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Montana lawmakers hear broad support for interim study of federal cuts, appropriation of $215,000 proposed
Summary
Representatives and more than a dozen public witnesses urged the House State Administration Committee to create an interim Legislative Finance Committee study of recent federal executive actions and funding cuts, with a $215,000 appropriation proposed to fund meetings and outside economic analysis.
Representative Ed Staffman, sponsor of House Bill 879, told the House State Administration Committee on March 4 that the resolution would create an interim study through the Legislative Finance Committee to assess how recent federal budget and policy changes are affecting Montana.
Staffman said the study would produce a preliminary written report by the end of the calendar year and a final report before the next legislative session, noting "we can either act on it or we could choose to ignore it at our peril." He said the bill includes a $215,000 appropriation intended to cover committee meetings and to contract for outside economic analysis if needed.
The bill drew wide support from tribal, agricultural, environmental and local-business witnesses who described immediate and potential impacts from federal workforce reductions, grant freezes and tariffs. Patrick Kawaki, testifying for the Blackfeet Scribe, Fort Belknap Indian Community and the Chippewa Cree Tribe, said cuts to Indian…
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