🚧 Government & Politics | Cowboy State Daily

An amendment attached to sweeping legislation moving its way through the U.S. House has ignited a debate over the sale of federally owned public land. Wyoming’s Harriet Hageman supports the move, while Republicans in other Western states oppose it.

Hageman And House Committee Open Up Sale Of Federally Owned Public Land

An amendment attached to legislation moving its way through the U.S. House this week opens federal land for sale in Utah and Nevada. Wyoming’s Harriet Hageman supports the move, while Republicans in other Western states oppose it.

David MadisonMay 09, 2025

Hageman Wants To Halt Student Visas For Colleges In ‘Sanctuary Cities’

Harriet Hageman introduced a bill Thursday to keep student visas from being issued in “sanctuary” cities that don’t cooperate with ICE. She says it’s a response to those “who seek to elevate the interests of foreign nationals above our own citizens.”

Clair McFarlandMay 09, 2025

Secretary of State Chuck Gray testified Thursday in Lander before the legislative Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee about election reform. An electronic voting machine is to the right, used during a mock election during the meeting.

Chuck Gray Supports 22 New Election-Reform Bills, Committee To Study 10

Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray expressed support for 22 election-reform bills during a meeting with legislators Thursday in Lander. The committee chose to take up 10 for study, ranging from requiring photo-identification to random hand counts.

Clair McFarlandMay 09, 2025

Landmark cryptocurrency legislation by U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis collapsed Thursday on the Senate floor despite exhaustive, 11th-hour efforts to rescue it. Lummis says she’s “deeply disappointed.”

Huge Setback For Lummis As Landmark Cryptocurrency Bill Shot Down

Landmark cryptocurrency legislation backed by U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis collapsed Thursday on the Senate floor despite exhaustive, 11th-hour efforts to rescue it. Lummis says she’s “deeply disappointed.”

Sean BarryMay 08, 2025

A Tesla juices up at a Level 3 fast-charging station at the Frontier Mall in Cheyenne.

Wonky Twists Hold Up Barrasso’s Bid To Kill California EV Mandate

Wyoming’s senior U.S. senator is a critic of red tape across the whole federal government. Now he and GOP colleagues are stuck in it themselves as they take on California’s electric vehicle mandate.

Sean BarryMay 08, 2025

Casper Hopes For Happy Ending By De-Regulating Massage Parlors

The Casper City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to remove massage therapy businesses from regulation through the city’s health ordinances. It’s a good move, says a local massage therapist.

Dale KillingbeckMay 07, 2025

U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyoming, left, sparred with Colorado Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse on Monday over renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.

Hageman Spars With Colorado Democrat Over 'Gulf of America' Renaming

A Colorado Democrat sparred with Wyoming’s U.S. House representative Monday over whether renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America should be a priority. Hageman says Wyomingites support President Trump’s agenda, and that’s part of it.

Clair McFarlandMay 07, 2025

U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. and Cyntha Lummis, R-Wyo.

Warren Attacks Lummis-Backed Crypto Bill, Says It Will Allow Trump ‘Scams’

With Donald Trump’s family selling digital meme coins, Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren is attacking a cryptocurrency bill sponsored by Sen. Cynthia Lummis. Warren claims it will allow Trump to “continue to line his pockets with his crypto scams.”

Sean BarryMay 06, 2025

Wyoming County Commissioners Association natural resource counsel Micah Christensen, left, and executive director Jerimiah Rieman presented Tuesday to the Hot Springs County Commission, after one commissioner said he wanted to break from the group. Commission Chair Tom Ryan, right, strongly opposed such a break.

Hot Springs County Commission Fight Over Split From 'Socialist' State Group

The Hot Springs County Commission is fighting over whether to become the only member to pull out of group that represents all Wyoming's counties. One member wants to because of the group's "socialist" tendencies, while the chairman strongly disagrees.

Clair McFarlandMay 06, 2025

Wyoming Delegation, GOP Install Bisignano To Head Up Social Security

Longtime banker Frank Bisignano was confirmed to run the Social Security Administration on Tuesday on a strictly party-line vote, 53-47. Sen. Cynthia Lummis said Bisignano will help address “understaffing impacting all six Social Security offices in Wyoming, as well as the closure of the Cody office.”

Sean BarryMay 06, 2025

The Tipi Retreat has the the focal point of a yearslong battle with the Hot Springs County Commission.

Hot Springs County Keeps Getting Sued Over Controversial Tipi Retreat

Hot Springs County is being sued for a second time in four years over a controversial teepee resort and a private road used by multiple landowners. The dispute has divided officials, with a commissioner testifying against the county in court.

Leo WolfsonMay 06, 2025

ATF agent demonstrates firing a Glock pistol with a switch attached to make it full-auto in this video posted by WTHR in Indianapolis, Indiana.

States Move To Ban Glocks Over Worries They Can Be Made Fully Automatic

There’s already a ban on “Glock switches,” devices that can make the semiautomatic handgun fully automatic. Now some states are trying to also ban Glock pistols themselves.

Mark HeinzMay 05, 2025

State GOP Wants Federal ICE Detention Center Opened In Wyoming

The Wyoming Republican Party passed a resolution at its meeting Saturday calling for the opening of a federally funded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Wyoming.

Leo WolfsonMay 05, 2025

The Science Zone in Casper is one of a number of groups that get money from AmeriCorps.

Wyoming Groups Lobby To Reverse $400 Million In Cuts To AmeriCorps

A number of Wyoming groups are lobbying the state’s congressional delegation to reverse $400 million in cuts to AmeriCorps. But, so far, they have expressed support for DOGE and its mission to cut wasteful spending.

Zakary SonntagMay 05, 2025

Lummis Behind Bill To Force U.S. Mint To Stop Making Pennies

With a $36 trillion national debt, wasteful government spending has to stop, says U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis. She said that’s why she’s behind a bill to make the U.S. Mint stop making pennies, which cost more than 3 cents per penny to make.

Renée JeanMay 04, 2025

Wyoming GOP outgoing Chairman Frank Eathorne, left, urged the state party members to pay attention to an ongoing lawsuit with four members of the Hot Springs Republican Party.

Wyoming GOP Stands Firm On Not Letting Hot Springs County Members Vote

The Wyoming Republican Party firmly stood behind its lawsuit with four members of the Hot Springs County Republican Party on Saturday. Two members from that party who say they were fairly elected weren’t allowed to vote for state party officers.

Leo WolfsonMay 04, 2025

Bryan Miller, right, beat Jackson resident Rebecca Bextel by a vote of 42-32 for chaimanship of the Wyoming Republican Party during a state central committee meeting in Cody on Saturday, May 3, 2025.

Wyoming Republicans Elect Sheridan's Bryan Miller As New Party Chairman

Sheridan resident Bryan Miller was elected the new chairman of the Wyoming Republican Party on Saturday, beating out Jackson resident Rebecca Bextel by a 42-32 vote.

Leo WolfsonMay 03, 2025

View from a drone of the collapse of a secton of Teton Pass along Wyoming Highway 22.

Failure That Caused Teton Pass To Slide Off Mountain Was Unavoidable, WYDOT Says

Wyoming Department of Transportation officials told legislators on Thursday the mudslide that wiped out Highway 22 on Teton Pass last year was an unavoidable event, caused by extreme, fast-changing weather conditions.

Leo WolfsonMay 03, 2025

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, left, and U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, both R-Wyoming.

Wyoming Delegation Supports Trump’s Order To Defund NPR And PBS

President Donald Trump’s order to defund PBS and NPR has support from Wyoming’s congressional delegation. Rep. Harriet Hageman said government shouldn’t be “funding leftist propaganda,” while Sen. John Barrasso said they’ve “failed” to be non-biased.

Sean BarryMay 02, 2025

Hot Springs County Commission Vice-Chair Bob Aguiar wants to break from the Wyoming County Commissioners Association because it’s a “socialist” group that opposes tax cuts. If that happens, Hot Springs would be the only one of Wyoming’s 23 counties to not be a member.

Commissioner Says Hot Springs County To Break From ‘Socialist’ State Association

A Hot Springs County Commissioner promises to break from the Wyoming County Commissioners Association because it’s a “socialist” group that opposes tax cuts. If that happens, Hot Springs would be the only one of Wyoming’s 23 counties to not be a member.

Leo WolfsonMay 02, 2025

Headquarters for the Wyoming Republican Party at 1714 Capitol St. in Cheyenne.

Wyoming GOP May Let Hot Springs Members Vote In State Election Despite Lawsuit

The Wyoming GOP is considering letting members of the Hot Springs Republican Party it says were illegally elected to county positions vote in the state party elections Saturday. A lawsuit filed against the state party by the contested members is ongoing.

Leo WolfsonMay 01, 2025

Freedom Caucus Says Wyoming’s Budget Needs Some ‘DOGE-ing’

The Wyoming Freedom Caucus has set goals for the upcoming interim legislative session, including “DOGE-ing Wyoming’s Budget.” Inspired by the Trump administration’s cost-cutting moves, the conservative lawmakers say Wyoming also has too much waste.