MTN 4:30 News with Russ Riesinger 7-22-26

[00:00:00]Ahead on MTN, [music] a record run down the river.

[00:00:04]>> This is stunning out here. I'm so glad I came out to Montana to paddle. It's incredible. From brutal storms to [music] an 18-mile portage through Great Falls when fourman crew never stopped chasing [music] history. Plus, I'm Jonathan Aarian in Anaconda. For the moment, Democrat Alani Bankhead and Independent Seth [music] Bodner are both continuing their campaigns for US Senate as usual, despite some calls for one of them to drop [music] out of the race.

[00:00:30]Well, good afternoon. I'm Russ Reinger.

[00:00:32]The MTN News starts right now. [music] Last week, we told you about a political divide over whether the presence of both a Democrat and an independent candidate in Montana's US Senate race was splitting the vote. Well, MTN senior political reporter Jonathan Ambberion talked to Seth Bodner and Alani Bankhead to get their responses.

[00:00:56]>> I'm Jonathan Ambberion in Anaconda.

[00:00:59]While there's growing debate in Montana political circles over whether one of them should drop out of the race for US Senate. For the moment, Democratic candidate Alani Bankhead and independent candidate Seth Bodner are both continuing on with their campaigns, making their cases to voters. We're planning for for to win in a four-way race that that would include a Libertarian, a Republican, a Democrat, and and our independent campaign.

[00:01:21]>> Last week, Bodner made a campaign swing around the state, visiting with voters in areas like Anaconda.

[00:01:27]>> The Montana way of life is just getting harder and harder for working families in this state, and they're ready for an independent voice who is going to step up and serve them, not anybody else.

[00:01:36]>> Bankhead says she's been working to set up events of her own and putting together partnerships to get her campaign message out. This is not about running a DC elite nationally funded campaign. The theory is that grassroots can win. Grassroots has always won in Montana. And we have a history of kicking the elite out of politics and we're going to do it again this cycle.

[00:01:55]>> Some Democratic leaders have warned Bankhead and Bodner both running could make it harder to mount a serious challenge to Republican nominee Kurt Almy and called for one to throw their support behind the other. Several urged the candidates to consider who's best set up for a general election campaign, including through fundraising, where Bodner has brought in more than me and significantly more than Bankhead. I asked both candidates about the suggestions that they should unite.

[00:02:19]Bankhead again said she would never consider dropping out and that the split vote is because of Bodner.

[00:02:24]>> Over 48,000 people voted for me, zero people voted for him. And while he certainly did do the work to get the signatures, it is very different going out to people and getting signatures rather than people choosing to go to the ballot box and vote for you.

[00:02:38]>> Bodner said he'd be willing to have a discussion about the path forward, but for now he's focused on winning.

[00:02:44]>> I think our campaign presents uh the the best path to win this seat and the best path to to represent Montana effectively in the United States Senate. That's what we're focused on. We're focused on what we can control. In the meantime, Almy is continuing his own campaign. A spokesperson said, quote, "Kurt Almi is the only candidate with deep Montana roots, President Trump's endorsement, and a proven record of cutting taxes, backing law enforcement, securing our border, and protecting Montana values.

[00:03:12]He will continue barnstorming the state to earn the votes of Montanans and win this race. The last day that any candidate can drop out of the general election will be August 10th in Anaconda. Jonathan Ambarian, MTN News.

[00:03:28]David Jay and Billings at the BNSF railard where Billings firefighters are getting an uplose look at a tanker car and a locomotive. Learning how to handle emergencies with big equipment like this takes some special training.

[00:03:42]Captain Ben Jars lowers himself into a tanker car. The point of this training on Wednesday to get this kind of on the ground experience with rail cars. I >> think you want to put a pipe wrench on and reef on it. It's snug. One example is right here on top of the tanker. BNSF has samples of the different valves that a firefighter may encounter during an emergency.

[00:04:01]>> Get some hands-on and uh see what we're actually going to be dealing with uh if we go to respond to a live incident.

[00:04:06]>> Oh, everybody loved it. Yep. Anytime we can get out and get our hands on stuff, we we like that. That's a lot better than training on the computer.

[00:04:17]For today, our attention [music] is on heavy rain possible, especially in the southernmost portions of Montana into northern Wyoming. Flash flooding is possible, especially around any of these heavier rains closer towards the mountains or anywhere over burn scars.

[00:04:31]As we get into the next few days, we have an extreme heat watch into effect for north central and northeastern Montana. Pretty much everywhere we're going to be looking at the hot temperatures. But for this evening, looking at the highest potential for heavy rain on this area that'll start from but Bosezeman, Livingston area down into the Red Lodge foothills. So if storms start to develop, take safe cover as we'll see the moisture levels continue to be very high in the atmosphere right on through tomorrow afternoon. Forecast details are a few minutes from now.

[00:05:02]Last month, a fourman crew came through Great Falls while chasing a Missouri River speed record. Well, now they have officially said it. MTN's Madison Collier looks back at their stop here and how the Great Falls community helped keep the journey moving.

[00:05:18]>> I'm MTN's Madison Collier in Great Falls. And when I caught up with this fourman crew, they were about 2 days into their journey down the Missouri River. They'd already paddled about 200 miles. But while in Great Falls, the next part of their trip wasn't on canoe.

[00:05:33]It was on foot. We got >> the crew finished the more than 2300 mile speed record journey in 24 days, 16 hours, 51 minutes, and 11 seconds. They started out trying to beat a record of more than 33 days. But while they were underway, solo paddler Peter Larson set a new mark of just over 32.

[00:05:53]>> This is stunning out here. I'm so glad I came out to Montana to paddle. It's incredible. Along the way, Great Falls became part of the record run with Great Falls Auto Repair helping get the team's support van back on the road. For the team, Great Falls was one stop in a journey that included long days, little sleep, storms, heat, and more than 2,000 miles of river. When they passed through town, they were walking fast, in high spirits, and still near the beginning of their trip. Now, that 18-mi walk is part of a record- setting journey down the Missouri River.

[00:06:26]President Donald Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base today to honor three US service members killed during the recent fighting with Iran. The dignified transfer marks a somber tradition as the nation pays respects to those who've made the ultimate sacrifice. Scripps News senior White House correspondent Haley Bull reports.

[00:06:46]>> Ahead of the dignified transfer of fallen US service members, President Trump was expected to meet privately with their families. It comes as he also warned of further potential US responses against Iran as the conflict continues.

[00:07:00]Four US service members killed in action honored Wednesday. First Lieutenant Tyler James Fen, Sergeant Michael Emanuel Swinton, Sergeant Angel S.

[00:07:09]Rampers, Private Isabella Gonzalez.

[00:07:11]President Donald Trump attended the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base showing the human cost of conflict.

[00:07:17]>> They are indeed great heroes. Actually, they said and they all of them said very strongly, "We can't let we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon."

[00:07:29]>> It comes as Trump threatens further escalation with Iran.

[00:07:32]>> They're going to pay a big price.

[00:07:33]>> The president warning whenever Iran fires at a ship in the Straight of Hormuz, quote, "The United States will bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant, including those located next to or in the capital city of Tyrron."

[00:07:47]Both sides continued attacks this week.

[00:07:49]US Central Command launched strikes against Iran for 11 nights straight.

[00:07:54]Iran continued to fire at countries in the region while its foreign minister warned, quote, "Any aggression against Iran, including our infrastructure, will compel a powerful and decisive response." Meanwhile, the military is seeking more funding from Congress, putting the price tag of the conflict thus far, at $37.5 billion. As the path for ending the war and diplomacy appears unclear, >> we remain open to working it out in a negotiated way, but right now they don't seem to be serious about that. And so we're going to continue to protect shipping.

[00:08:22]>> Haley Bull, Scripts News Group, Washington.

[00:08:26]>> Congress faces a busy week with several highstakes issues on the table, including government funding, the military's annual budget, and a proposal to ban members of Congress from trading stocks. Lawmakers are also debating a new reconciliation package that could have a major impact if it becomes law.

[00:08:45]Joe St. George has more.

[00:08:47]>> This week, a lot is happening on Capitol Hill that could impact the country and potentially your family. But one of the biggest debates in politics right now is over something known as reconciliation 3.0. So, what is it and does it have a chance of becoming law? Reconciliation 3.0 0 may sound like a mouthful, but it is a political controversy that may engulf Washington for much of the year.

[00:09:10]>> It's our best shot at enacting our party's top priority legislation. What makes the reconciliation process different is that it allows funding bills to pass the Senate with a simple majority vote, avoiding the filibuster.

[00:09:21]The legislation, as it's proposed right now, has a price tag of $95 billion. 73 billion would be for the military in the Iran war. 12 billion would be to help struggling farmers and 10 billion is reserved for election integrity, which is the most controversial part of this reconciliation process.

[00:09:39]>> No country can be great without fair and honest elections.

[00:09:43]>> Reconciliation 3.0 is for the moment including President Trump's Save America Act, which would overhaul federal elections by requiring a form of voter ID when voting and proof of citizenship when registering to vote. But here is why. Even if reconciliation 3.0 know advances this week in the House, you should be skeptical of it actually becoming law, at least as it's proposed right now. It is because Democrats are opposed in the Senate and four Republican senators have previously voiced concerns as well. That's enough to block it. Not to mention, there's a chance the Senate parliamentarian doesn't allow election reform to pass via the reconciliation process. Not every policy proposal is allowed to avoid the filibuster. Joe St. George Scripps news group,