Daines Urges Colleagues to Support Katie Lane’s Nomination to be Montana’s Federal Judge

• June 5, 2026

"She will bring honor, decency, and integrity to the bench"

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Steve Daines gave a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate, where he urged his colleagues to vote in favor of Katie Lane's confirmation to serve as the next judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana.

Watch Daines' speech HERE.

Daines' remarks as prepared for delivery:

Thank you, Mr. President,

Today, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of confirming Katie Lane to serve as the next Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana.

Katie attended kindergarten through 12^th grade in Bozeman. We went to the same high school- we're both Bozeman High Hawks.

She spent her childhood summers skiing, camping, and hiking, which instilled in her a deep love of the Treasure State and the values that make it the Last Best Place.

Katie went on to attend George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School, where she graduated magna cum laude.

She then clerked at both the trial and appellate levels of the federal judiciary for two federal judges.

She returned to Montana to serve as Deputy Solicitor General under Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen from 2021 to 2023.

During her time in Helena, Katie worked zealously to defend Montana's laws and challenge federal overreach.

She litigated cases in both state and federal courts on issues important to Montanans, including defending the Second Amendment, multiple land use and grazing rights cases, as well as defending Montana's coal industry.

As Montanans know well, federal judges play a critical role in our daily lives.

For many years, we have dealt with an activist judiciary that repeatedly rules against Montana's interests.

That's why it's essential we pick principled jurists who are committed to upholding the Constitution and making decisions based on the rule of law, not personal politics or viewpoints.

With this in mind, Senator Sheehy and I are confident that Katie is the right choice to serve Montana as our next federal judge.

Katie's values are rooted in Montana and grounded in the Constitution.

Katie's distinguished record of public service and experience in the federal and state judiciary makes her well-qualified to serve on the federal bench.

I am confident she will be fair-minded, principled, and bring honor, decency, and integrity to the bench.

I cannot recommend Katie highly enough and urge my colleagues to vote to confirm her today without delay.

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