ICYMI: Daines Op-Ed: 2025 Was a Historic Year for Montana

• December 29, 2025

U.S. SENATE - U.S. Senator Steve Daines wrote an op-ed for the Bozeman Daily Chronicle recapping 2025's historic wins for Montana. Read it below.

2025 Was a Historic Year for Montana

Bozeman Daily Chronicle

Senator Steve Daines

December 27^th, 2025

2025 was a historic year for Montana. Tim Sheehy, a former Navy Seal, joined me in the U.S. Senate, along with Troy Downing and Ryan Zinke in the U.S. House.

Working together, we've made major strides advancing Montana priorities, from increasing our energy dominance, protecting our public lands, and supporting farmers, ranchers, veterans, and working families.

We now have a majority in the U.S. Senate, which allowed us to quickly confirm President Trump's cabinet as well as excellent Montana candidates to serve us on the federal level - Kurt Alme to serve as our U.S. Attorney and Bill Mercer to serve as a district judge.

I worked around the clock with my colleagues in the Senate to implement the president's agenda as quickly as possible. On Independence Day, I stood with President Trump at the White House as he signed the Working Families Tax Cut, which delivered the largest tax cuts in American history.

Montana families will see the effects in 2026, when their take-home pay is boosted by over $10,000 a year and there are no taxes on tips. The bill also included my provision to save the Bull Mountains Mine, which protects Montana's energy dominance and saved over 300 good-paying Montana mining jobs.

And as a lifelong sportsman, protecting our public lands is one of my top priorities. That's why I was proud to block a provision from being included in the bill that would have sold millions of acres of our public lands.

Thanks to President Trump's leadership we've saved Montana energy. In addition to keeping the Bull Mountains Mine open, he also signed into law my bill to reverse a disastrous Biden administration anti-coal rule that would have blocked future coal leasing in eastern Montana and caused the loss of billions of dollars in revenue to our state.

Additionally, President Trump and his cabinet listened to the concerns of Montanans and reversed a Biden mandate that would've put the Colstrip Power Plant out of business.

One of my main priorities this year was supporting the Montana sportsmen and our great outdoors.

I worked closely with the administration to support our logging industry and ensure we can better fight catastrophic wildfires. I also introduced the "America the Beautiful Act," which provides critical funding for our national parks and addresses maintenance backlogs, so that people can get outside and enjoy the great outdoors.

Additionally, I introduced a bill to expand access to our public lands for sportsmen and outdoor recreation.

I am also working hard to support our farmers and ranchers. Montana beef is the best in the world, and one of my main focuses this year was expanding market access for our farmers and ranchers.

I'm pushing for a robust Farm Bill that will support Montana ag and ensure Montana voices are represented, and worked hard to pass a permanent increase to the death tax exemption, which will allow family farms and ranches to pass their land down to future generations.

We've also made massive strides protecting life and family. In December, President Trump signed into law my bill, the BABES Enhancement Act, which makes it easier for moms and families to safely travel with breastmilk and formula. I'm working to protect women from the harmful abortion pill, which causes traumatic adverse effects at a rate 22 times higher than advertised.

Montana has the highest number of veterans per capita in the nation, so it's critical they get the support and resources they deserve. This year I attended the Butte VA Clinic's renaming ceremony, which honors Montana legend Charlie Dowd for his incredible legacy of service.

I also introduced bills to protect health care and pension benefits for veterans and their families. Lastly, I introduced a bill to honor fallen service members and keep national cemeteries open on federal holidays.

Finally, protecting Montana's tribal communities remained at the forefront of 2025. I introduced a bill to combat drug trafficking in our tribes and also passed a resolution designating May 5 as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

2025 has brought win after historic win for Montana and the nation. I'll always work to support the needs of Montanans - from our veterans to our children, and from our farmers and ranchers to our loggers.

It's my honor to serve you in the U.S. Senate and I look forward to what 2026 brings.

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