Rep. Ryan Zinke, U.S. Representative for Montana's 1st District | Official U.S. House headshot
Rep. Ryan Zinke, U.S. Representative for Montana's 1st District | Official U.S. House headshot
Today, Western Congressman Ryan Zinke voted in favor of H.R. 8998, the House Department of Interior Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The bill passed the House by a vote of 210-205, marking the fifth appropriations bill to pass the House floor for fiscal year 2025. Zinke, a member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies subcommittee, played a leading role in crafting the funding bill.
“I told Montanans that I would use the power of the purse to get rid of bad policy and fund investments in public lands and that’s exactly what this bill does,” Congressman Ryan Zinke said. “It claws back regulations that are making gas, heating and electricity more expensive, gives local stakeholders a voice in federal land management, and finally delists the grizzly bear.”
“As a former Secretary of the Interior and a lifelong Montanan, I have a unique perspective on the Department of the Interior. I am confident that this bill allows the department to do their job but removes the woke policies placed by the Biden-Harris administration. This is a huge win for Montanans.”
Some Montana priorities in the bill include:
- $1 million for Alberton Water Tank Replacement
- $1.4 million for Missoula County Water Well Upgrades
- Ending sue, settle, and seal practices
- Restricting funds for Waters of the United States (WOTUS)
- Cottonwood Fix
- Delisting Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) Grizzlies
- Full funding for Property in Lieu of Taxes (PILT)
- Increased oversight of Department of the Interior (DOI) Grants to prevent funding protests against its own department
- Blocking introduction of Bison on Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge
- Report language on Glacier Park’s vehicle reservation system
- Blocking Biden Administration’s ban on lead ammunition and tackle on wildlife refuges
- Funding restriction on BLM Conservation and Landscape Health rule
- Defunding harmful EPA rules that could result in early shutdowns at Colstrip and raise energy costs for Montanans
- Increased funding for wildland fire management and permanently fixing wildland firefighter pay
- Cutting spending without burdening tribes
- Prohibiting funds for listing gray wolves
- Prohibiting funds for listing wolverines
- Mandating onshore and offshore oil and gas leases
- Rescinding harmful Biden administration ESA rules
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