HELENA – Montana State Auditor and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Matt Rosendale was at the White House on Thursday to discuss issues like workforce development and health care.
President Donald Trump invited Rosendale to attend the signing of an executive order creating a Council of the American Worker. The group will include officials from across the government and will focus on how to give workers the skills they need for a changing economy.
President Trump also announced a “Pledge to America’s Workers” as part of the event and 23 national companies and business associations signed onto the pledge, committing to expand on-the-job training and apprenticeship programs for millions of workers and students.
“We have to identify the needs of the business community more accurately, and then make sure that our education systems focus on adapting their curriculums to fill those workforce needs,” said Rosendale.
Rosendale also spoke at an event for “Montana State Day.” About 50 state legislators, county commissioners and other officials from around Montana visited Washington, D.C., to speak to leaders like U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-MT )and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.
Rosendale gave a presentation to the group on his support for alternative options for people seeking health care coverage. “That is much more important than saying that everyone has insurance,” he said.
Rosendale said many of the Montana leaders he spoke to Thursday also raised concerns about how federal lands are managed.
“It’s nice that the White House gave the opportunity to talk with the folks from across the state, and it’s great that Washington recognizes the need to have the line of communications with the folks from the state,” he said.
Rosendale said President Trump has told him he will return to Montana for another visit later this year. The president held a rally earlier this month in Great Falls.
