It was a surprise to Rep Powers when she opened her mailbox and found a mailer giving her an A rating based on her votes in the legislature.  The mailer was sent by Montana Conservation Voters who track how legislators vote in the session.

Rep Powers drove half-way across the state to join her interim legislative committee in a field trip at the Zortman-Landusky and C.R. Kendall mines near Lewistown.  These gold mines used cyanide to extract the gold from the rock causing catastrophic levels of water pollution.

Although the mines are no longer operating, the state of Montana spends $3.5 million every year on water treatment because the companies who owned the mines went bankrupt.  Without water treatment, the nearby farms, ranches, and Indian Reservation would have toxic water.  This is a powerful example of how many extractive industries in the past were treated leniently by government requiring taxpayers to cleanup their mess in perpetuity.  It is imperative that state government require the highest standards for any extractive industries in our state.  We cannot let this keep happening to our people and our state.

This summer and fall, Rep Powers volunteered over 200 hours for Glacier National Park as a backcountry ranger (called Wilderness Patrol).  Wearing a uniform and carrying a park radio, she hiked all over the Park talking to visitors, checking backcountry permits, and educating people about the Glacier backcountry and how to recreate there with as little impact as possible.  Although she has done this for the past 5 summers, this year was especially important due to the layoffs and firings of employees by the federal government.

Rep Powers flew in a small plane with Peter Metcalf, Executive Director for Glacier Two Medicine Alliance, on EcoFlight to view a potential location for a Wildlife Crossing over Highway 2 in Bad Rock Canyon boarding House District 3.

Rep Debo Powers held an informational meeting at the Sondreson Community Hall north of Polebridge to explain the new property tax laws to her neighbors.  “I was being asked questions by so many neighbors that I decided to hold a community meeting and explain everything at the same time.”  The meeting was well attended and Rep Powers used a power point developed by the Department of Revenue.

Every summer, Representative Debo Powers volunteers as a fire lookout for the Flathead National Forest.  This summer’s hitch is on Cyclone Lookout near Polebridge in House District 3.  This is  part of her public service, watching for wildfires on the landscape.

When people commented that Rep Powers had survived the legislative session, she said “I not only survived, I thrived!”  Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd at the Flathead Democrat’s Spring Dinner, she told stories of victories and failures in the legislature and assured the crowd that she was ready to do it again!

The 2025 Legislature adjourned on April 30 after 4 months of hard work for the people of Montana.  Some of the highlights were: Medicaid continuation, Property Tax relief, STARS Act and more funding for public education, funding for conservation through marijuana tax dollars, and maintaining non-partisan election of judges.

Public school teachers came from all over the state to the Capitol to lobby their legislators.  Rep Powers met with teachers from Whitefish and Columbia Falls to talk about how to improve public education for all children in Montana.

Bipartisan work in the legislature is hard…..and necessary.  The Montana House in this legislative session is characterized by respect for each other even when we don’t agree on state policy.  As the minority party with 42% of the House, it is imperative that Democrats work with Republicans to find common ground when possible.