U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced that his bipartisan bill, which instructs the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of the Interior to prioritize completing the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT), has passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) is co-leading the bill.
“Our outdoor way of life is something that brings Montanans together, and as an avid hiker and backpacker myself, completing the Continental Divide Trail is a huge win for our state. It will support local jobs, boost economic development for gateway communities, and increase public access to Montana’s natural beauty. I’m thrilled to see my bill pass out of committee and will fight to get it across the finish line,” said Daines.
The CDT was designated by Congress in 1978 as part of the National Trail System. The trail extends more than 3,000 miles through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and Idaho, following the Continental Divide and passing through areas with significant natural, historic, and cultural resources.
Senator Daines has been working toward completion of this trail since 2022.
Daines represents Montana in the U.S. Senate and participates in committees such as energy and natural resources. He grew up in Bozeman, Montana, attended public schools there as a fifth-generation Montanan, and earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from Montana State University according to his official website. Before entering politics, he held management roles at Procter & Gamble and worked as an executive at a Bozeman-based software company. His office provides constituent services across several Montana cities including Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena, Billings, Missoula, Kalispell and Sidney as well as Washington D.C., offering assistance with federal agencies and veterans resources (source).
He has served as U.S. Senator from Montana since 2015 (source) and has received awards from the Congressional Management Foundation for transparency in office practices (source).