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MT Congressmen rail against Daines’ legislative action

Issue Date: 1/6/2021
Last Updated: 1/5/2021 2:27:44 PM | House Majority Leader Brad Tschida (R-Missoula); Sen. Al Olszewski (R-Kalispell); Sen. Dee Brown (R-Hungry Horse); Rep. Derek Skees (R-Kalispell); Rep. Alan Redfield (R-Livingston); Sen. Bob Keenan (R-Big Fork); MTGOP Vice Chair, Rep. Lola Sheldon-Galloway (R-Great Falls); Rep.-Elect Steve Galloway (R-Great Falls); Rep. Greg DeVries (R-Jefferson City); Sen. Roger Webb (R-Billings); Rep. Peggy Webb (R-Billings); Sen. Dave Howard (R-Park City); Sen. Keith Regier (R-Kalispell); Rep. Carl Glimm (R-Kalispell); Rep.-Elect Amy Regier (R-Kalispell); Rep. Theresa Manzella (R-Hamilton); Rep. Matt Regier (R-Kalispell); Rep. Joe Read (R-Ronan)

“In a clear betrayal of our state and of President Trump, Senator Daines slipped the CSKT Water Compact into the coronavirus relief bill, despite his legislation having nothing to do with coronavirus. With a less than 5 percent chance of being enacted, the deceptively-named “Montana Water Rights Protection Act” was added at the last minute. This went against his oath of office in which he swore on the Bible to protect the constitution.

Meanwhile, six of the Senate’s conservative stalwarts voted against the bill. Daines was not among them. He voted for the nearly 6,000 page bill after having received it a few hours before without time to read it. This was a sad day for the people of Montana and showed blatant disregard for the will of the People.

We will continue this battle in court, where we are confident the CSKT Water Compact will see defeat. Montanans want this issue to ultimately be resolved in Montana in accordance with existing state and federal law. This is exactly what we had asked Senator Daines do. However he proceeded unilaterally to hurt Montana when he acted as a member of the DC Swamp that voters rejected in 2016 and 2020.”