bears and bull trout, saying the United States Forest Service (USFS) is ignoring science in order to arrive at its approval for the project which has been contested since 2018.
Montana lawmakers say state Superintendent Arntzen not fulfilling ‘constitutional duties’
By Keila Szpaller for the Daily Montanan Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen is repeatedly failing to implement education laws intended to help children, and her office is causing “widespread confusion” among schools, said members of a legislative interim committee in a 6-2 vote Wednesday.