Economy

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Zinke Co-leads Bipartisan Legislation to Address Housing Costs and Train Skilled Workers

December 17, 2024

Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke introduced legislation along with Arizona Congressman Juan Ciscomani, Washington Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez, and North Carolina Congressman Don Davis to address the housing workforce shortage in an effort to increase housing supply and lower costs. The Creating Opportunities for New Skills Training at Rural and Underserved Colleges and Trade Schools (CONSTRUCTS) Act would create a new grant program through the Department of Labor, to train and support the skilled laborers required for the construction of homes. The funds will go to trade schools, community colleges, and other eligible programs, as well as outreach programs partnered with local businesses. Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senator Jackie Rosen of Nevada.

Issues:CongressEconomy

Congressman Zinke Announces over $31 Million dollars in Transportation Grants for Bridge and Airport Projects Across Western Montana

October 29, 2024

Press Release

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke announced the allocation of over $28.4 million in funding for bridge replacement in Bigfork, Montana. The new bridge will have an expanded deck width, be built on a redundant girder system, and use geogrid reinforcement to improve seismic resiliency. Sportsman Bridge was constructed in 1955 and currently does not meet standards for traffic volume in the area.

Issues:CongressEconomy

House Natural Resources Subcommittee advances Zinke’s Indian water compact bills for consideration by whole committee

July 23, 2024

Press Release

Today the House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a hearing on various water rights bills including Congressman Zinke’s bills H.R. 8791 “Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024” and H.R. 8953 “Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Amendments Act of 2024”.

Issues:CongressEconomy

Zinke’s proposal to fix affordable housing program advances in the House

July 10, 2024

Press Release

Today, the House Appropriations Committee passed the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2025 out of Full Committee Markup. The bill includes more than $20 million in funding for Western Montana infrastructure projects and legislative language to fix a loophole in rental housing assistance grants that has cost Montanans millions. The next step for the bill is a vote on the House floor which is scheduled for the last week of July.

Issues:CongressEconomy

Congressman Zinke responds to Biden launching Columbia River Task Force to remove Snake River dams

June 18, 2024

Press Release

Today the Biden Administration announced that the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has launched the Columbia River Task Force to implement Biden’s long promised plan to remove dams on the Snake River system that supply western Montana with affordable and reliable electricity. These dams provide between 60-70% of the electricity in the Pacific Northwest. Hydropower is the most abundant, affordable, and cleanest source of energy available in Montana, heavily relied upon for baseload power.

Issues:CongressEconomyEnergy

Zinke cosponsors housing act to support police officers, first responders and teachers

May 23, 2024

Press Release

(WASHINGTON, DC) Today, Congressman Ryan Zinke cosponsored H.R. 3170, the bipartisan Homes for Every Local Protector, Educator, and Responder (HELPER) Act. The HELPER Act establishes a new home loan program under the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to make homeownership more accessible to K-12 school teachers, first responders, law enforcement officers, and other essential public servants by eliminating some of the barriers for first-time homebuyers including high down payments and monthly mortgage insurance premiums.

Issues:CongressEconomy

Zinke Statement on Montana Timber Businesses Closing

March 21, 2024

Press Release

This week Roseburg Forest Products announced it will be shutting down its Missoula particle board plant in mid-May. This comes less than a week after Pyramid Lumber, Seeley Lake’s largest employer and one of the oldest family-owned lumber mills in Western Montana, announced it will close its doors soon due to economic pressures.

Issues:CongressEconomy

Zinke Votes for $600 Billion Bipartisan Tax Cuts Package

February 1, 2024

Press Release

Congressman Ryan Zinke voted for H.R. 7024, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act. The $600 billion-dollar bipartisan tax cuts package consists of three main pillars: culling COVID-era spending, incentivizing more American research and development, and inflation-adjusted Child-Tax Credits for working families.

Issues:CongressEconomy

Montana Republicans fume over university defying calls to shutter CCP-linked program: 'Malign influence'

January 5, 2024

In The News

University of Montana defended program funded by known CCP influencing operation

Fox News

The University of Montana (UMT) is taking heat from Republican lawmakers in the state after defending a program that allows groups tied to the Chinese Communist Party to host and pay for student trips to China.

UMT is offering a controversial study abroad program in China, referred to as the "CUSEF cultural exchange," that has raised national security concerns from state lawmakers who say the groups that fund the trips are "an organ of the CCP’s approach to influence operations."

Issues:CongressEconomyEducation

Zinke Votes to Lower Health Care Costs, Increase Price Transparency for Montanans

December 13, 2023

Press Release

Today, Congressman Ryan Zinke released the following statement after voting in support of the H.R. 5378, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act which passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 320-71. H.R. 5378 is reform-oriented legislation designed to lower the cost of health care and increase price transparency for patients in Montana and across the nation.

Issues:CongressEconomyHealth

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