Steve Daines

“I want the Senate to vote against this resolution. It unfairly blames Israel and tries to cut off military aid to our ally. The government is already looking into the deaths of Americans, but this resolution ignores Palestinian groups that pay rewards to terrorists.”

“Mr. President, I am here to address the resolution put forward by Senator Van Hollen. This is a misguided resolution. The Democrats are trying to distort reality for political gain. Make no mistake, the sole objective here is not justice or accountability for Americans, it is to cut off security aid to our ally Israel in its time of need. Of course, any loss, all loss of American life is a tragedy, and Ambassador Huckabee has called for an investigation into these deaths, and I am very confident this administration will get to the bottom of this issue. But this one-sided resolution shames one of our strongest allies and minimizes the Palestinian Authority’s role in inciting terrorist violence, including against Americans, through their horrific ``pay for slay’’ program, which unbelievably rewards terrorists with up to $200 million a year. Rather than any serious attempt at accountability or justice, this is sadly another cynical ploy by Democrats to isolate our closest ally in the region and to turn Israel’s righteous war of self-defense into a domestic political issue as we are now just a little over 30 days from election. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote no on this resolution so we can stand with our ally Israel as they beat back the scourge of Iranian-backed terrorism. I yield the floor.”

“I am honoring Matt Lloyd as he retires after 25 years of working in government. He served in several federal agencies, worked for multiple lawmakers, and led my communications team. I thank him for his service to Montana and our country.”

“Madam President, today I have the distinct honor of recognizing Matt Lloyd for his decades of devotion to Montana and the Nation as he retires from 25 years of public service. After graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Matt began his journey in Washington, DC, as press secretary for U.S. Congressman Rick Hill and U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady. During the George W. Bush administration, Matt answered the call to serve and worked at the Department of Agriculture under Secretary Ann Veneman before returning to the U.S. House as communications director for Congressman Mike Pence, guiding the Congressman throughout his tenure in Congress and his campaign for Governor of Indiana. During the first Trump administration, Matt once again served in the executive branch, first as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, then as Senior Advisor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, and finally as Principal Deputy Director for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Justice. His last role before coming to my office was deputy chief of staff and communications director for U.S. Senator Rob Portman. Matt started on Team Daines in January 2023. As my deputy chief of staff and communications director, he has provided principled and thoughtful counsel during a pivotal timespan in our Nation’s history. He has a sharp eye, a keen sense of the political current, and has been an integral member of my staff. Throughout it all, Matt has never lost sight of what matters most: being a loyal husband to his wife Amy and a great father to his two children Emmett and Charlotte. As Matt ends his time with Team Daines and his tenure in public service, I would like to congratulate him on his outstanding record and his devotion to both Montana and this Nation. Thank you for your service, Matt. ``Montana proud!’’”