Steve Daines

U.S. Senator · MontanaRepublican

1,474votes cast

1,499on the record

Current term: January 2025

Next election: November 2026

Ideological profile

Activity by pillar

Policy record

Contents

Civil rights and liberties Criminal justice Economy and labor Education Environment and energy Fiscal policy Government accountability and transparency Healthcare Immigration National security and foreign policy

Civil rights and liberties2 actions

Summary being generated.

Criminal justice13 actions

Daines voted to restrict federal surveillance authorities and prevent the use of evidence obtained through foreign intelligence surveillance in criminal prosecutions. He voted to block criminal justice reforms in Washington D.C. aimed at modernizing the district's criminal code and changing policing practices, and he voted to shield U.S. and allied personnel from International Criminal Court investigations. He also voted to expand government detention authority by requiring more immigrants to be detained without bail during case processing.

Economy and labor88 actions

Daines compiled a voting record marked by support for worker compensation measures and skepticism toward certain labor enforcement mechanisms. He voted to expand economic assistance for radiation-exposed workers and Native American communities while backing restrictions on joint employer liability rules. Conversely, Daines opposed the appointment of an employment discrimination enforcement commissioner and rejected multiple tariff measures affecting Chinese, Canadian, and Brazilian imports. His votes on trade policy and regulatory rollbacks, particularly regarding small business lending protections and labor joint employer standards, reflected a pattern of limiting regulatory obligations on businesses and trade restrictions, though he supported specific worker compensation and infrastructure safety initiatives.

Education19 actions

Daines' education voting record reflects support for restrictions on federal student loan flexibility and transgender student participation in athletics, alongside backing for departmental leadership changes and pregnant student protections. He voted to block waivers allowing modifications to federal student loan requirements and to reject income-driven repayment plan provisions, positioning himself in favor of stricter loan management frameworks. Daines supported legislation requiring colleges to inform pregnant students of their rights and services, expanding educational access for this population. He consistently voted against nominees and appointments to key education leadership positions, including rejection of a UNESCO engagement appointment and a special education department nominee, and voted yes on a nomination to lead the Education Department. Daines voted against eliminating a scholarship program for school choice and against measures protecting school meal program funding, indicating divergence on education funding priorities.

Environment and energy137 actions

Daines compiled a voting record characterized by support for regulatory rollbacks while backing nuclear energy expansion and strategic personnel appointments. He voted to block EPA enforcement mechanisms, reject vehicle emission standards, eliminate wetland protections, and prevent states from setting stricter pollution requirements. He also voted to reject energy efficiency standards for appliances and commercial refrigeration, block rules limiting methane emissions from fossil fuel operations, and eliminate tax credits for renewable energy and home clean energy installations. Conversely, Daines voted against confirming environmental protection specialists to EPA leadership positions and opposed extending financial support for clean energy projects. His votes supported nuclear power development and confirmed appointees positioned to shape environmental and energy agency implementation, while consistently rejecting regulations that would restrict emissions, strengthen environmental protections, or advance renewable energy adoption.

Fiscal policy275 actions

Daines' fiscal policy voting record reflects prioritization of defense spending alongside selective restraint on domestic expenditures. He supported authorization of defense and military spending across multiple bills while voting against increases in non-defense federal spending, including restorations of agricultural programs, international assistance, and health research funding. Daines voted to approve the fiscal year 2025 and 2026 spending frameworks that authorized overall government appropriations, yet consistently opposed measures that would have expanded the federal borrowing limit or provided temporary funding without addressing long-term budget concerns. He supported deficit-reduction mechanisms such as automatic discretionary spending cuts triggered by debt ceiling breaches and voted to block restoration of spending cuts initiated by the executive branch. On revenue matters, Daines ratified the U.S.-Chile tax treaty addressing double taxation and tax evasion while opposing extension of health insurance tax credits. His record shows support for military construction and veterans affairs spending in some instances while voting against related appropriations bills in others, indicating variable positions within the defense budget category rather than uniform support.

Government accountability and transparency17 actions

Daines voted to advance electoral verification mechanisms through identity confirmation measures and supported confirming a director for the federal science and technology office. He voted against confirming a director for the ethics enforcement agency responsible for overseeing financial disclosures and ethics rules for federal officials. His recorded votes on government accountability matters reflect support for electoral security infrastructure alongside opposition to leadership confirmation at the primary federal ethics enforcement body.

Healthcare60 actions

Daines voted to support several healthcare appointments and expansions of coverage for specific populations, including increased funding for World Trade Center-related medical services and expanded compensation for workers with occupational illnesses. He voted to confirm multiple Department of Health and Human Services and related agency leadership positions that shape healthcare policy and drug enforcement strategies. However, Daines voted against measures that would have increased Medicare prescription drug affordability, expanded Medicaid coverage, preserved global health funding, and strengthened beneficiaries' access to Social Security and benefit services. He voted in favor of legislation that would restrict Medicaid and CHIP eligibility through citizenship verification requirements and reduce federal Medicaid funding for states covering undocumented immigrants. His voting record reflects support for leadership appointments in healthcare administration and disease compensation programs alongside opposition to expansions of government-funded healthcare access and beneficiary services.

Immigration5 actions

Daines' immigration voting record reflected divergent positions on enforcement and immigrant services. He supported legislation advancing stricter immigration enforcement and border control measures, while voting against multiple bills that would have restricted work authorization access, allocated federal border security funding, reduced state legal standing in immigration enforcement matters, and defunded immigrant service organizations. His votes indicate support for enforcement mechanisms alongside resistance to several specific restrictive policy implementations.

National security and foreign policy160 actions

Daines has maintained a voting record characterized by strong support for military and defense personnel appointments while demonstrating skepticism toward congressional constraints on executive military authority. He voted to confirm numerous senior Defense Department officials and military leadership positions across multiple service branches, consistently supporting the administrative structure necessary for military operations. On foreign policy matters, Daines has favored maintaining and strengthening security partnerships, voting to affirm support for Israeli security efforts, block congressional restrictions on arms sales to Israel and other allies, and expand oversight mechanisms for Ukraine assistance. He has voted to reduce Ukraine funding while simultaneously supporting accountability measures for that aid, and to restrict financial exposure to foreign entities through limitations on federal employee investments and expanded agricultural investment oversight. Conversely, Daines has voted against several bills that would have strengthened congressional oversight of military decisions, including measures to require approval for emergency military production and to impose new limitations on executive authority for military operations. He also voted against confirming defense officials and against bills addressing veterans' health data collection and international disaster assistance, suggesting a selective approach to defense priorities.

Activity ledger — most recent first

Mar 26, 2026

Daines co-sponsored Senate Resolution 666 to designate the first week of April as "National Asbestos Awareness Week."