Congress

Today, Congressman Ryan Zinke introduced an amendment to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2024 to protect Montana veterans’ access to life flights and a variety of ambulance services. Zinke introduced this amendment after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) finalized a rule that would reimburse air ambulances at a rate equal to that of the 1998 Medicare reimbursement rate. This would cause drastic cuts and make it financially impossible for air ambulances to operate. Zinke’s amendment would stop this rule from going into effect and force the VA to continue operating under the established reimbursement rates.

This week, the House Appropriations Committee approved Congressman Ryan Zinke’s legislation to defund and block the vehicle reservation system at Glacier National Park (GNP). The amendment was added to the FY24 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies funding bill and will advance to a vote on the House Floor in September.

Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee approved Congressman Ryan Zinke’s Transportation Housing and Urban Development (THUD) community funding requests to advance to a vote on the House Floor in September. Pending passage on the House Floor, the requests will be considered for inclusion in the joint funding package to be approved by the Senate, then signed by the President.

Yesterday the House Appropriations Committee approved by a voice vote Congressman Ryan Zinke’s amendment to delist the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) Grizzly from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and return to the 2017 Department of the Interior rule. The amendment was added to the FY24 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies funding bill and will advance to a vote on the House Floor in September.

Today, the technical management team (TMT) that advises the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on the Columbia River System has denied the request by Gov. Gianforte, Sen. Daines and Congressman Zinke to stabilize Flathead Lake levels. Congressman Zinke released the following statement following the Bureau of Reclamation’s refusal: “Let’s be clear, the Commissioner of Reclamation has the authority to make the executive decision and does not need to bow to the unelected bureaucrats at the TMT who care more about fish than people. USBR does not lack authority. The only thing they lack is leadership.

Today, the Office of Congressman Ryan Zinke announces the passage of the House Appropriations Transportation Housing and Urban Development (THUD) subcommittee bill for consideration before the entire House Appropriations Committee. The bill includes six of Rep. Zinke’s Community Project Funding requests to bring more than $31.5 million in funding directly to Montana communities. Rep. Zinke’s requests will now appear before the full House Appropriations Committee before passage onto the House Floor and be included in the joint funding package approved by the House and Senate, then signed by the President.