U.S. stock markets delivered a strong holiday-week performance as major indexes climbed and closed at or near record highs ahead of Christmas, even as trading volumes were light during the shortened session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 both hit fresh record closing levels midweek, part of a broad advance across equities Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte has appointed Eric Strauss as director of the Montana Department of Corrections, with Strauss set to assume the role on Jan. 6. The appointment follows the announcement in October that current DOC Director Brian Gootkin was nominated by President Donald J. Trump to serve as U.S. marshal for the District of Montana. Read More…
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines joined Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., in leading a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice urging the agency to adopt Congress’s intent behind a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that eliminated the $200 National Firearms Act excise tax on certain firearms and accessories. In the letter, the lawmakers Read More…
President Donald J. Trump on signed a presidential memorandum aimed at securing the radio spectrum needed to ensure American leadership in the development of sixth-generation, or 6G, wireless technology. The memorandum directs federal agencies to begin immediate planning to relocate government systems currently operating in the 7.125–7.4 gigahertz band, with the goal of clearing the Read More…
U.S. stock markets delivered a strong holiday-week performance as major indexes climbed and closed at or near record highs ahead of Christmas, even as trading volumes were light during the shortened session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 both hit fresh record closing levels midweek, part of a broad advance across equities Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte has appointed Eric Strauss as director of the Montana Department of Corrections, with Strauss set to assume the role on Jan. 6. The appointment follows the announcement in October that current DOC Director Brian Gootkin was nominated by President Donald J. Trump to serve as U.S. marshal for the District of Montana. Read More…
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines joined Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., in leading a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice urging the agency to adopt Congress’s intent behind a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that eliminated the $200 National Firearms Act excise tax on certain firearms and accessories. In the letter, the lawmakers Read More…
President Donald J. Trump on signed a presidential memorandum aimed at securing the radio spectrum needed to ensure American leadership in the development of sixth-generation, or 6G, wireless technology. The memorandum directs federal agencies to begin immediate planning to relocate government systems currently operating in the 7.125–7.4 gigahertz band, with the goal of clearing the Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen on filed a lawsuit against Uber, alleging the ridesharing and delivery company engaged in unfair and deceptive practices related to its Uber One subscription service. The lawsuit was filed in partnership with the Federal Trade Commission, 22 states, and the District of Columbia. It raises concerns about Uber’s enrollment, billing Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a 26-state coalition of attorneys general in requesting a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into two climate activist organizations with alleged ties to China, citing potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. In a letter sent Tuesday to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Read More…
Montana Highway Patrol troopers conducted a multi-day interdiction operation in St. Regis earlier this month aimed at combating criminal activity and removing illicit drugs from the community. The operation ran from Dec. 7 through Dec. 11 and involved MHP’s Criminal Interdiction Team (CIT) and Strategic Enforcement Traffic Team (SETT), working in partnership with the United Read More…
(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ action to bar “sex-rejecting” transgender procedures for minors has met with approval from groups that aim to protect children from harmful ideology, with some calling the move “long overdue,” stating that taxpayers should not be forced to pay for procedures that lack proven Read More…
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines on led a letter to major airline executives urging them to increase flight options from Montana to Nashville, Tennessee, ahead of the FCS National Championship Game. Daines was joined by Sen. Tim Sheehy and U.S. Reps. Ryan Zinke, R-MT-01, and Troy Downing, R-MT-02, in sending the letter to the CEOs of Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte announced that President Donald J. Trump has approved Montana’s request for a presidential emergency declaration to help the state respond to severe flooding in northwestern Montana. “Thanks to President Trump’s quick response, Montana is securing the additional resources our communities need to respond to this emergency,” Gianforte said in a statement. “While Read More…
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., announced Friday that she will not seek reelection next year, setting the stage for an open-seat Republican primary in one of the nation’s most reliably red states. Lummis made the announcement after the Senate adjourned for the holiday recess, a decision that will end her tenure after a single six-year Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte on donated a quarter of his annual salary to the Mountain Shadow Association in Lodge Grass, marking the twelfth and final day of his fifth annual 12 Days of Giving campaign. The donation supports the nonprofit’s work strengthening families, restoring parent-child relationships, and advancing community-led healing and addiction recovery efforts in Lodge Read More…
Prosecutors in the Montana Attorney General’s Office filed official misconduct charges against state Sen. Jason Ellsworth, alleging he acted outside the scope of his lawful authority as a public servant and improperly handled a state contract. Prosecutors also asked the court to suspend Ellsworth from office pending final judgment. The charges stem from a Montana Read More…
(The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1950, prompting strong backlash from medical, disability, religious and legal groups who say it was rushed and violates key ethical and legal protections. State Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton, a practicing physician, said Pritzker showed signs of hesitation but ultimately “his leftist ideology took over and he Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen will lead the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) into what the group calls the most consequential election year in its history. Knudsen was unanimously elected chairman by his GOP attorney general colleagues on Tuesday, putting the second-term Montana Republican at the helm as the organization prepares for 30 attorney general Read More…
JPMorgan Chase (JPM.N) CEO Jamie Dimon signaled his backing for former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the U.S. central bank, the Financial Times reported Friday. The comments come amid ongoing speculation over President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Federal Reserve. Earlier Friday, Trump said he was leaning toward either Read More…
SpaceX is moving closer to a public listing, with a secondary share sale indicating a company valuation of $800 billion, according to a letter to shareholders from CFO Bret Johnsen reviewed by Reuters. The Elon Musk-led aerospace company is preparing to go public as early as next year. The move, potentially one of the largest Read More…
After Democrats got wiped out of every statewide office last year, most Montanans thought things couldn’t get any worse for their political party. Then the 2025 legislative session came and 10 Democratic state senators who will be up for election again voted three times to keep corrupt Republican Senator Jason Ellsworth from being expelled from Read More…
The federal government’s crackdown on commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) for immigrants has uncovered problems in eight states, following a series of deadly crashes involving truck drivers who were not authorized to be in the U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has publicly threatened to withhold millions in federal funding from California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and New York Read More…
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a series of bills aimed at expanding the impact of the Working Families Tax Cuts by reducing regulatory barriers, streamlining permitting processes, and promoting economic growth. House Republicans framed the legislation as part of a broader pro-growth agenda to accelerate infrastructure, energy, and investment projects across the nation. “House Read More…
U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy has nominated four Montana students for admission to United States Service Academies, recognizing their academic achievement, leadership, and commitment to public service. Sheehy said the nominations reflect both the students’ accomplishments and the importance of military service to the nation. “My wife and I met at the Naval Academy, and we Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte praised President Donald J. Trump this week for signing two congressional joint resolutions that overturn a Biden administration rule he said threatened Montana’s coal industry and billions in funding for public education. The resolutions — Senate Joint Resolution 61, sponsored by U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and House Joint Resolution 104, sponsored Read More…
U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy is leading a bipartisan effort in the Senate to expand free access to national parks and federal recreation lands for law enforcement officers and firefighters, including wildland firefighters. Sheehy, a Montana Republican, joined Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., in introducing the Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreation Pass Act, legislation that Read More…
A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation has uncovered massive fraud and systemic weaknesses in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, including fake identities receiving subsidies, misuse of Social Security numbers, billions in unreconciled payments, and insurers collecting tax credits for deceased individuals. The report validates longstanding Republican concerns that the ACA subsidy system lacks Read More…
President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order this week aimed at creating a unified national policy framework for artificial intelligence (AI), addressing what the administration calls a patchwork of state regulations that threaten American innovation and competitiveness. The Order directs multiple federal agencies to take steps ensuring AI companies are not subject to inconsistent Read More…
President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at curbing the influence of proxy advisory firms that critics say have prioritized political agendas over the financial interests of American investors. The move is intended to protect retirement savings in 401(k)s, IRAs, and pensions from policies driven by “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) and “environmental, Read More…
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines announced hat President Donald J. Trump has signed into law legislation he led to roll back a Biden-era land management rule that restricted coal mining in Eastern Montana, a move supporters say will restore jobs, protect state revenue, and unleash Made-in-Montana energy. Daines was joined in advancing the measure by U.S. Read More…
Remember when Americans were told that the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) would lower health care costs and that if you liked your doctor, you could keep her? How things have changed over the past 15 years. Health care costs continue to rise faster than inflation and millions of Americans have discovered that Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has called on the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) and the Attorney General Alliance (AGA) to deny membership to Virginia Attorney General-elect Jay Jones, citing a series of “abhorrent” text messages Jones sent in 2022 that expressed violent fantasies toward his political opponent and the opponent’s children. The texts Read More…
More than 32,000 Montana businesses will see a reduction in unemployment insurance (UI) tax rates in 2026, resulting in over $23 million in savings, the Montana Department of Labor & Industry announced. “By reforming our tax code and cutting back the thicket of red tape tying up job creators, we’re helping Montana businesses grow and Read More…
Governor Armstrong voiced strong support for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers’ proposed revision to the “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) definition, calling it a common-sense approach that benefits North Dakota farmers, ranchers, energy producers, and businesses. The proposed rule, which is open for public comment through Jan. 5, Read More…
The U.S. trade deficit has narrowed to its smallest level since mid-2020, falling more than 35% compared with last year, underscoring the impact of President Donald J. Trump’s America First trade agenda. U.S. exports are up 6% over last year, reaching their second-highest value on record, while inflation-adjusted exports of consumer goods hit an all-time Read More…
The Israeli military announced that it killed senior Hamas commander Raed Saed in a strike on a car in Gaza City. Saed was reportedly one of the key planners behind the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. The strike, which Gaza medics said killed five people, marks the highest-profile assassination of a senior Hamas figure Read More…
In a ruling that has drawn sharp criticism from Montana conservatives, the state Supreme Court has sided with backers of a proposed ballot measure requiring judicial elections to remain nonpartisan, overturning the decision of Attorney General Austin Knudsen. The initiative, Constitutional Initiative 131 (CI-131), is sponsored by Montanans for Fair and Impartial Judges (MFIJ), a Read More…
House Republicans unveiled the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, legislation aimed at reducing health care costs, expanding access, and increasing transparency across the U.S. health care system. The bill is expected to be considered by the House next week. “Nearly 15 years ago, the Democrats’ Unaffordable Care Act broke the American health Read More…
North Dakotans can now review updated school accountability reports and the first results from the state’s new ND A+ summative assessment, State School Superintendent Levi Bachmeier announced Friday. The information—published on the state’s Insights education portal—comes as part of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, which requires states to release annual accountability reports for every Read More…
Two congressional bills, H.J. Res 133 and H.R. 1512, have been signed into law, advancing measures related to national heritage displays and U.S.-Taiwan relations. H.J. Res 133 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to approve unique, one-time arrangements for displays on the National Mall and the Washington Monument during the period from December 31, 2025, Read More…
(The Center Square) – Thanks to $2.5 million in state funding, south Los Angeles may get a new Black cultural district, according to one of L.A.’s state senators. Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, D-Los Angeles, secured the funding earlier this year after the Legislature approved the money for the establishment of the Black cultural district, according to Read More…
The Montana Department of Commerce announced that six organizations will share more than $8 million in federal funding through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the Housing Trust Fund (HTF), and the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The grants support the construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing while bolstering the state’s economy with good-paying jobs. Read More…
Idaho Governor Brad Little has appointed Don Hall to fill the District 25 House seat vacated by Lance Clow. Hall, who currently serves as Chairman of the Twin Falls County Commission and is a former Mayor of Twin Falls, will complete the remainder of Clow’s term, which runs through November 30, 2026. “I am honored Read More…