Jon Tester

NorthWestern Energy Dam Buyback

Montanans have tremendous, untapped opportunity to produce clean and valuable wind energy from the windswept, wide-open spaces of eastern Montana. At the same time, growing concern about the long-term survival of sage grouse in Montana and across the West raises the potential for conflict between energy development and habitat protection.

Senator Jon Tester says if the U.S. House would have passed comprehensive immigration reform, the United States would not be dealing with the humanitarian crisis unfolding along the nation's southern border.

Outlines of a possible compromise over President Obama's $3.7-billion-dollar emergency border spending request are emerging on Capitol Hill.

They involve making policy changes to allow the minors streaming to the border from Central America to be sent home more quickly.

Montana politicians and interest groups were divided along party lines over this week's U.S. Supreme Court decision concerning the Affordable Care Act's birth control coverage mandate. In the Hobby Lobby case, the Supreme Court ruled that closely-held private corporations do not have to provide birth control as mandated by the Affordable Care Act, if the corporations have religious objections to birth control.

Over the weekend, Montana Republicans held their platform convention in Billings.  Chuck Johnson of Lee Newspapers reports that Republicans, "Irked at what they believe is Democrats interfering in their primary elections. . . called for closing their primaries and allowing only registered Republicans to vote in them."  Delegates also supported a resolution to turn over federal public lands to the state.

Senator Jon Tester continues his statewide listening tour to hear from Montana veterans about how to improve care at the Veterans Administration.

  Senator Jon Tester says he is happy with how the U.S. Defense Department is complying with a nuclear reduction treaty signed with Russia in 2011.

A plan to remove 50 missiles from America’s land-based nuclear arsenal should not significantly affect operations at Montana’s Malmstrom Air Force Base.

Tester says reducing those missiles won’t reduce personnel.

"I think the win is here that the missile silos, even though they don't have a missile in them will be kept operational," he says.

Montana Congressman Steve Daines announced plans Thursday to introduce a bill repealing portions of the 2005 REAL ID Act related to federally-mandated security protocols for driver’s licenses and other state-issued ID cards.

“In recent months, Montanans have become increasingly concerned about the federal government’s access to Montana’s personal information,” Daines said during a press conference in the state capitol building’s old Supreme Court chambers.

MTPR News Director Sally Mauk and Capitol Reporter Dan Boyce spent much of last week in Washington D.C. covering Sen. Max Baucus's confirmation hearing to be the next U.S. ambassador to China. Sally and Dan spoke with all three members of the state's congressional delegation about the Baucus legacy.

Click on the links below to hear the rest of our coverage.

Life for Bozeman-native Steve Daines has changed a lot in the last couple of years--from more than a quarter century in the private sector to Montana’s sole Congressional Seat.

Now, the Republican Representative has his sights set on another office, that of exiting Montana Senator Max Baucus.

Capitol Reporter Dan Boyce spent last week in Washington D.C. reporting on Montana’s federal delegation and spends a couple hours in the Washington life of Congressman Daines.