On the recordDecember 19, 2024
Madam President, with only days left in the 118th Congress, I come to the floor to fight on behalf of my rural Montana communities. S. 4444, the Crow Revenue Act, is a win for Montana, and it is one that cannot wait any longer. The bill is pretty simple. It swaps minerals between the Crow Tribe, the Federal Government, and the Hope family and ensures that both the Crow Tribe and Musselshell County will continue to receive much-needed revenue from mineral development. Let me be clear: If this bill does not pass and is not signed into law this year, there will be dramatic consequences for Montana communities. If we don't act before the end of the year, there will be 100 high-paying mining jobs lost in Roundup, MT. And unlike the show ``Yellowstone,'' where it looks like everybody has helicopters and fancy barns and fancy houses, this part of our State--and most of Montana--fights every day to make ends meet. And, by the way, these 100 jobs that will be lost is after 700 jobs were lost at the Stillwater mine in Columbus, MT, a few months ago. We can't afford another layoff of hard-working miners. Furthermore, both Musselshell County and the Crow Tribe will see cuts in their revenues, leading to fewer services for their communities. The Crow Revenue Act is a long-term fix to a real problem that is happening in my State. It has the strong support of community leaders, county commissioners, the Governor, other locally elected officials, and, very importantly, the Crow Tribe.…





