Access to healthcare in Montana often depends on an employer acting as a middleman. That system breaks down in rural communities, for small businesses, and for families one job loss away from losing coverage.

The Universal Healthcare Act replaces that system with a public network every American can buy into by right. The federal government steps into the role employers currently play as payer-of-record for baseline care.

This approach guarantees healthcare as a protected right. Coverage does not disappear with a layoff, a drought year, or a government shutdown.

Montana already proved this model can work. Healthy Montana Kids has delivered care to over 100,000 children. We build from what works and expand it.

At the same time, we must protect and strengthen the systems people rely on today. That means voting to continue and expand access to Medicare and Medicaid, with a focus on rural communities where provider shortages and distance limit care.

We also need to improve access for veterans across Montana. Rural veterans face long travel times and limited options. Care must meet them where they live, not force them to leave their communities to receive it.

Healthcare should work in every county, for every family, without exception.

Montana families are being priced out of their own communities. Wages have not kept pace with housing, groceries, fuel, and healthcare. Work should pay enough to stay, to build a life here. Right now, too many people do everything right and still fall behind.

We will work to raise Montana minimum wage to the federal minimum wage level, and work to raise minimum wage. We will push for policies that strengthen local economies instead of outside speculation.

We want to attract business to Montana. We want businesses that build good-paying jobs, invest in our communities, and plan for the long term.

Montana should remain a place where working families can build a life, stay, and pass something on.

Our agricultural economy is under pressure. Farmers and ranchers are facing rising input costs, unstable markets, and increasing pressure on water resources.

Montana does not have the water or power capacity for unchecked industrial expansion like large-scale data centers. Policy must reflect the limits of our landscape and we will work for a moratorium on new data centers across the state.

Drought continues to strain operations across the state. We build resilience by investing in water infrastructure. Projects like the Milk River system cannot be solved at the local level alone. Our Irrigation Infrastructure Act provides a federal cost share so communities can plan and build before crisis hits.

Fertilizer costs remain high, diesel and fuel prices cut into margins, and the direction of immigration enforcement means labor remains uncertain. We need good policy that reflects the needs of producers on the ground. 

We need a real Farm Bill that supports producers, enforces fair markets, and stabilizes costs and doesn't bow to big corporations and chemical manufacturers.

Montana should lead the nation in valuing teachers, not fall behind and lose them to loss of resources and high cost of living.

Federal programs meet real needs on the ground. Strong schools mean strong communities. When schools fail, towns follow.

We will protect and fully fund the programs that keep Montana schools open, staffed, and working for families. Montana should have the best-paid teachers in the nation. Public schools anchor towns across Montana and federal dollars already play a major role in supporting those systems.

21st Century Community Learning Centers keep school doors open after hours, giving working families a safe place for kids to learn, get help, and stay connected. Title I funding supports schools serving low-income communities. IDEA funding ensures students with disabilities receive the education they are guaranteed under the law. Career and Technical Education programs prepare students for trades and careers that keep Montana’s economy running.

These programs are not extras. They're the difference between a school that survives and a school that thrives.

We need to prioritize teacher pay, classroom stability, and long-term investment so rural schools remain open and strong.

Our tribal neighbors are sovereign governments and vital partners in Montana’s future.

Federal and treaty obligations must be met in full, including healthcare, infrastructure, water agreements, and education.

We work with tribal leadership as partners. Respect for sovereignty strengthens the entire state.

The Blackfeet Nation (https://blackfeetnation.com)

The Crow Nation (http://www.crow-nsn.gov)

Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes - Salish, Pend d’Oreille, Kootenai

(https://cskt.org)

Fort Belknap Indian Community - Gros Ventre (A’aninin) and Assiniboine (Nakoda)

(https://ftbelknap.org)

Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes- Assiniboine and Sioux (Dakota/Lakota)

(https://fortpecktribes.org)

Chippewa Cree Tribe - Rocky Boy’s Reservation

(https://www.chippewa-cree.org)

Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana

(https://montanalittleshelltribe.org)

Montanans have spoken on personal freedom. We voted clearly to protect personal rights and privacy. The government should stay out of personal decisions. The principle applies across the board.

Small government means staying out of personal decisions. 

We need new leadership in the Senate. We need leaders who will stand up to abuses of power and do their job upholding the law and the Constitution. We will not sit down, back away, or stay quiet. When the rule of law is tested, the response must be grit, courage, and action.

No president has the authority to take this country to war alone. The Constitution places that decision with Congress for a reason. War carries consequences that reach every community in Montana, from our service members to our economy.

Congress is failing to meet basic responsibilities. Budgets stall. Programs face cuts or delays. The law is clear. When Congress appropriates funds, those funds must be spent as directed. Congress exists in part to prevent executive overreach and protect the public interest.

Montana depends on a functioning government. That means funding wildfire preparedness, public lands management, infrastructure, and research without disruption. It also means Congress must reclaim its constitutional role before more lives are put at risk.