Senator Steve Daines stopped by the KGVO studios early Wednesday morning to discuss various issues, including his scheduled visits to Kalispell and Great Falls to meet with law enforcement about methamphetamine treatment.

“Meth is definitely coming across the southern border,” began Senator Daines. “15 or 20 years ago when we first started talking about meth, that was home-grown meth, from all those little labs across Montana. Here’s what’s changed. That meth from 20 years ago was maybe 20 to 25 percent potency. The Mexican cartel meth has 90 percent-plus potency, so it’s much more potent and much more dangerous, but it’s cheaper because they’re making it in higher quantities in Mexico and it’s much more widely distributed. WE just got the seizure numbers from the U.S. Marshals in Montana and they’re twice what they were in 2017.”

Daines said his visits to Kalispell and Great Falls later on Wednesday would be focused on meth and its treatment.

“We’ll be working with law enforcement, treatment centers and our hospitals, the men ands women who are working with Montanans who are addicted to meth,” he said. “When we were in Billings late last week at the Rimrock Treatment Center where they help people with addictions to alcohol, meth and opiods,” he said. “Then we went to the Willow House, a home that allows moms with children to get help. In fact, I had a provision in a bill that was recently passed by Congress that says when we’re helping moms deal with their addiction issues that the children ought to be there also under supervision, because it helps them recover.  It was a very touching moment to walk into a room in this home to see seven or eight moms who are dealing with their addiction issues, and to see the children, some were in bassinets, in cribs, in bunk beds and these moms were getting help.”

Daines was also gratified to see the Land and Water Conservation Fund receive permanent funding.

“In Washington, D.C., we saw a great example of bipartisan cooperation,” he said. “I said it took a public lands package to bring divided government together. This is a fund, by the way, that is funded by offshore oil revenues, and it costs the taxpayers exactly zero. As a fiscal conservative, I like those kinds of opportunities.”

Daines also advocated a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution in order to solve the nation’s increasing yearly deficit and the national debt.

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