Brenden's District The Largest Bordering Canada

Hello, this is Sen. John Brenden sending a letter to the folks in my Sen. District #17. Since the last election, my senate district has increased to include Chinook and everything north in Blaine County and everything north of Highway 2 in Havre, angling northwest by Fresno, ending about straight north of Hingham, but not including Hingham. My district goes from the North Dakota border about 282 miles west and that is 51 percent of the 545-mile border with Canada! It is the largest state senate district in miles that borders Canada; it includes all or parts of Sheridan, Daniels, Valley, Phillips, Blaine, Hill and Roosevelt counties. I look forward working with all - in and out of my senate district.

Last week we held our party caucuses and I was elected Chairman of Committee on Committees, which is a six-member committee chosen from the controlling party. This committee appoints all the senators to their committees. Sen. Elect Kris Hansen from Havre is on this committee and it has been great working with her and I know the same will be in the upcoming session that starts on Jan. 5, 2015.

Also congratulations to Rep. Mike Lang from Malta and Rep. Austin Knudsen, who was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. These two gentlemen make up my senate district. We are presently making the committee assignments and by the time you read this report, these appointments will be made public. Rural Montana did well in the GOP leadership races. We have the first woman, Sen. Debby Barrett, and a rancher as president of the Senate, Majority Leader Matt Rosendale of Glendive, President Pro Tempore Eric Moore of Miles City and in the House of Rep., Lee Randall of Broadus, speaker pro tempore; Alan Doan, rep. whip; along with Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen. It probably comes with no surprise that I am again chairman of Fish, Wildlife & Parks and also on the Finance and Natural Resource Committees.

The Senate and House members will be meeting on Dec. 3-4 for more meetings before the legislature convenes.

I would like to congratulate WWII veterans Ken Newton, Lloyd Eide and Gordon Olson from Glasgow for their decorations of the French Knight Legion of Honor Award given by the French Consul of France. They are true heroes as well as ALL other veterans.

I will try and send out every week a Brenden Reports when session begins. In the meantime I may be reached by email at [email protected]. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.