US Sen. Daines urges lawmakers to find Montana solutions

HELENA (AP) — Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines railed against Washington D.C. politics and told Montana lawmakers that solutions to the state's problems need to come from them.

Daines addressed a joint session of the House and Senate Wednesday, saying lawmakers must be wary of increasing dependence on a federal government he says is accruing debt at an unprecedented rate.

He says the Environmental Protection Agency through regulation is killing jobs in the timber and coal industries and that President Barack Obama's threat to veto the Keystone XL oil pipeline is another example of preventing job creation.

Daines also addressed the issue of public lands, encouraging lawmakers to think of the opportunities if the federal government stepped back and allowed Montanans to responsibly manage forests and mine coal. He added Montanans must stand firm against efforts to sell public lands.