Press Releases

“Joe Biden’s policies are bankrupting our country and pushing down insane regulations and policy. I am unwilling to continue the status quo,” Zinke said. “As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I am adamant that we need to continue the appropriations process, pass the 8 remaining government funding bills, and get back to the business of the House. We have already passed 4 individual bills accounting for 73% of the discretionary budget to fund our border, fund national defense, and take care of our veterans. There is no reason the Senate hasn’t taken them up.

Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke voted for H.R. 5525, the Spending Reduction and Border Security Act which would have extended government funding through October 31, 2023, reduced non-Defense, non-Veterans Affairs spending by 8%, and implemented a number of border security measures to end the Biden Administration created border crisis. This emergency funding bill would have allowed Congress additional time to pass the remaining eight spending bills from the House Floor and onto the Senate. The bill failed 198-232. Twenty-one Republicans voted with Democrats to defeat the bill.

Today, Western Montana Congressman and member of the House Appropriations Committee Ryan Zinke announced the advancement of three individual spending bills: House AppropriationsDefense (H.R. 4365); Homeland Security (H.R. 4367); and State and Foreign Operations (H.R. 4665); off of the House Floor and to the Senate. The House has now sent four of the 12 individual spending bills Congress is aiming to pass to avoid a lapse in government funding before the fiscal year ending midnight on September 30th,, however, the Democrat-led Senate has failed to pass a single bill.

Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke announced his support for H.R.5641, the Pay Our Troops Act. Under current law, if there is a government shutdown, those serving in our Armed Forces would not receive a paycheck after September 30th. This legislation was introduced recently by Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R-VA), a former Navy helicopter pilot.

Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke is proud to announce that for the first time ever the Montana Veterans Affairs (MTVA) will join the Spokane Veterans Affairs in hosting the 23rd annual Libby Veterans Stand Down in Lincoln County, MT. The event will take place on September 30th and October 1st, resources will support hundreds of veterans in Northwest Montana and statewide.

This week, Western Montana Congressman and combat veteran Ryan Zinke joined House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost (IL-12) in introducing H.R. 5530, the VA Emergency Transportation Access Act. The bill is a response to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) rule “Changes in Rates VA Pays for Special Modes of Transportation” (88 Fed. Reg. 10032) which dramatically lowers ground and air ambulance reimbursement rates. The rule would become effective February 2024.

Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke today applauded the planned aircraft upgrades at the 120th Airlift Wing at Great Falls Air National Guard Base. The U.S. Air Force and Director of the Air National Guard (DANG) today announced Great Falls had been selected as a preferred location for new C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. “Montana’s strategic role in our national defense cannot be understated and our military footprint is one of the strongest in the country thanks in large part to the professionalism and dedication of the force,” Zinke said. “I commend General Hronek and his base for keeping Great Falls a priority investment location and a model of how to run an effective operation.”

Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke and domestic mining stakeholders released the following statements in response to problematic recommendations by the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Interagency Working Group (IWG) on mining. Problematic proposals in the report include an 8% royalty rate, the failure to address permitting timelines and the dirt tax.