{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Democrat\", state = \"MT\" and year = 2019 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7165", "Tester Secures $1.5 Billion for Farmers, Fixes Disaster Assistance Program to Include Montanans Facing Losses This Season [press_release]", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As a part of the year-end appropriations package that passed out of the Senate this week, U.S. Senator Jon Tester secured critical wins for Northeastern Montana farmers facing crop losses this season by expanding the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) to include quality loss, drought, and excessive moisture and by increasing funding for the program by $1.5 billion to cover the new categories. Tester's fix also ensures that affected sugar beet farmers will get their indemnity payments through their co-ops.\nTester's fix clears the way for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to issue an emergency declaration and provide assistance to Montana farmers. Tester was the only member of Montana's delegation to vote for the domestic government funding package that included this language.\n\"The USDA should have provided assistance to Montana farmers back in September when we first brought this crisis to their attention,\" said Tester. \"Now there is no shadow of a doubt that these producers qualify for WHIP+, so the USDA needs to get it in gear and immediately provide support to folks in Northeastern Montana because family farms are on the line. We're done asking-now we're telling.\" \nIn September, Senator Tester sent Secretary Perdue a letter asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to clarify that WHIP+ includes value and quality losses, and that farmers in Northeast Montana facing those losses were eligible for the program. Nearly eight weeks later, USDA finally responded that they would not provide assistance to Montana farmers because excessive moisture was not covered under WHIP+.\nThen, following two weeks of heavy snow in Northeast Montana in early December, Tester urged Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to reconsider his decision not to extend disaster assistance to the region's wheat farmers who were forced to leave their crop in the ground or were left with unsellable product due to excessive moisture this harvest season.\n\"I am extremely disappointed in your decision to exclude Montana farmers from the WHIP+ program for quality loss related to excessive moisture,\" wrote Tester. \"In a time of extreme market volatility and trade uncertainty, USDA's mission is to mitigate the significant risks of farming.' In Northeast Montana, USDA is failing to deliver that objective for struggling farmers.\"\nThe USDA has not yet replied to Tester's second letter.\nAs the only working farmer in the U.S. Senate, Tester has been a champion for farmers and ranchers across the country. Earlier this year, he introduced his Seeding Rural Resilience Act to help combat rising rates of farmer suicide, and The Trump Administration recently adopted his Restoring Rural Residencies Act into a rule change to bring more medical professionals into rural hospitals.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7166", "Tester Secures Big Wins to Increase Safety, Bolster Education, and Improve Health Care in Indian Country as Part of Government Funding Bill [press_release]", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester, a member of both the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, secured a number of wins for Indian Country as a part legislation to fund the federal government that passed the Senate this week and now heads to the President's desk. Tester is the only member of the Montana delegation to support the domestic funding legislation.\nTester delivered significant resources to increase safety and address the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Indian Country, and improve health care and education outcomes, among other priorities.\n\"These resources will help make a real, tangible difference in Native American communities across our state,\" Tester said. \"These bills aren't perfect, but they'll go a long way towards helping give Montana families, survivors, law enforcement, educators, health care providers, and Tribal governments the tools they need to recover, succeed, and thrive in Indian Country.\"\nAs a member of the Appropriations Committee, Tester is responsible for writing the 12 bills that fund the federal government each year. Among the Indian Country provisions Tester successfully secured are:\nAddressing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis\n\n \n$2.64 billion for the Crime Victims Fund, with a five percent Tribal set aside, to help provide medical, legal, and housing assistance to victims of crimes\n$7 million to help Tribes implement special Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) tribal jurisdiction over domestic violence crimes \n$1 million to investigate and provide services related to missing persons and murder cold cases in Indian Country\n$1 million for new Department of Justice research on preventing violence against Native women\nDirects the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to designate an official in the Office of Justice Services to develop a set of guidelines on how to best collect statistics on missing, murdered, and trafficked women\n \n\nSecuring Native American Communities \n\n \n$434 million for BIA Public Safety and Justice Initiatives, a $27 million increase \n$25.7 million for Tribal Justice Support, a $3.5 million increase, to provide guidance and support to Tribal courts\n$2 million to hire additional detention and corrections staff at BIA facilities\n$2 million for equipment to help Tribal law enforcement collect and preserve evidence at crime scenes\n$3 million for the Tribal Access Program, which enables Tribes to access national crime information systems\n$2.5 million for BIA to operate new advanced training for detectives and forensics\n$1 million to reduce the BIA background check backlog\n \n\nHealth Care and Education\n\n \n$944 million for the Bureau of Indian Education\n$6 billion for the Indian Health Service (IHS), a four percent increase from FY19\n$57.7 million for Urban Indian Health services, the highest-ever increase for urban Indian health\n$8 million in new funding for recruitment and retention at IHS to address vacancies across the country\n$40 million for the Section 108 Loan Repayment Program, a $4 million increase that will be used to recruit and retain providers at IHS facilities \n$21 million for Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country grants operated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention \nSpecial Diabetes Program for Indians funded to May 22, 2020\n \n\nHousing and Economic Development\n\n \n$1 million for the Tribal HUD-VASH demonstration program to provide rental assistance and support to homeless Native veterans\n$746 million for Native American Housing Block Grants for affordable housing in Indian Country\n$70 million for Indian Community Development Block Grants\n$16 million for Native Community Development Financial Institutions\n \n\nPublic Lands and Environment\n\n \n$145 million for Rural Water Projects, including Fort Peck/Dry Prairie Rural Water System, and Rocky Boys/North Central Rural Water System\n$12.7 million for the Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement\n$10 million for the Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7169", "Tester Pays Tribute to Vietnam Veteran on Senate Floor [press_release]", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, took to the Senate floor yesterday to pay tribute to the life of Chief Warrant Officer Second Class William C. Ebeltoft, a decorated Vietnam veteran and Montana resident. Tester read a powerful family obituary written about Bill, which tells the compelling story of his life \"before, during, and after service.\"  \"It's incredibly powerful,\" Tester said of the obituary. \"Because quite frankly it's about one man, but it's actually about a generation of men and women who served in Vietnam.\" William Ebeltoft earned numerous medals for his valiant acts during the Vietnam War. Like many Vietnam veterans who returned home from service, Bill struggled to adjust to civilian life. He suffered from both mental and physical ailments that followed him throughout his life. In 1994, Bill became a resident of the Montana Veterans' Home in Columbia Falls where he lived comfortably for 26 years. Bill passed away at 73 years old on December 15, 2019.  \"Bill was always a proud man, remembering himself as he was in 1969, not as he became,\" Tester read from the obituary. \"Who are we to suggest differently? His was not a life that many would wish for, but in some ways, Bill was a lucky man. He was surrounded to the end by staff who enjoyed and respected him. He had a chance to be helpful to others who were doing less well than he... Bill's losses were greater than most of us could endure. Yet, to those who love him, his brother and his brother's wife, and their sons, he will always be a brave, accomplished man, more generous than was wise, more trusting than was safe. It is not possible to wrap your arms around a loved one who leaves. But it is possible to wrap your heart around a memory.\" Read the original obituary as published HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7170", "President Signs Little Shell Recognition Into Law After Tester, Daines, Gianforte Efforts [press_release]", "2019-12-20", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following more than a century of efforts by Tribal members and dedicated efforts by U.S. Senators Jon Tester, Steve Daines, and Congressman Greg Gianforte, federal recognition of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians officially became law today after President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).\nMore than 100 years of tireless advocacy by generations of Little Shell members has led to this long-overdue momentand now, finally, the Tribe has been recognized by the United States as a sovereign nation, said Tester. Little Shell recognition was the first bill I introduced in the United States Senate, and I've been honored to fight alongside them for the last 12 years to get this done. This is truly a historic day for the Little Shell Tribe, for the state of Montana, and for our country.\nToday will forever be remembered by the Little Shell Tribe and all of Montana. After more than a century of perseverance, the Little Shell Tribe is finally federally recognized, Daines said. Congratulations to Chairman Gray who has fought this fight with grace and patience. It's been an honor to work with him over the years to get this done. I thank President Trump for signing this into law, and I look forward to celebrating with the Tribe in Montana.\nWith President Trump signing this bill into law, today marks a historic day for the Little Shell Tribe who have worked tirelessly for more than a century to receive the federal recognition they deserve. It's been an honor to work alongside my friend, Chairman Gray, and the Little Shell people to get their bill through the House and to make their long overdue federal recognition a reality, Gianforte said. I look forward to celebrating with them soon.\nTester's first bill introduction as a U.S. Senator in 2007 sought federal recognition for the Little Shell Tribe, and he has reintroduced the same legislation every Congress since. Daines signed on to the legislation when he got to Congress and both Senators successfully pushed to include the bill as an amendment to the NDAA, a must-pass defense bill, which the Senate passed in June.\nIn September 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Greg Gianforte's bill providing federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe, marking the first time ever such a bill passed either the House or Senate. Tester kept the pressure on with a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees requesting that they include recognition language in any final version of the NDAA. Last week, the House unveiled final text of NDAA, which included the Little Shell provision, and passed the bill.\nThe Little Shell Tribe is headquartered in Great Falls and has more than 5,400 members across Montana. They were recognized by the State of Montana in 2000 but have sought federal recognition for more than a century.\nNative American Tribes must be recognized as sovereign nations by the federal government to exercise full self-governance. This nation-to-nation relationship allows them to access critical resources for economic development, health care, education, and regulate affairs on tribal lands on terms that are socially and culturally appropriate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7161", "Tester Introduces Historic Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Compact [press_release]", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today introduced the historic Fort Belknap Indian Community (FBIC) Water Compact in the United States Senate. The FBIC Water Compact will ratify the FBIC water rights settlement with the State of Montana, establish resources for critical water infrastructure development, provide for Tribal and non-Tribal irrigation rights, and return sacred FBIC lands to federal trust. \"The FBIC Water Compact will provide certainty for water users, help boost our state's economy, and protect the rights of irrigators in northcentral Montana-all with the support of a broad array of stakeholders across the state,\" Tester said. \"It took years of hard work and negotiation to get here, and I look forward to working with our Tribal leaders, businesses, and recreationists to preserve our state's most valuable resource and get this bill signed into law.\" The Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes of the Fort Belknap Indian Community Water Rights Settlement Act of 2019 will provide nearly $630 million to improve infrastructure and economic development for the FBIC and improve the efficiency of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Milk River Project, which furnishes water for the irrigation of about 121,000 acres of Tribal and non-Tribal land. The bill will also restore tribal management to 58,553 acres of state and federal land for the FBIC. Tester's bill is supported by the Fort Belknap Indian Community, the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, and conservation and sportsmen groups across the state. A water rights settlement is also supported by local irrigators.\nAfter more than a decade of negotiations, the FBIC Tribal Council approved its Water Compact with the State of Montana in 2001.  The Montana Legislature approved the Compact later that spring.  FBIC and Senator Tester have worked together for years to bring together partners to advance this critical settlement.  The Compact must now pass through Congress, be approved by a simple majority vote of FBIC members, and be entered into the Montana Water Court as a final decree.\n\"We are grateful for Senator Tester's support of our Water Rights Settlement Act. Settlement is long overdue,\" said Andy Werk, Fort Belknap Indian Community President. \"The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed our water rights on the Milk River more than 100 years ago in the \"Winters\" case that also affirmed water rights for reservation tribes establishing permanent homelands. Then, almost 20 years ago, our Water Compact overwhelmingly passed the Montana Legislature on a bipartisan basis. The settlement will provide important water infrastructure on our Reservation, certainty for Montana water users, and economic opportunities that will benefit our Reservation and the entire region. Approval by Congress is needed and will provide the resources we need to settle our claims and provide water to our Reservation.\"\n\"Senator Tester deserves great credit for crafting this important legislation that secures both Tribal and non-Tribal water rights and rights a historic wrong by returning the Grinnell Notch to the Tribes,\" said Tom France, Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation.\n\"After a century of injustice, it is time to remedy the historic inequities faced by the Fort Belknap Indian Community. We support this important legislation which will resolve tribal water rights, support the tribe's economic development, and restore land to the reservation that was unjustly removed. We thank Senator Tester for his leadership and look forward to ensuring that the legislation is improved and signed into law,\" said Paul Spitler, Director of Wilderness Policy at The Wilderness Society.\n\"For more than 150 years, the U.S. government repeatedly violated the water rights and mismanaged the water resources of the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes, allowing some of those resources to become contaminated by gold mining,\" said John Todd, Deputy Director of the Montana Wilderness Association. \"The government also forced the Tribes off of land that is sacred to the members of the Tribes, land that had been part of their reservation until gold was discovered there. Senator Tester's legislation acknowledges this history of injustice the Tribes have suffered and offers them reparations they should have received long ago.\" \"In addition to honoring some long overdue Tribal claims, this proposal will benefit wildlife populations, habitat integrity, and water quality,\" said Dave Chadwick, Executive Director of the Montana Wildlife Federation. \"We are also grateful to Tribal leaders for their commitment to protecting hunting and fishing access by non-Tribal citizens, and making this proposal a real win for all Montanans.\"\nAs a former Chairman and long-time member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Tester is a steadfast champion for Tribes and Montana water users. He originally sponsored the Blackfeet Water Compact in 2010 and guided it to the President's desk to be signed into law in 2016. He also sponsored the Crow Water Compact, which was signed into law and ratified in 2010. Earlier this month, Tester introduced the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Water Compact along with Senator Steve Daines. Hefirst introduced the CSKT Water Compact in 2016, but this is the first time it has gotten bipartisan support.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7162", "Testers Bill to Silence Robocalls Clears Senate, Bound for Presidents Desk [press_release]", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester's bill to curb harassing robocalls unanimously passed the Senate today and heads to President Trump's desk to be signed into law.\nTester's TRACED Act will cut down on unwanted calls by requiring phone companies to authenticate incoming calls, and requiring them to allow consumers to block illegitimate ones at no extra cost. It also directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to make a plan for blocking calls that can't be authenticated, and boosts the FCC's enforcement powers to crack down on violators.\n\"Robocalls are a nuisance that has become the new normal for most Americans - and we've got to stop them,\" Tester said. \"Today is a huge step forward to do that-passing the TRACED Act will cut down on these unwanted calls, protect our personal information from scammers, and give us the tools to prosecute violators, so we can give these abusive robocallers the boot.\"\nThe TRACED Act also extends the timeframe the FCC can catch and punish robocallers, and directs the U.S. Department of Justice to establish a working group charged with making recommendations to Congress on how to improve deterrence and criminal prosecution of robocall scams at the federal and state levels. The TRACED Act cleared the U.S. House of Representatives last week by a margin of 417-3.\nMore than 26 billion robocalls were placed in the U.S. alone in 2018.\nAs Montana's only member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Tester has taken the lead on stopping the scourge of robocalls. In addition to the TRACED Act, Tester helped introduce the Robocall Enforcement Enhancement Act last Congress and pushed the FCC to take action against a Miami man accused of making nearly 100 million robocalls in less than three months last year.\nWatch Tester discuss unwanted robocalls HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7163", "Tester Delivers Big Wins for Montana Law Enforcement, Education, Infrastructure, Public Lands in Government Funding Bills [press_release]", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester used his seat as a member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee to deliver a number of big wins for Montana as part of a package of bills to fund the government that cleared the U.S. Senate today. Tester is the only member of the Montana delegation to support the domestic funding legislation. Tester secured resources to boost safety and security in Montana, invest in public education, improve crime victims services, combat the meth and opioid epidemic, upgrade Montana's infrastructure, and provide for additional affordable housing, in addition to other priorities with direct impacts on Montanans. \"These bills are a huge step forward when it comes to delivering for Montana,\" Tester said. \"For Montanans to remain safe and have the tools to thrive and get ahead, we need to invest in the priorities that make our state the Last Best Place. Educating our kids, improving our infrastructure, keeping folks healthy, providing housing Montanans can afford, securing our communities - are all critical to our success as a state and as a nation. While these bills are not perfect, it's an example of what we can get done when we work across the aisle to give certainty to thousands of federal programs and the millions who rely on them.\"      As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Tester is responsible for writing the 12 bills that fund the federal government each year. Among the Montana provisions Tester successfully secured are: Law Enforcement and Northern Border Security\n \n$343 million for Community Oriented Policing Services, including $13 million for the COPS Anti-Meth Task Force.\n$285 million for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, which fund regional task forces made up of local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies to combat the drug epidemic in Montana communities.\n$222 million for new technology for use between and at ports of entry, including innovative border technologies and non-intrusive inspection technology to scan vehicles for drugs as they cross the border.\n$104.4 million to support over 800 positions in Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Office of Field Operations, including 600 additional Officers and Agriculture Specialists at Ports of Entry.\n$1.5 million for CBP to initiate comprehensive testing of imported honey to verify the country of origin and detect adulteration. This is an important step to help identify fraudulent importation of Chinese honey and level the playing field for American honey producers.\nRestores $46 million for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to partially reimburse airports for providing law enforcement officer staffing.\n$2 million for TSA to initiate development of reduced sized explosives detection systems for use in small and rural airports.\n$547 million for the Byrne JAG program, which offers flexible funding to states and localities to help combat crime in their communities.\n$90 million for Operation Stonegarden, which provides funding to state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to enhance border protection and defend Montana's northern border.\n \nEnvironment and Public Lands\n \n$495 million for the Land & Water Conservation Fund, including over $18 million for Montana projects. Tester has expressed frustration that this funding is well below the authorized $900 million and continues to push for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring full funding up for a vote. \n$3.6 billion for wildfire suppression.\n$500 million for Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), a critical program that makes payments to rural counties with large amounts of untaxable federal land for services like law enforcement and mental health programs.\n2 year reauthorization for the Secure Rural Schools and Self-Determination Act, which compensates forested counties with federal land for lost revenue due to declining timber production.\n$15 million for Corps of Engineers to support watercraft inspection stations to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive mussels.\n$5 million to support state efforts to monitor and contain chronic wasting disease outbreaks in wild deer populations.\n$1.5 million for transboundary streamgages to assist with monitoring pollution in the Kootenai, and a requirement for the EPA and State Department to coordinate on finding a path forward to getting the watershed cleaned up.\nLanguage to protect Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers-which Tester successfully fought to keep open earlier this year-by directing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide 30 days notification in advance of any action to lose or deactivate a Job Corps Center.\n \nVictim Services and Substance Use Treatment  \n  Education\n\n \n$1.09 billion for TRIO funding, which helps low-income, first-generation college students earn college degrees - a $30 million increase.\n$10.6 billion for Head Start, a $550 million increase and a record number to expand education, health, and social services.\n$10 million for state and local education agencies to increase the number of counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other mental health care professionals to serve students.\n$13.6 billion for grants to states to support special education grants under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which represents a $410 million increase and an important step toward achieving funding levels set out in Senator Tester's IDEA Full Funding Act\n \n\nAffordable Housing\n \n$3.4 billion for Community Development Block Grants that Montana communities can use to address barriers to housing and other serious challenges.\n$1.35 billion for the HOME program to improve affordable housing production and rental assistance.\n$1.3 billion for Rural Housing Program Rental Assistance to keep low-income families in rural areas in their homes.\n \nHealth Care and First Responders\nTransportation & Telecommunications\n\nAgriculture and Nutrition\n\n \nExpands the WHIP+ program to provide indemnity payments for producers who incurred losses as a result of quality loss, drought and excessive moisture. \n$1.5 billion in additional funding for WHIP+ to allow producers in northeast Montana who suffered significant losses this harvest to receive a payment. \n$16.5 million for the implementation of the federal hemp program.\nDirects the USDA Agricultural Research Service to fill vacant positions so that research goals are met at stations like the Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory in Sidney and Fort Keogh.\nExtends the Craft Beverage Reduced Excise Tax and simplifies record keeping for beer, wine, and distilled spirit makers\nEnables growers who are legally growing hemp to move hemp between states.\nSecures an exemption for livestock haulers from Electronic Logging Device regulations.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7164", "Tester Secures Big Wins for Montana Veterans, Defense Installations, Military Research in Year-End Government Funding Deal [press_release]", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) secured major wins today in a bipartisan government funding agreement that supports veterans and strengthens critical defense installations in Montana. After weeks of negotiating, the U.S. Senate passed the agreement today, which now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law.\nAs a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Tester is responsible for writing the 12 bills that fund the federal government each year. Tester secured millions in funding to support the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and successfully included additional funding for resources to support caregivers, women veterans, and mental health initiatives.\n\"Serving our veterans is a cost of war, and we can never back down from that responsibility,\" said Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. \"This bill does right by our veterans in Montana and across the country by making sure VA has the resources and tools to provide quality care and benefits to those who served. Today, we are doing right by the thousands of men and women who valiantly answered the call of duty and fought to defend our freedom.\"\nTester fought to include the following provisions for veterans:\n \n$92.1 billion for VA & related agencies, an increase of $5.4 billion. \n$51.4 billion for in-house VA medical care, an increase of $1.5 billion. \n$710 million for the VA Caregiver Support Program. \n$585 million for resources and care for women veterans, an increase of $89 million. \n$9.4 billion to provide mental health care and improve VA's suicide prevention efforts, an increase of $445 million.\n$300 million for rural health care, an increase of $30 million.\n$1.1 billion for telehealth care, particularly in rural and remote areas, an increase of $135 million.\n$120 million for Office of Inspector General, an increase of $18 million.\n \nTester also doubled down on his efforts to strengthen Malmstrom Air Force Base by securing $120 million to construct a new Weapons Storage Facility and $170.1 million for the UH-1N replace program. He also included funding to facilitate research at Montana universities to increase our nation's defense capabilities and strengthen border security operations through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).\n\"Few things I do here in Washington are as important as ensuring that Montanans are safe and secure,\" said Tester. \"This bill protects our nation from threats near and far by making investments in critical defense installations, and universities on the forefront of cutting-edge military research. It also provides our men and women in uniform the highest pay raise in over a decade, following through on our duty to serve those who serve us every day.\"\nAmong the Montana defense and homeland security provisions Tester successfully included in the federal spending bill are:\n \nNational Guard: $338 million for four new C-130J aircraft for the Air National Guard and $134 million in C-130H modernization for new engines and eight bladed propellers for the Air Guard.\nMalmstrom Air Force Base: Investments to support Air Force nuclear modernization, including an additional $65 million for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program and $105 million for Minute Man III modernization and maintenance; $170 million for the replacement of the Vietnam-era Huey helicopters at Malmstrom and $2 million for civil engineering equipment utilized by the 819th and 219th REDHORSE units; and a $85 million increase for Counter-Drug Programs in the National Guard. \nMilitary Personnel:  Includes a 3.1 percent military pay raise. \nMontana State University:o\t$10 million for the Army Research Laboratory to support Montana State University's research in extreme battery production; improving battery materials and chemistry to make them inherently more rugged while meeting energy and power requirements.o\t$4 million to help small businesses partner with DOD research laboratories through Techlink at Montana State University. o\t$8 million to support Montana State University's development of new carbon fiber materials for rotary aircraft.o\t$4 million for Montana State University's request of funding for Advanced Manufacturing, Space, and Optics laboratories, which are capable of providing new and innovative light detection and ranging (LIDAR) technologies.o\t$7 million to support a partnership between DHS Science and Technology (S&T) and Montana State University to develop innovative technologies. o\t$3 million to support collaboration between DHS S&T and Montana State University to develop security mechanisms that can quickly respond to cyberattacks.\nUniversity of Montana: o\t$15 million for critical language and culture training at the University of Montana for Special Operations forces and members of the intelligence community.o\t$5 million to support research into Noise Induced Hearing Loss Research and Development Initiative. \nBorder and other Security Operations: o\t$15 million for next generation mobile surveillance systems, like the FLIR lightweight vehicle surveillance system. o\t$8 million for enhanced situational awareness and network security and resilience capabilities, work that is intended to be performed by S2 Corporation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7159", "Tester, Blackburn, Klobuchar Toxic Exposure Bill Heads to Presidents Desk [press_release]", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Bipartisan legislation from U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to deliver relief to veterans exposed to toxic substances passed the Senate 86-8 as a part of this year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Occupational and Environmental Transparency Health (OATH) Act now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law.\nThe Senators introduced their legislation earlier this year, requiring the Department of Defense (DoD) to track active duty military personnel and veterans' exposed to Occupational Environmental Health (OEH) hazards in the line of duty, ensuring that they get the necessary medical care and benefits they need.\nThis victory is for thousands of post-9/11 veterans who have been waiting for years for their government to do right by them, said Senator Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. Passage of the OATH Act ensures that our men and women in uniform are never faced with uncertainty when it comes to documenting their toxic exposures and receiving proper treatment. I urge the President to sign this bill quickly into law, following through on our commitment to those who have served and sacrificed at a great cost.\nThe passage of the OATH Act marks a positive change in the lives of all our military men and women who are exposed to environmental hazards while in the line of duty, said Senator Blackburn. Currently, servicemembers' records are missing important health and exposure information that should be tracked. This legislation ensures that a servicemember's health file notes all instances of dangerous exposure, and makes that record available to servicemembers and their doctors.\nThe health and safety of our brave servicemembers is one of my top prioritiesthat's why we must learn from the lessons of the devastating use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War and protect our military from dangerous chemicals, said Senator Klobuchar. The OATH Act will ensure that the Defense Department is tracking and documenting the exposure of active duty military personnel and veterans to toxins while serving our country at home or abroad, so they can get the proper help they need.\nCurrently, individuals who have been exposed to toxic chemicals such as mold, caustic fumes, open air burn pits, and airborne chemicals during military operations are not being properly documented and tracked by DoD of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Out of a total of more than three million post-9/11 veterans, only 175,000 veterans and service members are registered under VA's Airborne and Open Burn Pit Registry.\nThe OATH Act includes the following provisions:\n \nRequires the DoD to input any OEH exposure into the servicemember's records while deployed, following the servicemember throughout his or her career and into veteran status; and\nMandates that the DoD and VA retroactively update their health records based on information contained in the Burn Pit Registry.\n \nThe bill is supported by Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Reserve Officers Association, Association of the United States Navy, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and Air Force Sergeants Association.\nIt is critical that veterans who have been exposed to environmental and occupational hazards like burn pits have accurately documented service and medical records in order to get their full earned health care and benefits, said DAV National Legislative Director Joy Ilem. The OATH Act would require the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to include all available information on such exposures in a servicemember's electronic health record, impacting not only their medical treatment but also potential VA disability claims in the future. Signing the OATH Act in law is an important step in bringing justice to those men and women exposed to airborne toxins from burn pits and other hazards.\n\"I am thrilled at the passage of the OATH Act,\" said IAVA CEO Jeremy Butler. \"IAVA strongly supported this bill, which will require DoD and VA to retroactively update medical records with toxic exposures. This is an important complement to the IAVA-led Burn Pits Accountability Act.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7160", "Tester, Jones, Collins Bill Repealing Military Widows Tax Heads to Presidents Desk [press_release]", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ending an 18-year battle, a bipartisan bill from U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), and Susan Collins (R-Maine) to repeal the Military Widow's Tax passed the U.S. Senate yesterday as a part of the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law, delivering critical support to Montana's military spouses.\nThis is an exciting day for more than 67,000 military widows and widowers who have been waiting years for the survivor benefits they are owed, said Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. When brave men and women pay the ultimate sacrifice serving our nation, it's our duty to provide economic security for their loved ones. The Widow's Tax Elimination Act follows through on this important obligation, and ensures that military families who have sacrificed the unimaginable are provided more financial certainty.\nWhen we introduced this legislation, we knew we were fighting an uphill battle on behalf of these surviving spouses. But together, we were undeterred by the task and committed to them that this was the year it would finally get done. There is no more noble cause than to do the right thing for military families who have lost their loved one in service to our country. We took up this fight for those surviving spouses and their families, and I'm honored to be standing with them as we finally put this injustice behind us, said Jones, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.\nThis provision we secured in the NDAA is a major victory for surviving military and retiree spouses to whom we are deeply indebted. The Military Widow's Tax was an unfair offset that prevented as many as 67,000 surviving spousesincluding more than 260 from Mainefrom receiving the full benefits they deserve, said Collins. This problem goes back decades, but this year we finally solved it once and for all. I appreciate the overwhelming support we received from our colleagues as well as veterans advocates who helped make this possible.\nAs a result of the widow's tax, 67,000 surviving spouses are prevented from collecting their full insurance benefits due to a system where survivor benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs are deducted from annuities provided by the Survivor Benefit Plan funded by the Defense Department. The Senators' provision would undo this unfair offset over the course of three years, providing tens of thousands of military spouses their full survivor benefits.\nLegislation to repeal the Military Widow's Tax, which was enacted in 1972, has been repeatedly introduced in the Senate for nearly two decades. Earlier this year, Tester joined his colleagues in a bipartisan press conference to highlight the urgent need to pass long-overdue legislation to roll back the tax.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7156", "BREAKING: Senate Sends Little Shell Recognition to Presidents Desk After Tester, Daines Efforts [press_release]", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following more than a century of efforts by Tribal members and dedicated efforts by U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines, federal recognition of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians passed the U.S. Senate today 86-8 as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law.\nWe're at the finish line: the Little Shell Tribe has fought for more than a century to claim their rightful place as a sovereign nation, and for the last 12 years I've been honored to work alongside them to get it done, said Tester. This is a historic day for the Tribe and for Montana, and now it's finally time for the President to sign this bill into law and officially recognize the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians.\nToday is a historic day for the Little Shell Tribe and the State of Montana, Daines said. For far too long, Congress kicked the can down the road and failed to federally recognize Little Shell. That's why I made it my top priority to help get federal recognition across the finish line. I look forward to President Trump signing this huge victory for the Little Shell Tribe into law!\nThis is a momentous day, Little Shell Chairman Gerald Gray said. Today is the day that Chief Little Shell fought so hard to make a reality. Our ancestors are smiling today because this fight is over. The Little Shell Tribe can now continue forward in ensuring that our future generations will thrive and that our traditions and cultural values never disappear.\nTester's first bill introduction as a U.S. Senator in 2007 sought federal recognition for the Little Shell Tribe, and he has reintroduced the same legislation every Congress since. Daines signed on to the legislation when he got to Congress and both Senators successfully pushed to include the bill as an amendment to the NDAA, a must-pass defense bill, which the Senate passed in June.\nAfter the U.S House passed Congressman Greg Gianforte's Little Shell recognition in March 2019, Tester kept the pressure on with a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees requesting that they include recognition language in any final version of the NDAA. Last week, the House unveiled final text of NDAA, which included the Little Shell provision, and passed the bill.\nThe Little Shell Tribe is headquartered in Great Falls and has more than 5,400 members across Montana. They were recognized by the State of Montana in 2000 but have sought federal recognition for more than a century.\nNative American Tribes must be recognized as sovereign nations by the federal government to exercise full self-governance. This nation-to-nation relationship allows them to access critical resources for economic development, health care, education, and regulate affairs on tribal lands on terms that are socially and culturally appropriate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7158", "Key Tester Defense Priorities for Malmstrom, Veterans Headed to Presidents Desk [press_release]", "2019-12-17", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The U.S. Senate today passed key defense priorities championed by U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) as a part of the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law, delivering critical support for Montana's military installations, servicemembers, and veterans.\nThis year's defense bill includes a number of big ticket items that will keep Montanans safe and follow through on our commitment to our men and women in uniform, said Tester. We've secured new investments at Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Montana National Guard, ensuring that our military continues to fire on all cylinders and remain an effective deterrent to foreign threats well into the future. I urge the President to sign this bill quickly into law and deliver on our promise to the servicemembers, veterans, and American civilians who keep us safe abroad and at home.\nThe NDAA includes a number of Tester-backed provisions that will strengthen military bases across the country, including Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Montana Air National Guard. The 2020 annual defense bill provides:\n \n$552 million for research and development of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), our nation's future nuclear deterrent program.\n$171 million to fully support the Air Force's UH-1N Huey replacement program.\n$78 million for procurement of Minuteman Man III modernization to ensure the viability of our nation's current strategic deterrent.\n$75 million to support the Defense Community Infrastructure Program, which will provide grants, conclude cooperative agreements, and supplemental funds available under other federal programs to assist states and local governments in addressing deficiencies in community infrastructure projects or facilities that are located outside of military installations but that support military installations.\n$59 million authorized for the construction of a Weapons Storage and Maintenance Facility at Malmstrom Air Force Base.\n$27 million for nuclear weapon modernization research and development.\n \nTester additionally secured provisions in the NDAA to support military spouses through the Widow's Tax Elimination Act, a push to help the more than 65,000 military widows and widowers nationwide receive the full survivor benefits they are due. The defense bill also includes protections for active duty and National Guard and Reserve members transferring their education benefits, which Tester continues to fight for in his Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability Entitlement Act. As a part of his larger push to support military families, he also included language to increase accountability and oversight of privatized military housing and improve the household goods movement program.\nTo help combat the veteran suicide epidemic, Tester included language authorizing the National Guard to establish a Suicide Prevention Pilot program to ensure Guard members receive prompt support and immediate access to behavior health professional on any mobile device.\nIn addition to providing a 3.1 percent pay raise to servicemembers, the largest pay raise for U.S. troops in a decade, the annual defense bill also includes Tester's Occupational and Environmental Transparency Health (OATH) Act. As Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, Tester has led the effort in Congress to ensure that servicemembers and veterans exposed to Occupational Environmental Health hazards in the line of duty get the necessary medical care and benefits they need. His bipartisan bill requires DOD to track active duty military personnel and veterans' exposed to harmful chemicals in a system.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7151", "Tester Secures More Than $2.1 Million for Blackfeet and Fort Belknap Housing Authorities [press_release]", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that the Blackfeet Housing Authority and the Fort Belknap Housing Authority will receive a combined $2,120,751 to further expand and maintain affordable housing in their communities.\nEvery family in Montana deserves affordable and safe housing, regardless of where they are from, Tester said. These grants will allow the Fort Belknap and Blackfeet communities to continue their efforts to ensure that every family's needs are met, no matter their income.\nThis interim funding was awarded under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 with the expressed goal of helping Tribal communities construct and maintain affordable housing units in Indian Country. The Blackfeet Housing Authority will receive $1,633,261 and the Fort Belknap Housing Authority will receive $487,490.\nTester has long supported the development of affordable housing in Indian Country. Earlier this month, he announced more than $13.5 million in grants through another U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development competitive grant program for the Fort Peck, Rocky Boy's and Flathead Reservations. Earlier this year, he secured more than $26 million to bolster affordable housing on Montana's seven reservations. He also introduced and helped pass the Tribal HUD-VASH Act earlier this Congress to formally codify the Tribal HUD-VASH program, which provides rental and housing assistance to homeless and at-risk homeless veterans in Indian Country.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7152", "Tester, Enzi Bipartisan Bill Would Bring Transparency to Cell-Culture Meat Products [press_release]", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Mike Enzi (R-Wy.) today introduced a bill to ensure transparency in a new line of food products created using animal cell-culture technology.\nTester and Enzi's Food Safety Modernization for Innovative Technologies Act works to ensure that a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agreementdesigned to ensure that products are safe and accurately labeledwould have legal authority over animal cell-based products created in a laboratory, rather than raised on a ranch.\nAmericans shouldn't have to guess what they are buying at the grocery store checkout line, Tester said. If cell-based meat is sold next to real Montana beef at the store, the labeling should be clear to consumers so that folks can make informed choices about what they're feeding their families.\nEmerging technologies may reshape the food industry in the coming years, Enzi said. Existing food safety laws were drafted long before these technologies were contemplated. Our legislation would create an up-to-date framework in law so agencies appropriately work together to ensure folks know what they are eating and that it is safe.\nCell-culture technology allows developers to lab-produce consumable animal tissue from cell cultures, which could become purchasable in grocery stores within the coming years. Under the agreement, the FDA would be charged with overseeing the process of multiplying collected cells to make tissue and the USDA would oversee processing, packaging, and labeling. The FDA would oversee all phases of development and production for products not derived from livestock or poultry cells.\nAs the only working farmer in the U.S. Senate, Tester has been a champion for ensuring consumers know exactly what's in their food and where it comes from. Earlier this year, he introduced a resolution to support reinstating country of origin labeling on beef and pork, and he previously introduced legislation that would require products containing GMOs to be clearly labeled.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7153", "Tester, Thune, Brown, Perdue Introduce Bill to Recognize Unique Housing Needs of Veterans  Rural America [press_release]", "2019-12-16", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and David Perdue (R-Ga.) introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure that the housing needs of veterans and folks in rural America are reflected when Federal agencies are setting policies that affect homeowners.\nCurrently, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) are not represented on the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council. The Senators' bill adds VA and USDA's RHS to the Appraisal Subcommittee of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, to help address the persistent delays in appraisals for those purchasing a home through loan programs at both agencies.\nFolks looking to buy a home in rural areas frequently find themselves waiting too long for home appraisals, said Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. Veterans in Montana are especially affected their appraisals are often delayed or come to a complete standstill. Our bill expands VA and USDA representation where industry standards are set to ensure these delays are addressed to help our veterans and folks in rural America. I'm continuing to work to push this bill over the finish line in Congress, to help speed up the process to provide more timely appraisals for prospective buyers.\nFederal agencies that administer programs requiring appraisals should have a seat at the table when the Appraisal Subcommittee conducts its oversight activities and other statutory functions, said Senator Thune. This bill achieves that by ensuring membership of the Appraisal Subcommittee is inclusive to designees of these other federal agencies.\nRural Ohioans and veterans face unique challenges throughout the home buying process, said Senator Brown, Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. This legislation will help ensure the interest of rural communities and veterans are fully considered as appraisal standards are set.\nWhen it comes to tackling housing problems, it's important to have the right voices at the table, including farmers and veterans, said Senator Perdue, Chairman of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development. As we've seen in Georgia, metropolitan areas and rural communities have very different housing needs. Bringing together all stakeholders is an important step toward creating positive change in America's underserved communities.\nLast fiscal year, VA-registered appraisers executed more than 500,000 VA home loans valued at $161 billion and RHS executed over 123,000 loans last year valued at $18 billion. Although VA and RHS execute a significant number of home loans, appraisals have historically been lengthy and burdensome processes in rural communities as a result of a shortage of licensed and certified appraisers. Earlier this month, Tester sent a letter to VA Secretary Wilkie, requesting additional information regarding the Department's efforts to facilitate appraisals for veterans seeking VA Home Loans.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7149", "Tester Announces More Than $213,000 to Curb Veteran Homelessness in Missoula [press_release]", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(U.S. Senate) - U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) today announced a grant of $213,744 through the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program to increase access to safe and affordable housing for veterans in Missoula.\n\"Missoula Housing Authority has been a critical component in addressing homelessness in the community,\" said Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. \"This grant will enable homeless veterans in Missoula access to affordable housing and supportive services from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Our men and women who defended this country in uniform deserve nothing less from their city and their government.\" \n\"We've been committed to ending veteran homelessness in Missoula for a long time and the HUD-VASH program is integral to that effort,\" said Missoula Mayor John Engen. \"This additional funding, simply put, means that more men and women who served our country can live with the dignity and security they earned.\"\nHUD-VASH is a collaborative program between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) combining HUD housing vouchers with VA supportive services to help homeless veterans and their families find permanent housing.\nTester is a strong advocate for expanding affordable housing opportunities in Montana. Through his position on the Senate Appropriations Committee, he played a key role in negotiating a bipartisan budget deal that made substantial investments into affordable housing initiatives including the HOME and CDBG programs. Earlier this year he helped secure more than $4 million for Public Housing Authorities across Montana and more than $26 million for affordable housing in Indian Country.\nRead more about Tester's efforts to expand affordable housing in Montana HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7150", "Testers FUTURE Act to Renew Tribal College Funding Approved by Congress, Headed to Presidents Desk [press_release]", "2019-12-13", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(U.S. Senate) -  U.S. Senator Jon Tester's bill to bolster higher education in Indian Country is heading to the President's desk, after earning final Congressional approval this week. The Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act passed the Senate unanimously and will provide permanent mandatory federal funding of $255 million annually for Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority-Serving Institutions.\n\"Tribal Colleges and Universities are critical to training and preparing the next generation of Native American leaders for their careers,\" Tester said. \"Today these institutions will finally get much-needed certainty to continue providing the tools and resources to help students across Indian Country succeed.\"\nThis critical funding expired on September 30th as a result of Senate inaction, despite receiving unanimous approval in the House of Representatives earlier in the month. Tester led the charge in the Senate for TCU funding after it expired and called on Senate leadership to pass the FUTURE Act in a letter cosigned by 36 of his Senate colleagues. As a result, the amended version that passed the Senate this week provides permanent funding to strengthen TCUs and other Minority-Serving Institutions' academic, financial, and administrative capabilities. The seven TCUs across Montana rely heavily on this funding to provide student support services, strengthen campus infrastructure, and provide for the unique needs of the communities, families, and students they serve.  A longtime proponent of education initiatives in Indian Country, Tester recently reintroduced his Native Educator Support and Training (NEST) Act to recruit more Native American teachers and retain qualified educators in Indian Country, and he was instrumental in negotiating a budget deal that brought millions to Native American education programs earlier this year. Tester also secured $663,106 this year in U.S. Department of Agriculture Tribal College Initiative Grants for five TCUs in Montana for campus improvement projects. Montana's seven TCUs are most of any state. These institutions serve thousands of Native students and hundreds of non-Native students each year, and they are critical in helping Tribes address workforce needs and provide postsecondary educational opportunities for Tribal members. Across the country, there are 37 TCUs operating 75 campuses in 16 states.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7146", "Tester, Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Establish Grant Program Honoring Veterans [press_release]", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(U.S. Senate) - U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced the Memorializing Veterans Act today, bipartisan legislation establishing a grant program to help honor the lives of our nation's veterans.\nThe Veterans' Legacy Program (VLP) is an educational initiative from the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) under U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) which commemorates veterans interred in NCA cemeteries through partnerships with institutions of higher learning. Under current law, institutions of higher education experience difficulty obtaining and utilizing federal funding through VLP. This bill would establish a grant program to administer funds more efficiently, facilitating research and developing educational tools to increase public awareness of veteran service and sacrifice.\n\"Since 2016, the Veterans Legacy Program has been expanding and deepening our understanding of the men and women who fought to protect our freedom,\" said Senator Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. \"Our bipartisan bill creates a user-friendly system that streamlines funding for universities who have made it their priority to document, share, and honor the lives of our veterans. This grant program will allow students, teachers, and researchers in Montana to focus on what's at the core of this nation: memorializing those who served our armed forces and inspiring future generations to do the same.\"\n\"For more than 40 years, the United States has maintained its military superiority thanks to an all-volunteer force stepping up to the plate,\" said Senator Rounds. \"Educating the next generation about the service and sacrifices made by our veterans is one way we can encourage young people to join the armed forces and continue this proud tradition. Many South Dakotans have proudly served our country. Sharing their stories can show our state's young people the honor of serving in our armed forces.\"\nThe Memorializing Veterans Act would makes grants available to recipients such as institutions of higher learning, local education agencies, and non-profit entities with a history of community engagement. These grants could be used for research related to national, State or Tribal veterans' cemeteries, to produce educational materials or to promote community engagement about the history of the veterans interred at those cemeteries.\n\"The American Legion is proud to support efforts to properly memorialize America's veterans and educate future generations on the legacy of our nation's heroes,\" said Ralph P. Bozella, Chairman of The American Legion Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission. \"This legislation does just that by allowing VA to issue grants to conduct cemetery research and produce educational materials for the Veterans Legacy Program. It is imperative that we continue to invest in programs that honor and preserve the memory of America's veterans.\n\"Perpetuating the memory and history of our dead is one of the VFW's founding principles,\" said Carlos Fuentes, Director National Legislative Service, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). \"The Veterans Legacy Program ensures the memories and stories of the brave men and women who have worn our nation's uniform are preserved in perpetuity. The VFW is proud to sponsor this important legislation, which would improve the Veterans Legacy Program.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7147", "Tester: Suicide Prevention Hotline should be a household number [press_release]", "2019-12-12", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(U.S. Senate) - U.S. Senator Jon Tester joined a bipartisan group of colleagues to pass legislation through the Senate Commerce Committee that would direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to designate 9-8-8' as the dialing code for a National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Hotline. The FCC quickly followed suit, voting in support of the measure earlier today. \"Having someone to talk to can mean the difference between life and death for folks going through a mental health crisis,\" Tester said. \"The National Suicide Prevention Hotline should be a household number-much like 9-1-1-so that everyone knows exactly where to call if they find themselves or a loved one in a situation where they need immediate access to mental health and suicide prevention resources.\" The National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2019 would make getting help significantly easier for those dealing with a mental health crisis by creating an easy-to-remember phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. The legislation would also create a Veterans Crisis Line for veteran-specific mental health support, and authorizes the states to collect fees to ensure local call centers are able to support increased volume. Currently, to reach the Hotline, those in crisis must dial the 11 digit 1-800-273-8255 number.\nMontana holds the highest rate of suicide in the country per capita, and Tester has worked tirelessly to combat suicide and bring more resources to those experiencing mental health crises. Earlier this year, he introduced his Seeding Rural Resilience Act to combat rising rates of farmer suicide in rural areas, and he introduced his Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act to improve veteran's access to mental health care and ensure no more veterans are lost to suicide.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7145", "Tester, Sullivan Veteran Suicide Prevention Bill Heads to Presidents Desk [press_release]", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) are today celebrating the unanimous passage of the Support for Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act a bipartisan, bicameral effort to help tackle one of the nation's most pressing health concerns veteran suicide. The Senators' legislation requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on the responsibilities, workload, training, and vacancy rates of Suicide Prevention Coordinators at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Tester and Sullivan took to the Senate floor today urging colleagues from both sides of the aisle to support the bill.\nSuicide Prevention Coordinators are specially trained employees at VA medical centers who identify, and connect, high-risk veterans with the care that they need. Across the nation, these VA professionals conduct outreach, promote awareness, and disseminate suicide prevention best practices. Due to the growing number of veterans seeking care, many Suicide Prevention Coordinators report being overworked and unable to keep up with their many responsibilities. The Support for Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act will provide necessary information that will help ensure VA has the tools and resources they need to provide veterans with critical mental health resources.\nFar too many of our country's heroes return home from service suffering from invisible wounds of war, said Senator Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. VA employees and suicide prevention professionals are our nation's first line of defense when it comes to combatting veteran suicide. Our bill ensures a comprehensive approach to help connect veterans with the urgent, life-saving care they need, by identifying and addressing staffing needs for these vital frontline employees. I urge the President to sign this bill quickly into law, ensuring no veteran slips through the cracks.\nIt is a tragedy for our country that so many brave veterans, who sacrifice on behalf of all of us, feel as though they have no one to turn to when dealing with the unseen wounds of war, said Senator Sullivan, member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. In order to stem the crisis of veteran suicide, it's important that the people who help them are given the support they need. The VA must have the skilled professionals available who are trained to recognize the warning signs of a veteran in crisis and able to connect a veteran with the numerous resources available to them before it is too late. Our legislation will compel the completion of a comprehensive look at how suicide prevention coordinators are serving the needs of veterans, and which additional resources they need in order to support veterans and defeat the ongoing crisis of veteran suicide.\nEarlier this year, Tester helped introduce the bipartisan Care and Readiness Enhancement (CARE) for Reservists Act to address the high rate of suicide among members of the National Guard and Reserve. Currently, members of the National Guard and Reserves undergo annual health assessments to identify medical issues that could impact their ability to deploy, but any follow-up care is often pursued at their own expense. The bipartisan CARE for Reservists Act will authorize the Department of Defense to improve Guardsmen and Reservists' access to consistent mental health, regardless of their deployment status.\nDoubling down on his efforts to address the veteran suicide epidemic, Tester is also continuing to push the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, which takes a comprehensive approach to address mental health care and prevent suicide by ensuring veterans can utilize alternative therapies including yoga, acupuncture, animal therapy, and outdoor sports and recreation therapy.\nWatch Senator Sullivan's floor speech HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7148", "Indian Affairs Committee Advances Two Key Tester Bills to Senate Floor [press_release]", "2019-12-11", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(U.S. Senate) - The Senate Indian Affairs Committee passed two bipartisan bills today backed by U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) to expand health care access for Native American veterans and provide more resources for Tribal law enforcement agencies across Montana.\nTester worked with Republicans and Democrats to advance the Health Care Access for Urban Native Veterans Act of 2019 and the Bridging Agency Data Gaps and Ensuring Safety (BADGES) for Native Communities Act out of committee and to the Senate floor.\n\"Native Americans serve in our military at the highest rates, but often face unique barriers when they return home from service,\" said Tester. \"These bills provide Native American veterans in Montana with the care they earned, and help clear roadblocks to safe, healthy communities by streamlining the process for hiring new Tribal officers. I urge Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring these desperately-needed bills to the Senate floor for a vote, because sitting on our hands isn't an option when it comes to serving our Tribal communities.\"\nCurrently, federal law allows the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to reimburse federally-operated and Tribally-operated Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities for services they provide to Native American veterans. However, the law does not allow Urban Indian Organizations to participate in the same service reimbursement agreements. This exclusion limits the ability of these urban facilities to maintain and expand services sought by Native American veterans and patients.\nThe Health Care Access for Urban Native Veterans Act would correct this exclusion, allowing Native American veterans to receive quality care at urban Indian health centers while simultaneously relieving some of the patient burden on VA.\nNative communities are currently suffering from law enforcement shortages due in part to lengthy background check processes for prospective Tribal officers. Tester's BADGES Act would give the Bureau of Indian Affairs authority to conduct its own background checks on applicants, streamlining the hiring process. The bill would also improve federal information sharing, create a Tribal Liaison position, establish grants for Tribes and states to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis, and require the Department of Justice to provide more information about law enforcement staffing and resources across Indian Country.\nMore information on Tester's work to combat the MMIW crisis is available HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7140", "Little Shell Tribal Recognition on Track to Become Law After More Than a Decade of Tester-Led Efforts [press_release]", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Clearing the way for U.S. Senator Jon Tester's Little Shell tribal recognition bill to become law, the U.S. House of Representatives last night unveiled their final legislative text for the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes the Little Shell legislation. The House is expected to pass the bill Wednesday and send it to the Senate where it is also expected to pass.\nThe bill was the first bill Tester introduced when he arrived in the Senate in 2007.\nWhen I got to the Senate in 2007, federal recognition for the Little Shell Tribe was the very first bill I introduced, Tester said. But my 12 years working to get this bill signed into law is nothing compared to the century-long fight the Tribe has waged to be recognized as a sovereign nation.  So this is a monumental daylong-overdue federal recognition for the Tribe's more than 5,000 Montana members is headed to the President's desk.\nTester's first bill introduction as a U.S. Senator in 2007 sought federal recognition for the Little Shell Tribe, and he has reintroduced the same legislation every Congress since. Earlier this year, he successfully pushed to include recognition of the Tribe as an amendment to the Senate's must-pass defense bill: the National Defense Authorization Act. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell agreed to include Little Shell recognition only if the amendment was led by a Republican, so Tester joined with Senator Steve Daines to help the Tribe get the bill across the finish line.\nThe NDAA passed the Senate in June, but Tester kept the pressure on throughout the bill's reconciliation process with the version passed by the House of Representatives. Tester sent a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees requesting that they include language recognizing the Little Shell Tribe in any final version of the legislation.\nThe Little Shell Tribe is headquartered in Great Falls and has more than 5,400 members across Montana. They were recognized by the State of Montana in 2000 but have sought federal recognition for more than a century.\nTester's bill granting federal recognition to the Tribe was set to pass the Senate in the closing days of the 115th Congress until Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) blocked the legislation from receiving a vote.\nNative American Tribes must be recognized as sovereign nations by the federal government to exercise full self-governance. This nation-to-nation relationship allows them to access critical resources for economic development, health care, education, and regulate affairs on tribal lands on terms that are socially and culturally appropriate.\nA copy of Senator Tester's 2007 Little Shell bill can be found HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7141", "Tester Secures Key Montana Priorities in Annual Defense Bill, Including at Malmstrom  for Veterans [press_release]", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A number of key defense priorities spearheaded by U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) were included in the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference agreement. The House is expected to pass the bill Wednesday and send it to the Senate where it is also expected to pass.\nThe NDAA sets funding levels and policies for the Department of Defense (DOD). The bill includes a number of important provisions championed by Tester that will strengthen military bases across the country, including Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Montana Air National Guard, and expand services for servicemembers, veterans, and military families.\nFolks in Montana can breathe easy knowing that we scored big in this year's annual defense bill, said Tester. Ensuring our safety and security starts with making critical investments in our military and national defense at home and this bill does just that. It not only strengthens our defense capabilities at Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Montana National Guard, it also does right by our troops and their families who make sacrifices every day to keep us safe. I will continue to push this comprehensive bill over the finish line in Congress, so that we can continue to keep Americans safe.\"\nMontana's Malmstrom Air Force Base is one of only three military bases across the country that house intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The current fleet of ICBMs were first developed in the 1960s. Tester has been working closely with Republican and Democrats to ensure that U.S. nuclear forces remain a credible deterrent well into the future. The NDAA includes a number of Tester-backed investments in the maintenance and modernization of our nation's ICBM force, including those at Malmstrom:\n \n$552 million for research and development of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), our nation's future nuclear deterrent program.\n$171 million to fully support the replacement of the Air Force's UH-1N Huey replacement program.\n$78 million for procurement of Minuteman Man III modernization to ensure the viability of our nation's current strategic deterrent.\n$75 million to support the Defense Community Infrastructure Program which will provide grants, conclude cooperative agreements, and supplemental funds available under other federal programs to assist states and local governments in addressing deficiencies in community infrastructure projects or facilities that are located outside of military installations but that support military installations.\n$59 million authorized for the construction of a Weapons Storage and Maintenance Facility at Malmstrom Air Force Base.\n$27 million for nuclear weapon modernization research and development.\n \nTester additionally included provisions in the bill to support military spouses through the Widow's Tax Elimination Act, a push to help the more than 65,000 military widows and widowers nationwide receive the full survivor benefits they are due. The NDAA also includes protections for active duty and National Guard and Reserve members transferring their education benefits, which Tester continues to fight for in his Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability Entitlement Act. As a part of his larger push to support military families, he also included language to increase accountability and oversight of privatized military housing and improve the household goods movement program.\nTo help combat the veteran suicide epidemic, Tester included language authorizing the National Guard to establish a Suicide Prevention Pilot program to ensure Guard members receive prompt support and immediate access to behavior health professional on any mobile device.\nIn addition to providing a 3.1 percent pay raise to servicemembers, the largest pay raise to U.S. troops in a decade, the annual defense bill also includes Tester's Occupational and Environmental Transparency Health (OATH) Act. As Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, Tester has been leading the effort in Congress to ensure that servicemembers and veterans exposed to Occupational Environmental Health hazards in the line of duty get the necessary medical care and benefits they need. His bipartisan bill requires DOD to track active duty military personnel and veterans' exposed to harmful chemicals in a system.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7143", "On the Senate Floor, Tester Urges Colleagues to Follow in Montanas Footsteps and Reject VanDyke for Ninth Circuit Court [press_release]", "2019-12-10", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Before the Senate confirmation vote on former Montana Solicitor General and failed Montana Supreme Court candidate Lawrence VanDyke to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, U.S. Senator Jon Tester took to the Senate floor, urging his colleagues to follow Montana's lead and reject the nomination. The Ninth Circuit has jurisdiction over Montana.\nIn an impassioned speech, Tester called out VanDyke's lack of experience, poor work ethic, and problematic policy positions, and demanded that his colleagues put partisan politics aside and do what's right for Montana. VanDyke previously ran for a position on the Montana Supreme Court, but lost the election by a significant margin.\nMontanans can separate the wheat from the chaff pretty well, and after examining his record and judgment, they found Mr. VanDyke unqualified to serve on our state's highest court, said Tester. Montanans rejected him overwhelmingly at the ballot box, but now the Majority Leader wants to give him a lifetime seat on the bench.\nTester cited VanDyke's problematic record of supporting mining and drilling in public lands, supporting unchecked money in elections, opposition to same-sex marriage, and VanDyke's belief that the government should insert itself between a woman and her doctor.\nTester also brought up VanDyke's lack of any judicial experience and poor work ethic, citing his not qualified rating from the nonpartisan, nonpolitical American Bar Association as well as opposition from his former coworkers in the Montana Solicitor General's office and past Montana Supreme Court Justices.\nIt is doubtful that he understands that judicial decisions must be based solely on the facts of the case and on the law, wrote six former Montana Supreme Court Justices in a letter to the Senate. We strongly believe that Mr. Van Dyke has demonstrated that he has neither the qualifications nor the temperament to serve as a federal court of appeals judge.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7138", "Tester Statement on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day [press_release]", "2019-12-07", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tester Statement on Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n  \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Senator Jon Tester, Ranking Member and Montana's only member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, today released the following statement in honor of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day:\n \"78 years ago, Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor thrust the United States into World War II, marking a date which will live in infamy.' Beginning that day, Americans made tremendous sacrifices for our freedom, earning a place in history as this nation's Greatest Generation. Many of them- including nearly 1,900 Montanans- sacrificed everything. Our nation has an enduring responsibility to honor their great heroism and patriotism by continuing to ensure that veterans of all wars get the care, benefits, and resources they earned.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7131", "Tester, Collins, Casey, Daines Fight to Protect Veterans from Predatory Pension Poachers [press_release]", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) introduced legislation this week requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to systematically track victims, scammers, and trends to proactively protect veterans and survivors across the country from predatory pension poachers.\nOur nation's aging veterans represent a segment of vulnerable individuals increasingly targeted by bad actors preying on the VA pension benefits they've earned. While veterans are often victims of scams including being overcharged for home care, charged for services they did not receive, or given bad investment advice, a recent report from the non-partisan Government Accountability Office found that VA has not taken an aggressive approach to prevent this exploitation.\nThe Veteran Pension Protection Act will require VA to take a more central and active role in identifying the prevalence of these scams, educating veterans, survivors, and VA claims processors, and tracking the effectiveness of VA's current system of reporting complaints to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Office of Inspector General (OIG), and the Department of Justice (DOJ).\nIt is unacceptable that scammers continue to exploit vulnerable veterans who sacrificed to protect our freedom, said Senator Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. Our bill holds VA accountable by requiring the Department to proactively identify and track bad actors looking to take advantage of our nation's heroes. Veterans in Montana and across the country deserve to have Congress and VA in their corner, fighting tooth and nail to protect their hard-earned benefits. I'll be continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that we protect those who protected us.\nVeterans and their families have a right to expect that the nation they protected will fight to protect them from criminals seeking to rob them of the benefits they have earned through their service, said Senator Collins. I recently chaired a hearing to raise awareness about the disproportionate number of scams targeting veterans. This bipartisan bill would address several issues raised at our hearing by requiring the VA to strengthen its fraud response as well as to educate veterans on ways to identify scams.\nOur Veterans have honorably served our country with valor and it is our responsibility to serve veterans in return, said Senator Casey. So, it is unconscionable to me that anyone would stoop so low as to deceive those who have sacrificed so much for our country. We must fight back against these scams by ensuring the VA identifies and tracks these schemes. The Veteran Pension Protection Act is a first step to combatting scams against Veterans.\nIt is heartbreaking to hear stories of the hardships our veterans face because of scam artists, said Senator Daines. It's been one of my top priorities in Congress to protect Montana's veterans from pension scammers, and I'll continue working with my colleagues and with the Administration to hold those who take advantage of our veterans accountable.\nThe Veteran Pension Protection Act will:\n \nRequire VA to collect information on potential financial exploitation from all departments within the VA then create a plan to address trends apparent within this data.\nCall for VA to regularly update guidance and training curriculum to claims processors regarding the definition and examples of questionable medical expenses in pension claims.\nRequire VA to develop a mechanism for tracking the number of individuals receiving pension benefits for which they are not eligible and provide an annual report to Congress.\nRequire a report on additional steps that can be taken to verify direct deposit information.\nCreate an annual report on the number of pension recipients that are identified by the Department as likely or proven victims of financial exploitation.\nRequire VA to report on the result of referrals of financial exploitation that they submit to the FTC's Consumer Sentinel network, the DOJ, and the OIG.\nRequire any educational or application material created by the Department to inform applicants that the Department does not charge fees in connection with applying for pension benefits.\nRequire an educational outreach plan, in collaboration with Veterans Service Organizations, for reaching individuals vulnerable to financial exploitation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7132", "Tester Secures Nearly $4 Million to Boost Affordable Housing on Flathead Reservation [press_release]", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced he secured a $3.9 million grant to help expand safe, affordable housing on the Flathead Reservation.\nThe competitive grant is awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and will benefit the Salish & Kootenai Housing Authority.\nEvery Montanan deserves to have a place they can call home, Tester said. This grant will help the Chippewa Cree Tribe make that goal a reality for families, and will give more folks in Indian Country a safe, affordable place to live.\nThe grant was awarded under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996.\nTester has long supported the development of affordable housing in Indian Country. Earlier this year, he secured more than $26 million to bolster affordable housing on Montana's seven reservations, and he introduced the Tribal HUD-VASH Act this Congress, which passed the Senate in February, to formally codify Tribal HUD-VASH, providing rental and housing assistance to homeless and at-risk homeless veterans in Indian Country.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7133", "Tester Secures Nearly $5 Million to Boost Affordable Housing on Rocky Boys Reservation [press_release]", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced he secured a $4.9 million grant to help expand safe, affordable housing on the Rocky Boy's Reservation.\nThe competitive grant is awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and will benefit the Chippewa Cree Tribe.\nEvery Montanan deserves to have a place they can call home, Tester said. This grant will help the Salish & Kootenai Housing Authority make that goal a reality for families, and will give more folks in Indian Country a safe, affordable place to live.\nThe grant was awarded under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996.\nTester has long supported the development of affordable housing in Indian Country. Earlier this year, he secured more than $26 million to bolster affordable housing on Montana's seven reservations, and he introduced the Tribal HUD-VASH Act this Congress, which passed the Senate in February, to formally codify Tribal HUD-VASH, providing rental and housing assistance to homeless and at-risk homeless veterans in Indian Country.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7134", "Tester Secures $5 Million to Boost Affordable Housing on Fort Peck Reservation [press_release]", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced he secured a $5 million grant to help expand safe, affordable housing on Fort Peck.\nThe competitive grant is awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and will benefit the Fort Peck Reservation.\nEvery Montanan deserves to have a place they can call home, Tester said. This grant will help the Fort Peck Housing Authority make that goal a reality for families, and will give more folks in Indian Country a safe, affordable place to live.\nThe grant was awarded under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996.\nTester has long supported the development of affordable housing in Indian Country. Earlier this year, he secured more than $26 million to bolster affordable housing on Montana's seven reservations, and he introduced the Tribal HUD-VASH Act this Congress, which passed the Senate in February, to formally codify Tribal HUD-VASH, providing rental and housing assistance to homeless and at-risk homeless veterans in Indian Country.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7135", "U.S. Senate Unanimously Passes Testers FUTURE Act to Renew Tribal College Funding [press_release]", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester's bill to bolster higher education in Indian Country passed the U.S. Senate this week with unanimous support.\nThe Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act would provide $255 million annually in mandatory federal funding for two years for Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), as well as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority-Serving Institutions. This critical funding expired on September 30th as a result of Senate inaction, despite receiving unanimous approval in the House of Representatives earlier in the month.\nTribal Colleges and Universities provide critical resources and training to the next generation of leaders in Indian Country, Tester said. I'm happy to see that my colleagues finally agree, and look forward to the continued success of these institutions as they help students learn, grow, and gain the skills that will help them succeed.\nTester has led the charge in the Senate for Tribal College funding since it expired on September 30, and called on Senate leadership to pass the FUTURE Act in a letter cosigned by 36 of his Senate colleagues. As a result, the amended version that passed the Senate this week provides for permanent funding for the FUTURE Act to strengthen TCUs and other Minority-Serving Institutions' academic, financial, and administrative capabilities.\nA longtime proponent of education initiatives in Indian Country, Tester recently reintroduced his Native Educator Support and Training (NEST) Act to recruit more Native American teachers and retain qualified educators in Indian Country, and he was instrumental in negotiating a budget deal that brought millions to Native American education programs earlier this year. Tester also secured $663,106 in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Tribal College Initiative Grants for five TCUs in Montana for campus improvement projects.\nMontana is home to seven Tribal Colleges and Universities, the most of any state. These institutions serve thousands of Native students and hundreds of non-Native students each year and are critical in helping Tribes address workforce needs and provide postsecondary educational opportunities for Tribal members. Across the country, there are 37 Tribal Colleges and Universities operating 75 campuses in 16 states.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7137", "Tester: Folks in rural Montana waited years for Wireless Investments that Never Came [press_release]", "2019-12-06", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Folks in rural Montana waited years for promised investments in rural wireless infrastructure that never came, U.S. Senator Jon Tester pressed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) this week. Tester's statement comes after Chairman Ajit Pai's announcement that the agency is shuttering a program promised to rural America and replacing it with a $9 billion investment into building 5G infrastructurea tall order for areas in Montana that have yet to get any cell coverage at all.\nDuring this week's Senate Commerce Committee hearing, Tester called attention to the FCC's history of breaking promises to rural America by not getting work done on the ground, specifically pointing to the failure of the $4.5 billion mobility fund to bring 4G to rural areas. Though he welcomed yesterday's announcement of the $9 billion project, the agency's recent history shows potential for funding to be perpetually delayed at great cost to rural carriers and consumers.\nFolks in rural Montana waited years and years for the mobility fund phase-two money to get out the door, and as you well know, it never happened, said Tester. another year has gone by with zero progress for wireless infrastructure in rural Americaand another year where Washington bureaucracy and gridlock in the Senate is shortchanging rural America. While I believe everybody supports Chairman Pai's good intentions to spend $9 billion in rural America, I've got some serious concerns about their ability to execute, because I haven't seen it happen.\nOne reason the FCC failed to deliver mobility fund phase two funds is the lack of accurate coverage maps. As a solution, Tester pressed the Senate to take action on the Broadband DATA Act, which passed the Commerce Committee earlier this year, in order to improve broadband data maps and hold providers accountable for inaccurate mapping. The bill would create a singular Broadband Map from granular data collected by the FCC and third-parties that will be updated biannually and instructs the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to consult this map before distributing funding. It also develops an online system where incorrect data can be challenged and regularly updated, and requires regular audits of provider-submitted data using crowdsourcing for verification.\nThe Broadband DATA Act also forces the FCC to issue new rules for collecting deployment data from broadband providers and makes it easier for individuals and other entities to challenge coverage maps in a way that is non-burdensome. The FCC will be ordered to submit a report to Congress on their efforts to enforce new rules on providers that knowingly and intentionally misreport data.\nAs a working farmer in an area that doesn't have cell service, Tester has long pushed the FCC to improve broadband access to rural America. Earlier this year, he pushed the FCC to take concrete steps to improve the accuracy of broadband maps and grilled Chairman Ajit Pai on the agency's inaction to expand broadband in rural areas.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7128", "Tester Urges USDA to Act on Northeast Montana Wheat Crisis [press_release]", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following two weeks of heavy snow in Northeast Montana, U.S. Senator Jon Tester this week urged Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to reconsider his decision not to extend disaster assistance to the region's wheat farmers who were forced to leave their crop in the ground or were left with unsellable product due to excessive moisture this harvest season.\nIn the last two weeks, Northeast Montana received more than a foot of heavy, wet snowThe Additional Supplemental Appropriators for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 (H.R. 2157) extends the [Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus] to expenses related to losses of crops as a consequence of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity, snowstorms, and wildfires.' The language in this bill could not be clearer, and as such I urge you to act on it immediately and extend WHIP+ assistance to these producers.\nIn September, Senator Tester sent Secretary Perdue a letter asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to clarify that the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) includes value and quality losses, and that farmers in Northeast Montana facing those losses were eligible for the program. Nearly eight weeks later, USDA finally responded that they would not provide WHIP+ assistance to Montana farmers.\nI am extremely disappointed in your decision to exclude Montana farmers from the WHIP+ program for quality loss related to excessive moisture, wrote Tester in his letter this week. In a time of extreme market volatility and trade uncertainty, USDA's mission is to mitigate the significant risks of farming.' In Northeast Montana, USDA is failing to deliver that objective for struggling farmers.\nAs the only working farmer in the U.S. Senate, Tester has been a champion for farmers and ranchers across the country. Earlier this year, he introduced his Seeding Rural Resilience Act to help combat rising rates of farmer suicide, and The Trump Administration recently adopted his Restoring Rural Residencies Act into a rule change to bring more medical professionals into rural hospitals.\nRead the full letter HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7129", "Tester Welcomes Deal to Introduce CSKT Water Compact [press_release]", "2019-12-05", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today welcomed bipartisan interest in introducing the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) Water Compact in the United States Senate, after years of uncertainty for CSKT, landowners, and Montana water users. Tester first introduced the Water Compact in 2016, but this is the first time it would receive bipartisan support in the Senate.\nToday's deal is long-overdue good news for Tribes, farmers, ranchers, and Montana taxpayers, said Tester. I'm glad we're all now on the same page about the importance of getting this done, but the clock is ticking on our ability to prevent costly litigation and protect our state's most valuable resource. It's critical we get the CSKT Compact introduced and moving so we can provide certainty for all water users and boost economic development in Northwest Montana.\nTester has been a steadfast champion for Tribes and Montana water users. As a former Chairman and long-time member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Tester originally sponsored the Blackfeet Water Compact in 2010 and guided it to the President's desk to be signed into law in 2016. He also sponsored the Crow Water Compact, which was signed into law and ratified in 2010.\nBefore being implemented, Tribal water rights compacts must pass the state legislature and both chambers of Congress, and be approved by the Tribe and Montana water court. In 2015, after a decade of negotiations between CSKT, the State of Montana, and local landowners, the Montana legislature passed the bipartisan CSKT Water Compact.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7127", "On Senate Floor, Ranking Member Tester Pays Tribute to Chairman Isaksons Service to Veterans [press_release]", "2019-12-04", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Jon Tester (D-Mont.) took to the Senate floor yesterday to pay tribute to Chairman Johnny Isakson's (R-Ga.) 45-year political career, legislative accomplishments, and their continued friendship.\nThe reason we're all here today is because Johnny Isakson is a very special guy and he's special for a number of reasons, Tester said. He treats everybody with respect and because of that, everybody treats him with respectAnd Johnny is someone who can get things done. I speak from experience, being Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. He has shepherded through many, many difficult pieces of legislation and he's done it because he's developed trust.\nTester addressed Isakson directly: I can tell you that if we ever get in a foxhole together Johnny, I've got your back and you know what, I know you've got mine, because you've exhibited it before. And I just want to say it's been such an incredible pleasure to be in this body and serving with you because you're one of those guys that if you disagree, you can disagree, but you don't have to be disagreeable. And I just want to say thank you very much.\nIsakson became chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee in January 2015. Under Isakson's leadership, the Senators worked in a bipartisan manner to pass meaningful legislative reforms, helping pass 57 pieces of legislation that were signed into law. Together, Tester and Isakson successfully tackled a variety of challenges at the Department of Veterans Affairs on behalf of veterans across the nation they passed significant bipartisan reforms to increase accountability, expand education benefits, modernize the process for veterans' appeals of benefits, provide additional health care options, and deliver justice for Blue Water Navy veterans.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7121", "Tester to Major League Baseball: now is not the time for MLB to reduce its role in baseball in rural America [press_release]", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today sent a letter to Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Robert Manfred opposing the League's proposed plan to sever ties with dozens of Minor League Baseball (MiLB) teams, including Pioneer League baseball clubs in Billings, Great Falls, and Missoula.\nOur communities are deeply invested in our minor league teams, wrote Tester.  These teams keep Montanans connected to [Major League Baseball], provide affordable family entertainment, and spur economic development and job growth across many business sectors.  I urge you to reverse course on this proposal.\nMontana is one of only two states that does not have a single major league professional sports team or border a state that has a major league professional sports team. Montana's Pioneer League ball clubs build connections between Treasure State communities and baseball, and dozens of small businesses invest in marketing with Montana's teams to support the franchises and grow their customer bases.\nTester added: As MLB examines ways to grow the sport and deal with the decline in younger viewers, I believe it is vital for MLB to invest in rural communities by maintaining MiLB affiliates I strongly believe that now is not the time for MLB to reduce its role in baseball in rural America.\nSenator Tester met with Deputy MLB Commissioner of Baseball Administration Dan Halem this week to discuss the League's proposal. Tester, a Montreal Exposand later, Washington Nationalsfan since the 1980s, would watch games broadcast from Canada after long days working on his farm in Big Sandy.\nRead the full letter HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7122", "Tester, Colleagues Spearhead Legislation to Improve Transportation Services for Rural Veterans [press_release]", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) are spearheading bipartisan legislation to help rural veterans travel to and from their medical appointments more easily.\nThe Senators introduced the Rural Veterans Travel Enhancement Act of 2019 today, which will expand successful initiatives that provide veterans living in rural areas transportation services and reimbursement for their travel to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities and Vet Centers. The bill will also develop a national protocol for administering medical exams for volunteer drivers, clarifying requirements and streamlining the certification process. Not only do these initiatives ease the burden for veterans traveling lengthy distances for care, but they have proven to save taxpayer dollars and reduce the number of missed medical appointments at VA.\nAll veterans deserve the same access to quality health care, regardless of whether they live in Big Sandy or the Big Apple, said Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. Our bill expands creative and successful initiatives that are helping rural veterans get to their doctor appointments on time, no matter the distance. I look forward to working with Republicans and Democrats to make sure every veteran has access to the care they have earned.\nVeterans deserve nothing less than the best health care our country has to offer, but offering them quality care does them no good if they are unable to travel to receive those services, said Senator Cramer. Expanding and codifying successful transportation programs would help ease the difficulty of traveling to medical appointments, especially in rural states like North Dakota.\nWe make a promise to take care of our veterans in return for their service to our country, and that includes ensuring they are able to get the health care that they need and have earned, no matter where they live, said Senator Murray. I'm proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Rural Veterans Travel Enhancement Act to get us one step closer to fulfilling that promise, and I'll keep fighting to strengthen health care and federal resources for veterans in rural communities, and in all communities, across Washington state and across the country.\nOur nation made a promise to care for its veterans, regardless of their zip code, said Senator Hoeven. For veterans living in rural areas, transportation can often be an obstacle for accessing VA care. This legislation will allow eligible veterans to be reimbursed for travel to and from Vet Centers and clarify requirements for volunteer drivers. This bill is all about helping veterans in rural communities reach important VA health care services.\nI'm proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan bill that will make it easier and more accessible for Veterans to travel to VA facilities, said Senator Manchin. I have heard more about travel and transportation from Veterans in West Virginia than almost any other Veterans issue due to the recent change in the state veterans van program back to the Disabled American Veterans transportation network. This legislation will help ensure our Veterans in rural areas have the access to services even if they are hard to get to. This is just common sense and I look forward to passing this bipartisan legislation into law.\nAs a Senator for a large, rural state with the second highest number of veterans per capita, it is one of my top priorities to ensure our veterans have convenient access to medical care and other services, said Senator Collins. I am pleased to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan bill that will improve transportation programs for rural veterans to reach medical appointments and receive support at veterans centers in their communities.\nThe Rural Veterans Transportation Enhancement Act will:\n \nExpand a pilot program that reimburses veterans and eligible beneficiaries for travel to Vet Centers for mental health care and counseling.\nMake permanent the Veterans Transportation Service program, which allows local VA facilities to hire drivers and purchase vehicles to transport veterans to their appointments.\nExtend a grant that allows Veterans Service Organizations and State Veterans Service Agencies to explore new approaches to provide transportation or travel assistance.\nExpedite the certification process for volunteer drivers serving veterans through the Veterans Transportation Service program.\n \nDAV has long advocated for all veterans to have access to high-quality health care no matter where they live, said Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Washington Executive Director Randy Reese. We applaud the introduction of this legislation as it would help expand the reach of DAV's transportation network, which provided veterans with more than 625,000 rides to VA medical centers last year alone, to better serve those in rural areas. We are grateful for the leadership of Senators Tester, Cramer, Murray, Hoeven, Manchin and Collins for their leadership in ensuring all veterans can attend their scheduled VA appointments no matter where they might be.\nTester originally introduced the Rural Veterans Transportation Enhancement Act in 2015 to permanently authorize VA to transport individuals to and from VA facilities for care, and has reintroduced it every Congress since:", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7123", "Tester Secures Nearly $700,000 For Five Montana Tribal Colleges [press_release]", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tester Secures Nearly $700,000 For Five Montana Tribal Colleges \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n  \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Funds will go towards campus improvement projects \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that $663,106 in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Tribal College Initiative Grants have been awarded to five Tribal Colleges across Montana for much-needed campus improvement projects.\nEvery Montanan deserves access to a quality education, and Tribal Colleges play a critical role in making sure that Native students get the tools they need to succeed in a 21st century economy, said Tester, a long-time member and former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. These investments will provide much-needed facility upgrades that will allow these Colleges to focus on what they do best: helping their students thrive.\nThe funding will go to support projects at the following colleges:\n \nAaniiih Nakoda College: $125,000 to renovate a college classroom and convert it to a science lab.\nBlackfeet Community College: $137,702 for campus improvement projects, including paving a parking lot and painting four campus buildings.\nStone Child College: $125,000 to purchase materials and equipment, including a gym score board, exercise equipment, steel doors, and computers.\nChief Dull Knife College: $137,702 to buy equipment for the STEM lab, including computers, protective floor mats, and tables.\nSalish Kootenai College: $137,702 to update college vans and purchase heavy duty lawn mowers.\n \nTester has long been a champion for Montana's Tribal Colleges and Universities and has consistently fought to see their operations receive the support they need to best serve their students and communities. Just last month, Tester led 37 of his colleagues in sending a letter to Senate Leadership demanding the renewal of critical federal funding for Montana's TCUs.\nHe also recently secured $3.5 million for Chief Dull Knife College to expand its STEM program and provide critical environmental assessment research to the community as well as $3.5 million for Salish Kootenai College's Indigenous Research Center.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7124", "Following Tester Push, $2 Million Headed to Billings for Economic Development [press_release]", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following a push by U.S. Senator Jon Tester, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced today the Big Sky Economic Development Authority of Billings will receive a $2 million grant to support its Rock 31 Connect Build Grow business incubator. It is expected to create 95 jobs and generate $6.6 million in private investment.\nTester wrote a letter of support for the project in June to support the purchase and renovation of a historic building in downtown Billings, which will house the Rock 31 Connect Build Grow business incubator and spur economic activity in Billings.\nThis is great news for folks looking to start and grow businesses in Billings, Tester said. This grant will help create jobs, spur economic development, and provide the needed boost folks need to get their businesses off the ground.\nThe funding is administered through the Economic Development Administration, and will be matched with $2 million in local funds.\nTester is a longtime supporter of Big Sky EDA, a public-private partnership that aims to grow the region's economy and improve quality of life by offering economic development services like the Small Business Development Center and Rock 31, which will provide training and resources to develop new businesses. In 2017 Tester helped locate a Veterans Business Outreach Center within Big Sky EDA to provide training and technical support to veteran-owned businesses and veterans considering starting a business.\nTester's letter supporting the project is available HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7125", "Tester Successfully Cuts Red Tape for Hemp Farmers, Provides Access to Banking Services [press_release]", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following his repeated efforts to get federal regulators to cut red tape for hemp farmers, U.S. Senator Jon Tester is announcing that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) will issue a guidance allowing hemp producers to bank at financial institutions.\nThe announcement comes on the heels of a sustained push by Tester to make the FDIC and FinCEN clarify the legal status of hemp growth and production. In a statement issued today, the organizations did exactly that, emphasizing that banks are no longer required to file suspicious activity reports for customers solely because they grow or cultivate hemp.\nMontana farmers have been growing hemp for the better part of five years, and it's been an uphill battle to get them access to banks ever since, said Tester. This is great news for our hemp producers who will now have access to capital and financial institutions that were previously blocked by unnecessary red tape.\nEarlier this year, Tester successfully pressured the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to publish its long awaited hemp rule that would ease regulations for Montana farmers. In a March 12th letter to USDA Secretary Perdue, Tester was the first member of Montana's Congressional delegation to ask federal agencies to provide certainty for farmers by implementing the hemp guidance mandated by the 2018 Farm Bill.\nTester has been a champion for Montana hemp producers since they started cultivating the plant as part of a 2014 pilot program. He recently secured nearly $165,000 to research hemp and establish Canadian markets for the crop, and earlier this spring, he successfully pushed Customs and Border Protection to update their hemp guidance to allow Montana producers to purchase hemp seeds from Canada.\nHemp was removed from the list of Schedule I controlled substances a year ago, following the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, which permits producers to grow the crop. In August, the National Credit Union Administration announced that it will provide financial services to legally operating hemp businesses and farmers. The Fiscal Year 2020 Senate Appropriations package that recently passed the Senate provides access to guaranteed loans for hemp producers and encourages hemp research and education.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7115", "Tester Nominates Butte-Area Students to Military Service Academies [press_release]", "2019-12-02", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced that he is nominating two students from the Butte area to the nation's most prestigious U.S. military service academies.\nTester selected the total of 34 Montana nominees to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy based on their academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, and commitment to serving and leading in the United States military. A nomination from a member of Congress is the first step in students' applications to the four schools.\n\"I'm proud to nominate Montana's best and brightest students to our nation's most prestigious military academies each year, Tester said. These young men and women have earned this honor through their hard work in and out of the classroom, and I'm looking forward to watching them become the next generation of leaders to serve our state and this country.\nMontana students interested in applying for a military academy nomination in the future can request a nomination from Tester HERE.\nSenator Jon Tester's Butte-area 2020 military academy nominations:\nRobinson Dale - U.S. Military Academy & U.S. Air Force Academy. Robinson is a member of the National Honor Society, captain of his club soccer team, and class president. He also participates in his high school robotics program, and Business Professionals of America. He attends Twin Bridges High School.\nChristian Sherman - U.S. Merchant Marine Academy & U.S. Air Force Academy. Christian is a musician as well as a varsity athlete in both soccer and wrestling. He is also part of the Civil Air Patrol and the Western Aerospace Scholars program, in addition to being a member of the National Honor Society. He attends Butte High School.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7116", "Tester Nominates Helena-Area Students to Military Service Academies [press_release]", "2019-12-02", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced that he is nominating seven students from the Helena region to the nation's most prestigious U.S. military service academies.\nTester selected the total of 34 Montana nominees to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy based on their academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, and commitment to serving and leading in the United States military. A nomination from a member of Congress is the first step in students' applications to the four schools.\n\"I'm proud to nominate Montana's best and brightest students to our nation's most prestigious military academies each year, Tester said. These young men and women have earned this honor through their hard work in and out of the classroom, and I'm looking forward to watching them become the next generation of leaders to serve our state and this country.\nMontana students interested in applying for a military academy nomination in the future can request a nomination from Tester HERE.\nSenator Jon Tester's Helena region 2020 military academy nominations:\nKadyn Craigle - U.S. Air Force Academy. Kadyn is a baseball, powerlifting, and varsity football athlete. He is an Eagle Mount Ski Instructor for disabled skiers, National Honor Society, Key Club, and Science Club member, and a Boys State Delegate. He attends Capital High School.\nGrant Eckerson - U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Grant is a varsity soccer and track athlete. He participates in SkillsUSA, the Rotary Club, and the National Honor Society. He attends Helena High School.\nKaitlyn Edwards - U.S. Military Academy & U.S. Air Force Academy. Kaitlyn is a varsity Track and Field, Cross Country, and swimming athlete. She also participates in 4-H Club, is a junior instructor for Bow Hunters Ed., and won a Presidential Education Outstanding Achievement Award. She attends Capital High School.\nMathilda Inman - U.S. Air Force Academy. Mathilda is ballet dancer. She is involved in National Honor Society, Scouts BSA, Civil Air Patrol, the Science Olympiad Team, and Band Council.\nBrock McDaid - U.S. Military Academy. Brock is a varsity football and wrestling athlete. He is a SkillsUSA National Competitor and a member of the National Honor Society. He attends Broadwater High School.\nVivienne Johnson - U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Vivienne is a varsity cheerleader, track and field, and volleyball athlete. She is Student Body Vice President, School Delegate to the International Student Leadership Institute, Lead Delegate to the European Model UN, and a YMCA Camp Counselor.\nTamara O'Leary - U.S. Air Force Academy. Tamara is a varsity cross country and swimming athlete. She participates in Speech and Debate, DECA, Scouts BSA, and National Honor Society. She attends Helena High School.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7118", "Tester Nominates Great Falls Area Students to Military Service Academies [press_release]", "2019-12-02", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced that he is nominating four students from the Great Falls area to the nation's most prestigious U.S. military service academies.\nTester selected the total of 34 Montana nominees to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy based on their academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, and commitment to serving and leading in the United States military. A nomination from a member of Congress is the first step in students' applications to the four schools.\n\"I'm proud to nominate Montana's best and brightest students to our nation's most prestigious military academies each year, Tester said. These young men and women have earned this honor through their hard work in and out of the classroom, and I'm looking forward to watching them become the next generation of leaders to serve our state and this country.\nMontana students interested in applying for a military academy nomination in the future can request a nomination from Tester HERE.\nSenator Jon Tester's Great Falls-area 2020 military academy nominations:\nJacob Boetticher - U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Jacob is involved in varsity football, basketball, and track. He is also a member of both high school and community theatre, where he participates in choir and band. He attends Power High School.\nKian Lynde - U.S. Naval Academy. Kian is a member of the varsity hockey and lacrosse teams and a volunteer for the Lions Park Fun Fest and 2019 Suicide Prevention Walk. He attends Charles M. Russell High School.\nCameron Pleninger - U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Cameron is a member of the varsity wresting, cross country, and track teams. He was accepted into the 2019 United States Coast Guard Academy's AIM Program. He attends Havre High School.\nAlexis Tri - U.S. Air Force Academy. Alexis plays varsity soccer, lacrosse, basketball, track and field. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and an elementary school volunteer for children of military servicemembers.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7119", "Tester Nominates Five Billings-Area Students to Military Service Academies [press_release]", "2019-12-02", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced that he is nominating five students from the Billings region to the nation's most prestigious U.S. military service academies.\nTester selected the total of 34 Montana nominees to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy based on their academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, and commitment to serving and leading in the United States military. A nomination from a member of Congress is the first step in students' applications to the four schools.\n\"I'm proud to nominate Montana's best and brightest students to our nation's most prestigious military academies each year, Tester said. These young men and women have earned this honor through their hard work in and out of the classroom, and I'm looking forward to watching them become the next generation of leaders to serve our state and this country.\nMontana students interested in applying for a military academy nomination in the future can request a nomination from Tester HERE.\nSenator Jon Tester's Billings-area 2020 military academy nominations:\nGentry Lamb - U.S. Merchant Marine Academy & U.S. Air Force Academy. Gentry serves as Vice President of his school's National Honor Society Chapter, a class Senator, and the captain of both the varsity cross country and wrestling teams. He attends Skyview High School.\nEmma Martinsen - U.S. Naval Academy. Emma is a member of the National Honor Society, varsity debate, and cross country teams. She is also a recipient of the YMCA leadership award. She attends Billings Senior High School.\nCarson Seiler - U.S. Air Force Academy & U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Carson is a member of both the symphonic and pep bands. He is also the captain of the varsity baseball team and a member of the National Honor Society. He attends Billings West High School.\nPanagiotis (Pete) Saliaris - U.S. Military Academy & U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Pete is a member of the varsity wrestling, track, and cross country teams. He is also a member of the National Honor Society and founding member of the Billings High Environmental Club. He attends Billings Central Catholic High School.\nTyler Vannatta - U.S. Air Force Academy. Tyler is a member of the National Honor Society, Business Professionals of America, and Senior Class President. He is also captain of the varsity cross country and track and field teams. He attends Billings West High School.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7120", "Tester Nominates 34 Montanans to Military Service Academies [press_release]", "2019-12-02", "2019", "2019-12", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tester Nominates 34 Montanans to Military Service Academies \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n  \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senator announces 2020 student nominees for Army, Navy, Air Force, and Merchant Marine Academies \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) today announced he is nominating 34 students across Montana to the nation's most prestigious U.S. military service academies.\nTester selected the 34 nominees to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy based on their academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, and commitment to serving and leading in the United States military. A nomination from a member of Congress is the first step in students' applications to the four schools.\n\"I'm proud to nominate Montana's best and brightest students to our nation's most prestigious military academies each year, Tester said. These young men and women have earned this honor through their hard work in and out of the classroom, and I'm looking forward to watching them become the next generation of leaders to serve our state and this country.\nMontana students interested in applying for a military academy nomination in the future can request a nomination from Tester HERE.\nSenator Jon Tester's 2020 military academy nominations:\nU.S. Air Force Academy\n \nDane Becker, Missoula\nKadyn Craigle, Helena\nRobinson Dale, Sheridan\nGustavo de Souza, Kalispell\nGrant Eckerson, Helena\nKaitlyn Edwards, Helena\nRobert Hartley, Bozeman\nDavid Hogenson, Bozeman\nRiley Horton, Missoula\nGentry Lamb, Shepherd\nMathilda Inman, Montana City\nTamara O'Leary, Helena\nTayt Rogers, Bozeman\nCarson Seiler, Billings\nChristian Sherman, Butte\nAlexis Tri, Great Falls\nShaela Tuell, Columbia Falls\nTyler Vannatta, Billings\nSam Weisenburger, Seeley\nCharles Yeager, Livingston\n \nU.S. Military Academy\n \nRobinson Dale, Sheridan\nGrant Eckerson, Helena\nKaitlyn Edwards, Helena\nDavid Hogenson, Bozeman\nBrock McDaid, East Helena\nSimon McMahon, Missoula\nAlexander Redmon, Bozeman\nPanagiotis Saliaris, Billings\nSophie Smith, Kalispell\nSam Weisenburger, Seeley\n \nU.S. Naval Academy\n \nJacob Bailey, Whitefish\nMax Cole, Scobey\nGustavo de Souza, Kalispell\nKian Lynde, Great Falls\nEmma Martinsen, Billings\nChristopher Miller, Missoula\nTanner Russell, Kalispell\nSophie Smith, Kalispell\nShaela Tuell, Columbia Falls\nSam Weisenburger, Seeley\n \nU.S. Merchant Marine Academy\n \nJacob Boetticher, Power\nGrant Eckerson, Helena\nDavid Hogenson, Bozeman\nVivienne Johnson, Helena\nGentry Lamb, Shepherd\nCameron Pleninger, Havre\nPanagiotis Saliaris, Billings\nCarson Seiler, Billings\nChristian Sherman, Butte\nSamuel Weisenburger, Seeley", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7112", "Tester Urges Timely and Confidential Mental Health Care for Servicemembers in Need [press_release]", "2019-11-26", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following reports of delayed care, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Jon Tester (D-Mont.) is urging the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide timely and confidential health care for servicemembers suffering from mental health conditions.\nReports show that servicemembers often do not receive timely care after identifying mental health concerns to providers. In one recent case, a servicemember detailed his personal experience with the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and its contractors' failing to refer him for behavioral health care in a timely manner while protecting his confidentiality. This servicemember self-identified mental health concerns and expressed a need for treatment to a provider. Only after numerous attemptsover the course of multiple weekswas the servicemember successful in scheduling a behavioral health appointment.\nNot only was this servicemember's request for a mental health referral ignored, a digital profile was made, which could have jeopardized his privacy within his unit, rather than a direct communication between his provider and his command, wrote Tester. When mental health concerns and suicide ideation are not handled properly, whether through a servicemember's chain or behavioral health team, that individual can fall through the cracks, have privacy compromised, or have a career negatively affected.\nIn his letter, Tester requested that DoD and DHA review their process for mental health referrals, including when a contractor is involved, in order to ensure all servicemembers get the mental health care they need.\nThis servicemember's situation is cautionary as the results could have been far worse, even as he was actively seeking help, Tester continued. All servicemembers need to be taken seriously and know that they can rely on the Department and its contractors to provide the health care they need and deserve.\nIn 2018, 325 active duty servicemembers, along with 81 Reservists and 135 members of the National Guard, died by suicide. Guardsmen and Reservists often struggle to access the same care as their active duty counterparts because they often live far from military installations. Tester introduced the Care and Readiness Enhancement (CARE) for Reservists Act to address the high rate of suicide among members of the National Guard and Reserve by providing readjustment counseling, related outpatient services, and mental health programs to help them return to civilian life. The bill would allow DoD to fund critical behavioral or mental care, regardless of whether that Reservist is within his or her pre-deployment window.\nSenator Tester also introduced the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act in an effort to assist military members and veterans struggling with unseen wounds of war when transitioning to civilian life. This bipartisan and comprehensive legislation would improve U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health care services by expanding access to care for veterans including telehealth and alternative therapies, and increase oversight over VA's mental health programs.\nRead Tester's full letter to Secretary Esper HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7113", "Tester Secures $200,000 For Lake County Businesses [press_release]", "2019-11-26", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tester Secures $200,000 For Lake County Businesses \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n  \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Lake County Community Development Corporation will use grant to provide technical assistance for rural cooperative development \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that the USDA awarded a $200,0000 grant to the Lake County Community Development Corporation (LCCDC), which will use the money to foster growth for cooperative businesses in the Flathead region and the Flathead Indian Reservation.\nRural development cooperatives are a critical boon to small businesses and entrepreneurs, and the economic growth they drive benefits frontier communities across Montana, said Tester. This investment will help Lake County Community Development Corp provide businesses in Northwest Montana and on the Flathead Reservation with the support they need to grow their bottom lines and create good paying jobs.\nThe LCCDC will use this grant to provide technical assistance and capital to new and expanding businesses in the Flathead Region and on the Flathead Reservation. These funds will improve their ability to provide rural co-ops with expertise aimed at growing and perfecting business operations of any size in the region.\nSenator Tester is committed to growing Montana's thriving small business community. He recently introduced the Stop Taxing Our Potential Act (STOP), which would overturn a Supreme Court decision that forces local business to collect sales tax on behalf of other states, and is highly unpopular among small business owners in Montana.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7107", "Tester to Attorney General Barr: Glad you will see firsthand the deep impact of the Justice Departments failure to address the public safety needs of our state [press_release]", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7108", "Tester Blasts FBI for Failing to Keep Indian Country Safe [press_release]", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today blasted the FBI for failing to keep Indian Country safe and neglecting to provide help to local jurisdictions when crimes occur outside of an Indian reservation.\nTester wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray in response to the death of Kaysera Stops at Pretty Places in Hardin, Mont., just off the Crow Reservation  at least the 27th missing or murdered Indigenous woman case in Big Horn County.\nThe violence that Native people experience does not stop at Indian reservation borders, and neither do the FBI's responsibilities, Tester wrote. With such a high number of cases occurring short distances from Indian reservations, the FBI must be more proactive and provide all available resources to counties investigating crimes against Native Americans.\nTester pressed Wray on what resources the FBI provides to local jurisdictions to investigate violent crimes against Native people, and whether the FBI provides assistance or training to jurisdictions near Indian reservations or with high Native American populations.\nHe also asked what actions the FBI has taken to prioritize preventing, investigating, and prosecuting crimes against Native Americans, and whether the agency has increased the number of FBI agents in Indian Country.\nThe federal government has a trust and treaty responsibility to keep Native communities safe, Tester continued. To meet this responsibility, the FBI must work with Tribes, state and local law enforcement, and surrounding communities to combat the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis.\nAs a member and former chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Tester has led the charge to address the MMIW crisis. Two Tester-backed bills to improve public safety in Indian Country passed through the Senate Indian Affairs Committee earlier today, and he criticized Attorney General William Barr for failing to address Montana's public safety needs and neglecting to address the MMIW crisis, human trafficking, and methamphetamine use.\nTester is also calling on Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican Leadership to bring up and pass the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 to ensure that Tribes have the authority to bring perpetrators to justice and provide survivors with the resources they need.\nMore information on Tester's work to combat the MMIW crisis is available HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7109", "In Kalispell, Tester Fields Unvetted Questions from More Than 200 Montanans at Yet Another Public Town Hall [press_release]", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In his 8th public, in-person town hall this year, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today answered questions and solicited feedback from a crowd of more than 200 constituents in Kalispell.\nThese public forums are the best way for me to get feedback from the folks I was elected to represent: the people of Montana, said Tester. The input you give me at this event will inform my decisions back in Washington, because no one knows better than you what's working and what isn't.\nPrior to taking questions, Tester spoke about the importance of holding in-person town halls to the democratic process, the current state of the U.S. Senate, and the importance of communicating with your elected officials to hold them accountable. He is the only member of the Montana delegation to host an in-person town hall this year.\nTester then opened up the floor for feedback and answered questions ranging from health care, to dark money in politics, robocalls, mental health, and food insecurity.\nIn response to a question about high numbers of robocalls flooding into Montana, Tester said: These robocalls are insane. They're being done by the tens of millions and they're a pain in the neck. And when you get so many you stop answering, and that can be dangerous. We're going to keep pushing bills to cut it out, because it just has to stop. \nThis is Tester's 8th in-person, public town hall this yearfollowing those in Bozeman, Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, Billings, Livingston, and Butteand his 13th since President Trump took office. He has held dozens of Facebook Live town halls and public forums since 2016, ranging on topics from health care reform to Farm Bill reauthorization, VA community care, the ongoing trade war, and local infrastructure priorities across Montana.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7110", "Tester Announces $4.1 Million for Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport [press_release]", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tester Announces $4.1 Million for Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n  \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Grant will go towards the construction of a new runway apron \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that Bozeman's Yellowstone International Airport will receive a $4.1 million grant to construct a new runway apron at Montana's busiest airport.\nBozeman is seeing lots of air traffic these days, and more traffic means more planes that need places to park, Tester said. A new apron will help reduce congestion at Yellowstone International, and allow more folks to come enjoy everything the Treasure State has to offer.\nThe grants were awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which provides grants to airports across the country in order to expand and improve America's air travel infrastructure. As the Gallatin Valley's economy and population continue to grow, improvements like this will help Bozeman accommodate the rise in traffic.\nTester has played a consistent role in getting Montana airports the funding they need to improve and expand their facilities. Earlier this year, he introduced a bipartisan amendment to the U.S. Senate Appropriations package that would address staffing issues at Bozeman Yellowstone, and announced a $3 million grant to expand the main terminal and improve safety. He has also been instrumental in securing funding for improvements at airports in Billings, Flathead, and ten other airports across Montana.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7111", "Tester Secures $650,000 Grant For Stevensville Airport Repairs [press_release]", "2019-11-22", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tester Secures $650,000 Grant For Stevensville Airport Repairs \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n  \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Grant will go towards much needed apron repairs \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that the Stevensville Airport will receive a $650,000 grant to repair cracks in the airport's apron and address other safety concerns.\nStevensville Airport is a gateway to Ravalli County, and this funding will provide them with the resources they need to make critical repairs to their apron, Tester said. This will not only improve safety, but also make it easier for folks to come visit Stevensville.\nThe grants were awarded through the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which provides grants to airports across the country in order to expand and improve America's air travel infrastructure. As the Gallatin Valley's economy and population continue to grow, improvements like this will help Bozeman accommodate the rise in traffic.\nTester has played a consistent role in getting Montana airports the funding they need to improve and expand their facilities. Earlier this year, he introduced a bipartisan amendment to the U.S. Senate Appropriations package that would address staffing issues at Bozeman Yellowstone, and announced a $3 million grant to expand the main terminal and improve safety. He has also been instrumental in securing funding for improvements at airports in Billings, Flathead, and ten other airports across Montana.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7103", "Tester Pushes VA to Better Serve Montanas Native Veterans at Indian Affairs Committee Hearing [press_release]", "2019-11-21", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "At a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing, U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) questioned representatives from Montana Tribes and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on their efforts to address the unique needs of Native American veterans.\nWhile Native American veterans serve in the military at a higher rate than any other ethnic demographic in the United States, they often face obstacles when seeking housing, employment, and quality health care. During the hearing, Tester questioned Jestin Dupree, a member of the Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board in Montana and Army veteran, on the challenges Native American veterans face when accessing services provided by VA.\nDo you feel like there is an avenue in Indian country to give information back to VA if they're not meeting the needs of your veterans in your specific reservations? Tester asked Dupree. Is there an avenue to give input back?\nIn terms of effective communication with VA, we have your office in Montana that we do effectively communicate quite often with, replied Dupree. But in terms of VA, I'm not tracking any person that really comes out.\nDuring the hearing, Tester stressed the importance of establishing mobile health clinics to serve tribal communities in remote areas across Montana. He also pressed VA Secretary Wilkie over the Department's efforts to improve mental health, expand telehealth, and increase outreach for Native American veterans, Tribes, and tribal organizations.\nAs a member and former chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Tester has been working to expand communication between VA and Tribes. He introduced the VA Tribal Advisory Committee Act, which would establish a VA Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs, to facilitate communication and understanding between VA and Tribal governments, improving services for Native American veterans, Tribes, and tribal organizations.\nTester has also been a longtime supporter of efforts to boost access to safe, affordable housing and increase homeownership in Indian Country. He introduced the Tribal HUD-VASH Act this Congress, which passed the Senate in February, to formally codify Tribal HUD-VASH, providing rental and housing assistance to homeless and at-risk homeless veterans in Indian Country.\nYesterday, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs debated, and passed, the Senator's Savanna's Act and Not Invisible Act to bolster data collection and law enforcement responses to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women cases, and improve collaboration between Tribes, law enforcement, and the federal government. These bills now move be considered by the full Senate.\nWatch Tester's Q&A HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7105", "As Montana Farmers Feel Effects of Climate Change, Tester Demands USDA Stop Ignoring It [press_release]", "2019-11-21", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As temperatures rise and extreme weather becomes more frequent, U.S. Senator and 3rd generation farmer Jon Tester is calling on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to take action on behalf of American farmers and ranchers who are seeing firsthand the devastating impacts of climate change.\nFollowing reports that USDA is intentionally burying climate research, Tester is demanding Secretary Perdue stop the routine deemphasizing of climate change within the agency and work to find ways to alleviate its impact on American farmers.\nUSDA agricultural and climate research helps us farmers adapt to these new adverse growing conditions, helping us conserve resources and better manage the land, wrote Tester. That's why it is particularly troubling to hear reports that USDA is suppressing climate change research in the name of politics Agriculture is the backbone of Montana's economy, so understanding the climate is an economic issueif we want to protect rural America and the small town way of life of family farmers like me, we must make research and education around climate change a priority, not an afterthought.\nUSDA spends as little as 0.3 percent of its annual budget to help farmers adapt to increasingly extreme weather caused by climate change, and the Trump Administration's systemic suppression of climate science has hampered efforts even further. USDA has been caught routinely burying the studies of its own scientists that monitor the dangers posed to agriculture by climate change, even suppressing an interagency plan for studying and responding to the threat.\nAgriculture contributes more to Montana's economy than any other industry. Though farmers in the state faced extreme weather events in the 2019 growing season, and many were left with unsellable, low-quality product or were forced to leave their crop in the ground. These conditionson top of an unnecessary trade war and stagnant crop pricesare decimating rural communities across the country and contributing to the death of American small towns.\nAs the only working farmer in the U.S. Senate, Tester has been a champion for farmers and ranchers across the country. Earlier this year, he introduced his Seeding Rural Resilience Act to help combat rising rates of farmer suicide, and The Trump Administration recently adopted his Restoring Rural Residencies Act into a rule change to bring more medical professionals into rural hospitals.\nTester also grilled the Environmental Protection Agency earlier this month for disregarding scientific studies in its policymaking, ultimately making it easier for private companies to pollute America's clean air and water.\nRead Tester's full letter to Secretary Perdue HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7101", "Tester Brings Home More Than $1 Million for Havre Head Start Program [press_release]", "2019-11-20", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that the Havre Head Start program will receive $1,095,950 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to continue their work providing early education and child care services for families in the community.\nHavre's Head Start Program provides children and their families with the resources they need to succeed, Tester said. As a former elementary school teacher, I know firsthand the difference Head Start makes in these kids' lives, and this funding will help them continue to pave the way for the next generation.\nThe funding comes from the Administration for Children & Families, which oversees Head Start programs across Montana. Havre's Head Start program offers preschool and infant care options for parents who need daycare for their children, information for young families on pregnancy and fetal development, and school readiness material to make sure Montana kids are prepared for kindergarten.\nTester has been an unwavering advocate for Head Start in Montana. Earlier this year, he secured millions for Head Start Programs in Butte, Helena, Billings, Bozeman, Ravalli, and Eastern and Central Montana. Through his role on the Senate Appropriations Committee, he worked to secure more than $10 billion for Head Start this year in the US.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7104", "Indian Affairs Committee Moves Two Tester Bills to Combat MMIW Crisis to Senate Floor [press_release]", "2019-11-20", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In his ongoing effort to fight the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), U.S. Senator Jon Tester today successfully pushed his Savanna's Act and Not Invisible Act through the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, which would bolster law enforcement responses to MMIW cases and improve collaboration between Tribes, law enforcement, and the federal government.\nNative American women, girls, and families should be safe in their homes and in their communities, said Tester. Effective data collection, better training of law enforcement, and improved communication between Tribes and federal agencies would help Tribal communities better address the MMIW crisis. I urge Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring these desperately-needed bills to the Senate floor for a vote immediately, because sitting on our hands isn't an option when lives are at stake.\nIndigenous women and girls in Montana face murder rates that are ten times higher than the national average, and, according to the National Institute of Justice, more than 80 percent of Native American women have experienced violence, and half have experienced it within the last year.\nThe Tester-backed bills work to improve public safety in Indian Country by:\nSavanna's Act\nThis bill would improve information sharing between Tribal and federal law enforcement agencies and increase data collection on cases involving missing or murdered Indigenous people.  It requires\n \nLaw enforcement training on how to record victim tribal enrollment information in federal databases; \nThe creation of standardized, regionally-appropriate guidelines for inter-jurisdictional cooperation on cases; and \nThe Attorney General to include data on missing and murdered Indigenous people in an annual report to Congress. \n \nNot Invisible Act\n \nRequires the Department of Interior (DOI) to designate a coordinator within the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services (OJS) to coordinate violent crime prevention efforts across federal agencies who must submit an annual report summarizing coordination activities and recommendations for improving federal coordination efforts; and \nDirects DOI and the Department of Justice to establish a commission composed of relevant federal agencies, Tribal leaders, Tribal law enforcement, mental health providers, survivors, and state and local law enforcement to develop recommendations on improving the federal response to MMIW, human trafficking, and violent crime in Indian Country.\n \nAs a member and former chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, Tester has led the charge in the fight against the MMIW crisis. Earlier this year, Tester pushed the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to approve five bills focused on addressing violence against women in Indian Country. In addition to Savanna's Act and the Not Invisible Act, the Committee also considered the Bridging Agency Data Gaps and Ensuring Safety (BADGES) for Native Communities Act and two bills to increase certain Tribes' ability to prosecute domestic violence and sexual assault crimes.\nTester also delivered a speech on the Senate floor calling for more legislative action to address the crisis and pressed BIA officials on what the agency has done to improve its response to cases of violence against women. In May, he led a bipartisan letter and successfully petitioned the Government Accountability Office to study how federal law enforcement agencies can better respond to and investigate MMIW crimes.\nTester is calling on Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republican Leadership to bring up and pass the 2019 Violence Against Women Act to ensure that Tribes have the authority to bring perpetrators to justice and provide survivors with the resources they need.\nMore information on Tester's work to combat the MMIW crisis is available HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7099", "Tester, Daines, Gianforte Work to Support Critical LWCF-Funded Conservation Easement Near Libby [press_release]", "2019-11-19", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and U.S. Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) wrote a letter to the United States Forest Service (USFS) expressing support for the continuation of a Forest Legacy Project that would create a conservation easement on more than 27,000 acres of Stimson land near Libby.\nThis project protects a 27,929 acre area in Northwest Montana that supports the local economy, and the jobs that help rural communities thrive, wrote the delegation. Protecting this landscape is an investment in the rural economy of Montana, and serves as a model for how responsible land management can help protect rural jobs.\nThe Kootenai Forestland Phase II Forest Legacy Project draws funding from the critical Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and would permanently protect public access and critical wildlife habitat in the area. The easement would help support Montana's $7.1 billion outdoor economy while ensuring the continuation of sustainable timber harvest in the area. The project builds on decades of efforts to protect the landscape and wildlife in the Kootenai National Forest, securing long-term habitat protection for endangered or threatened species such as grizzly bears and bull trout.\nThe MT delegation previously wrote in support of Phase I of the Kootenai Forestland project in FY19 and have continuously advocated to fund LWCF. The project is also supported by the Lincoln Country Commission, The Nature Conservancy, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and other local groups.\nRead the Montana delegation's full letter to USFS HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7100", "As LWCF Full Funding Clears Key Hurdle, Tester Calls on Senate Leadership to Act [press_release]", "2019-11-19", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following committee passage of mandatory full funding for the critical Land Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), U.S. Senator Jon Tester today called on Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring the bipartisan legislation up for a vote on the Senate floor.\nOur LWCF mandatory full funding bill took a critical leap forward today and is now one step closer to the President's desk, Tester said. But for it to get there, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will need to allow the full Senate to vote on itif he did, it would pass overwhelmingly. In the weeks ahead I'll continue my push to get this across the finish line, as well as continue working to address our deferred maintenance backlog, to preserve and protect the public lands that make our state the Last Best Place\nEarlier today, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved legislation that would grant permanent funding to the LWCFwhich has invested more than $540 million into Montana's $7.1 billion outdoor economyat its authorized limit of $900 million. However, Senate Leadership has made it clear that most legislation will not be voted on in the Senate.\nSince its establishment in 1964, the LWCF has been a critical tool for states across the country, using offshore oil and gas development revenue to invest in conservation and recreation priorities. Tester led the charge in permanently reauthorizing the program earlier this year, but it has only been funded at its maximum amount twice since its inception.\nThe Trump Administration attempted to slash the LWCF budget by 98 percent this spring, and its funding was set at just $524 million by the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, which is less than less than two-thirds of the authorized $900 million.\nTester originally introduced the Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act in 2009 to permanently reauthorize and fully fund the critical conservation initiative and has reintroduced it every Congress since:", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7097", "Tester, Colleagues Introduce First-Ever Bipartisan Bill to Protect Student Veterans from Predatory For-Profit Institutions [press_release]", "2019-11-15", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Closing out the week of Veterans Day, U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced the Protect Veterans' Education and Training Spending (Protect VETS) Act of 2019 to protect student veterans from predatory for-profit institutions. The Protect VETS Act is the first bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate that would protect military and veteran students by closing the 90/10 loophole and requiring for-profit schools to secure at least 10 percent of their revenues from sources other than taxpayers.\nA loophole in the 90/10 law excludes Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DOD) education funds, like the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from being counted as federal funds. Therefore, some for-profit schools have exploited this loophole by using aggressive recruitment practices and deceptive marketing to enroll servicemembers, veterans, and other GI Bill beneficiaries. The Protect VETS Act would close the 90/10 loophole by counting VA and DOD funds as federal dollars.\nPredatory for-profit schools are exploiting the 90/10 loophole, taking advantage of the system and our veterans, said Senator Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. Our bipartisan bill puts forward a commonsense solution that will close this loophole and hold money-grubbing institutions accountable while saving taxpayer dollars. Congress has a responsibility to put our men and women in uniform and their benefits first. That's why I'll be fighting tooth and nail to help keep the wolves at bay, so veterans get the education they deserve.\nSpecifically, the Protect VETS Act would:\n \nClose the 90/10 loophole by counting VA and DOD educational funds on the 90 percent side of the 90/10 formula rather than the 10 percent side. \nRequire proprietary schools to provide updated 90/10 data in their annual report to Congress.\nMove to a system of tiered penalties for schools that violate the 90/10 Rule. Beginning the 2022-2023 school year, the penalties for violating the 90/10 Rule escalate over a three-year time period: (Year 1) no new VA and DOD student enrollments (this provision is modeled on existing VA regulations that protect the GI Bill); (Year 2) a total enrollment cap; and (Year 3) loss of access to federal funding for at least two years with the possibility of regaining eligibility after two years.\nProvide an appeal process that grants high-quality proprietary institutions relief from penalties. This limited appeal process gives schools additional time to comply with the 90/10 Rule if they are serving military and veteran students and taxpayers well.\nAdd a caution flag to the GI Bill Comparison Tool when an institution violates 90/10. This would better allow prospective or current military and veteran students to readily identify potential bad actors.\nApply the new 90/10 Rule for a limited time to for-profit schools after they convert to non-profit status.\n \nMany for-profit institutions provide quality education and training programs for veterans and servicemembers, and allow access to an education for non-traditional students. However, over the years there have been some bad actors in the sector resulting in too many veterans and servicemembers that have exhausted their hard-earned benefits at now-defunct schools. In response, a broad coalition of Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) and other advocacy groups are rallying behind this bipartisan, commonsense effort to protect military and veteran students, as well as taxpayers, from bad actors in the for-profit educational sector while also providing a fair process for good schools to continue serving military and student veterans.\nTester has been continuously working to modernize and strengthen education benefits for veterans and their families. In September, he introduced the Post-9/11 GI Bill Transferability Entitlement Act to ensure that every veteran with at least 10 years of service is able to transfer their educational benefits to dependents. He has also been fighting to cut down on excessive bureaucracy through his bipartisan G.I. Bill Work Study Improvement Act of 2019, which streamlines the processing and administration of VA benefits through the VA Work-Study Allowance Program. The program allows student veterans whether on campus, at VA facilities or at other veteran-centered organizations to earn money at a second job while getting an education.\nThe bill text can be found HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7094", "Why Wont EPA Use Science When Crafting Policy? Tester Demands Answer from Agency Chief [press_release]", "2019-11-14", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is disregarding scientific studies in its policymaking, said U.S. Senator Jon Tester today following a report that the agency will be updating a rule to prevent the use of critical, scientific public health studies against the agency's mission to keep air and water clean, and protect public safety.\nA leaked draft of the EPA's misleadingly titled rule, Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science, detailed that the agency will require scientists to disclose all raw dataincluding confidential medical recordsbefore they can consider the results of their studies. The rule would prevent the use of many public health studies in policy development because they rely on health information that is collected under confidentiality agreements.\nMedical data is critical for establishing links between pollution and its impacts, and it's important for determining how to clean up our air and water, and keep it clean. Tester wrote to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. Discounting health studies because researchers aimed to protect participant's personal information would drastically limit the EPA's ability to protect our communities' safety and put our families at risk.\nPublic health studies have been used to link pollution and disease for decades, most famously in the groundbreaking 1993 Harvard University Six Cities project which tied chronic air pollution to premature death. The rule would prevent the EPA from using these studies unless scientists aggressively redacted their data, which could cripple its usefulness, and may not be sufficient to protect participants' identities.\nThe change would also apply retroactively to public health regulations that are currently in place, allowing the Administration to rollback or prevent the renewal of common-sense rules that have been protecting Americans from pollution for years. This rule adds to the Trump Administration's continued efforts to undermine the use of commonly-accepted science in the creation of public policy, opening the doors for outside industry to influence policy.\nWidely-accepted, peer-reviewed studies that have long guided agency action could be thrown out because they do not meet new regulatory guidelines, Tester continued. Making this proposal retroactive means that the EPA won't just be failing to regulate on new threats to our health, it will be rolling back common-sense regulations based on science that was settled decades ago.\nMontana's outdoor recreation industry contributes $7.1 billion to the state's economy and supports 71,000 jobs, and ultimately relies on pristine air and water quality for fishing, hiking, and hunting.\nAdvocacy organizations across the state are joining Tester in his criticism of the rule:\nMore than sixty health organizations oppose EPA's ongoing efforts to censor the science the agency uses to make policy decisions, said Ronni Flannery, Director of Advocacy for the Lung Association's Healthy Air Campaign in Montana. EPA's latest proposal would deliberately blind the agency to the true health toll of air pollution. The result would be air pollution standards that do not adequately protect health, which would mean real harm to Montana families.\nMoms Clean Air Force is strongly opposed to EPA's efforts to force regulators to ignore peer-reviewed scientific research, said Melissa Nootz, Montana Field Organizer for Moms Clean Air Force. But that's exactly what Administrator Wheeler is trying to accomplish in limiting the science available to EPA officials when setting health-protective pollution standards. Protecting our children from pollution is a top priority of Moms Clean Air Force and thousands of Montana moms. Limiting the science that EPA can use to set health-protective standards is a deeply flawed strategy that will harm our kids.\nTester has been a champion for ensuring air and water in Montana is protected from outside interests that would pollute them. His landmark Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act was signed into law this spring, protecting public land and water north of Yellowstone from mining operations. In June, he introduced the Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act to protect thousands of acres of public land and water in the Blackfoot river watershed.\nRead Tester's full letter to EPA Administrator Wheeler HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7095", "On Senate Floor, Tester Calls on Trump Administration to Do the right thing by Expanding List of Medical Conditions for Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange [press_release]", "2019-11-14", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee yesterday called on the Trump Administration to take action on behalf of thousands of Vietnam Veterans across the country by expanding the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) list of medical conditions associated with exposure to Agent Orange to include Parkinsonism, Bladder Cancer, Hypertension, and Hypothyroidism.\nTester took to the Senate floor in support of an effort to expand the list of medical conditions for veterans exposed to Agent Orange.\nBy denying the folks who have suffered from exposure eligibility for the benefits and care they need, they are not doing right by our veterans, Tester said. The fact of the matter is that there is no logical behind it except for the fact that they don't want to pay for it. This Administration needs to stop ignoring the overwhelming scientific evidence put forth by medical experts, scientists, and veterans. They refuse to expand the list to include these four conditions Parkinsonism, Bladder Cancer, Hypertension, and Hypothyroidism So it's pretty simple. Do the right thing. End the wait for these veterans and their families. These veterans and their families have already sacrificed a greatly. They should not be forced to wait one minute longer.\nCurrently, VA provides presumptions for seven of the fourteen health outcomes for which the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has found a suggestive association between herbicide exposure and a particular medical condition. However, the four aforementioned conditions have yet to be recognized by VA, making it difficult for veterans to receive care and benefits for these illnesses. In fact, hypertension is now recognized by NAM as having sufficient association, or an even stronger link, with herbicide exposure. A presumption of exposure means that if a veteran served in a specific area during a defined time frame, VA will presume that they were exposed to certain harmful chemicals or environmental hazards.\nIn October, Tester led his colleagues on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee in condemning the Trump Administration, following released documents that revealed the White House blocked efforts by VA to expand the list of presumptive health outcomes for Vietnam veterans suffering from service-connected exposure to Agent Orange.\nAccording to internal documents obtained by a veteran through the Freedom of Information Act, Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney and other White House officials objected to then VA Secretary David Shulkin's recommendation to add three health conditions  Bladder Cancer, Parkinsonism, and Hypothyroidism  to the list of conditions eligible for Agent Orange benefits in October 2017, denying approximately 83,000 veterans faster access to disability compensation and health benefits.\nFor years, Tester has fought tirelessly in Congress to get Vietnam-era Veterans the treatment and benefits they earned. In September 2018, Tester led Democratic Senators in detailing the lack of movement from VA on adding health-related outcomes to the presumptive list for herbicide exposure. They also pushed the Department to follow through on self-imposed deadlines, as proposed in a letter sent by Secretary Wilkie at the beginning of this year. In September 2017, Tester led a group of Senators in demanding VA make a decision on the NAM report. He repeated the call to act in March 2018. He additionally urged the Office of Management and Budget to assist VA in expanding the list of presumptive medical conditions in April 2018.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7096", "Tester to McConnell: Time is Now to Reauthorize Violence Against Women Act [press_release]", "2019-11-14", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As part of his ongoing effort to protect victims of violence in Montana, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today joined his Senate colleagues in a push for reauthorization of the critical Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which faces uncertainty due to inaction in Congress.\nFirst enacted in 1994, VAWA provides resources to protect victims and help survivors of violence, including in Indian Country and rural communities. VAWA expired earlier this year, and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has refused to bring the House-passed reauthorization bill to the floor for a vote.\nThe Violence Against Women Act saves lives, plain and simple, Tester said. This bill is responsible for providing lifesaving resources to domestic violence shelters and Tribal justice initiatives across our state, and letting it lapse puts all of those critical initiatives at risk. The time is now for Majority Leader McConnell to bring VAWA reauthorization up for a vote, so we can keep building on the success of this landmark legislation, and families in Montana and across the country can continue to benefit from the key protections and services it provides.\nThe Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 would extend the program until 2024 and contains improvements to keep communities across Montana safe, including:\n \nTwo bills cosponsored by Tester to expand Tribal jurisdiction over domestic violence and related crimes. The Justice for Native Survivors of Sexual Violence Act would extend special VAWA Tribal jurisdiction to cover sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking, and the Native Youth and Tribal Officer Protection Act would expand the jurisdiction to include related crimes against children and law enforcement .\nThe Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act, which would prevent convicted domestic abusers from owning firearms.\nDedicated funding for victims in rural communities, and aims to increase services provided by community health centers, rural health providers, and those who serve medically underserved populations.\nIncreased funding for campus safety grants in order to help institutions of higher education develop educational materials and expand training for school-based personnel and campus health centers.\n \nThe U.S. House of Representatives passed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2019 with bipartisan support in April.\nTester is a tireless advocate for women and families in Montana, backing programs and initiatives that help keep communities all over the state safe. He voted to reauthorize VAWA in 2013, and recently secured $500 million for VAWA in recent funding bill passed by the Senate.  The bill also includes $3.17 billion for the Crime Victim Fund, and maintains the five percent set-aside for Tribes. Tester is also pushing a slew of bills aimed at curbing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7092", "Tester to Financial Regulator: Montana Hemp Farmers Need Certainty Now [press_release]", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As a part of his ongoing efforts to cut red tape and provide certainty for Montana hemp farmers, U.S. Senator Jon Tester this week sent a letter urging the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to quickly issue guidance to financial institutions looking to provide bank services to the growing hemp industry.\nI am hearing from producers in Montana that are having difficulty banking and accessing capital due to lack of clarity from federal regulators to financial institutions, wrote Tester to FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams. Congress ended the era of uncertainty on our federal policy for banking hemp by fully removing hemp from the Controlled Substance list when it passed the 2018 Farm Bill. I urge you to cut red tape for Montana farmers and businesses, and expeditiously update your hemp policies.\nLast month, after a sustained push from Senator Tester, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published its long awaited hemp rule that will ease regulations for Montana farmers. In a March 12th letter to USDA Secretary Perdue, Tester was the first member of Montana's Congressional delegation to ask federal agencies to provide certainty for farmers by implementing the hemp guidance mandated by the 2018 Farm Bill.\nTester has been a champion for Montana hemp producers since they started cultivating the plant as part of a 2014 pilot program. Recently, he secured nearly $165,000 to research hemp and establish Canadian markets for the crop, and earlier this spring, he successfully pushed Customs and Border Protection to update their hemp guidance to allow Montana producers to purchase hemp seeds from Canada. Additionally, following six months of inaction from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) on updating its hemp-related guidance, Tester last month demanded that they comply with federal law and cease prohibiting local banks from accepting funds related to hemp farming.\nHemp was removed from the list of Schedule I controlled substances nearly a year ago, following the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, which now permits producers to grow the crop. In August, the National Credit Union Administration announced that it will provide financial services to legally operating hemp businesses and farmers. The Fiscal Year 2020 Senate Appropriations package that recently passed the Senate provides access to guaranteed loans for hemp producers and encourages hemp research and education.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7093", "Tester Secures Nearly $15.5 Million For Mountain-Pacific Quality Health in Helena [press_release]", "2019-11-13", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced $15,426,135 in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) funds for Mountain Pacific Quality Health in Helena.\nMountain Pacific is one of 14 Quality Innovation Network Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) across the nation established by CMS to bring Medicare beneficiaries, providers, and communities together to increase patient safety, improve community health, and better coordinate care for seniors. This grant will allow Mountain Pacific to continue improving care across Montana and several other Western states.\nMountain-Pacific Quality Health is critical to helping folks in Montana receive the highest quality care at the lowest cost, Tester said. Every Montanan deserves access to the services that will keep them healthy and safe, and these funds will help Mountain-Pacific ensure Montana's health care system continues to work for our seniors.\nMountain Pacific is a non-profit organization that works with health care providers like hospitals, physicians, nursing homes, and home health agencies to improve the quality of services and treatments provided to patients. They also work with the state's Department of Public Health and Human Services to authorize certain health care services and equipment for Montana's Medicaid recipients. This new grant will ensure that Mountain Pacific can continue to work with Montana's health care providers to ensure that every patient receives the right care at the right time.\nSenator Tester is a steadfast champion in the fight to ensure access to quality, affordable care for all Montanans. He recently announced $900,000 for 12 Montana Community Healthcare Centers (CHCs) and is leading the fight in the Senate to ensure that CHC funding is reauthorized.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7089", "Tester on Veterans Day: We have a responsibility to those who protect our freedom [press_release]", "2019-11-11", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tester on Veterans Day: We have a responsibility to those who protect our freedom' \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n  \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Senator Jon Tester, Ranking Member and Montana's only member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, today released the following statement to commemorate Veterans Day:\n On Veterans Day, we pause to remember our veterans, and honor the enduring sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, as well as their families. They represent the very best of this country, and their sacrifices have come at a high cost. There are lives lost, physical injuries, and far too often, unseen wounds of war. As a grateful nation, we have an obligation to ensure that those who bravely answered the call to duty have access to quality health care, good jobs, and safe and affordable housing when they come home. We have a responsibility to honor our commitment to those who swore an oath to protect our freedom. Today, and every day, we say thank you to all who have served.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7090", "For Anaconda Small Businesses, Tester Announces $28,000 Grant [press_release]", "2019-11-08", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "For Anaconda Small Businesses, Tester Announces $28,000 Grant \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n  \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Anaconda Local Development Corporation will use funds to help Smelter City Brewing purchase new fermenters \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that the Anaconda Local Development Corporation will receive a $28,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Program to help Smelter City Brewing in Anaconda purchase new equipment.\nI'm proud to support the folks at Anaconda Local Development Corporation, who work hard every day to help Anaconda's small businesses thrive, Tester said. It's no secret I enjoy a cold Montana beer, and I'm excited to see Smelter City Brewing grow their business so more Montanans can enjoy their products.\nThis grant will allow Smelter City Brewing to purchase three new brew tanks, increasing production capacity and allowing distribution to larger regional markets in Helena, Bozeman, and Missoula.\nSenator Tester is committed to growing Montana's thriving small business community. Senator Tester sponsored bipartisan legislation to create more jobs for Montana breweries and distilleries by cutting excuse taxes, speeding up label regulations, and reducing the time it takes to get products on the shelves. He also introduced the Stop Taxing Our Potential Act (STOP), which would overturn a Supreme Court decision that forces local business to collect sales tax on behalf of other states and is highly unpopular among small business owners in Montana.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7084", "Tester Doubles Down on $110 Million Effort to Secure Northern Border [press_release]", "2019-11-07", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", null, 0, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7085", "Tester, Moran Lead Bipartisan Call to Action for Better Patient Safety and Oversight at VA Facilities [press_release]", "2019-11-07", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) are leading eight colleagues in a bipartisan call to action following alarming incidents of veterans receiving inadequate care or mistreatment at the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) medical facilities.\nIn a letter to VA Secretary Wilkie today, the Senators voiced their concerns over serious, high-profile cases of veteran abuse and employee misconduct within VA facilities across the country.\nWe are concerned about systemic issues that may be present within VA, affecting veterans' ability to receive high-quality, timely health care, stressed the Senators. We write with specific examples from Department facilities, in addition to questions for VA on how to ensure these incidents are not repeated at any other VA facility and protocols are put in place to safeguard patient care system-wide. The Department must get a handle on its shortcomings so that veterans feel safe using its facilities and providers choose it as a place to practice medicine.\nMultiple incidents in recent months have exposed serious lapses in quality of care for veterans nationwide. Earlier this year, a twice-suspended VA physician in Arkansas was charged with involuntary manslaughter in three patient deaths that were due to incorrect or misleading diagnoses. In West Virginia, allegations of patient homicides surfaced, launching an in investigation into the murders that took place at the Clarksburg VA Medical Center after the deaths of multiple veterans from hypoglycemia. In Georgia, a veteran receiving end-of-life care at the VA Eagles' Nest Community Living Center suffered more than 100 ant bites on his body after he was left unattended and his room became infested by ants.\nIn response to these disturbing reports, the Senators demanded immediate attention to address systemic issues and prevent incidents of mistreatment and abuse in the future. They called on the Department to implement protocols in order to safeguard patient care writing: Veterans must have confidence that when they turn to the Department for health care services that the individuals charged with caring for them are monitored and held accountable for their actions. VA needs to take action system-wide to ensure that a protocol is in place for reviewing providers' fitness to care for patients, flagging concerns, and restricting providers from modifying their records to conceal mistakes.\nThe Senators' letter highlighted main areas of concerns at the Department, including Quality of Care Controls, Credentialing and Privileging, Whistleblowing, Drug Monitoring and Reporting, Facility Conditions, and VA Leadership Vacancies.\nIn addition to Senators Tester and Moran, the letter was signed by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Robert Casey (D-Pa.), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.).\nRead the full letter to Secretary Wilkie HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7087", "At Banking Hearing, Tester Pushes Expansion of Affordable Housing for Veterans [press_release]", "2019-11-07", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today pushed for an expansion of the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on the nation's growing affordable housing crisis.\nHUD-VASH is a collaborative program between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) combining HUD housing vouchers with VA supportive services to help homeless veterans and their families find permanent housing.\nHow adequate is [the HUD-VASH] program for meeting the needs out there for veterans? Tester asked Ivory N. Matthews, Interim Executive of Columbia Housing. And, by the way, I've got a bill to expand it to include Other-Than-Honorable discharged veterans because a lot of these folks get PTSD and then they get booted out of the military through no fault of their own through their experience. So the question is, right now, how effective is that program in meeting the needs of homeless veterans?\nSenator Tester recently introduced the Veteran Housing Opportunities and Unemployment Support Extension (HOUSE) Act, a bipartisan bill allowing veterans with Other-Than-Honorable discharges to participate in the HUD-VASH program. Specifically, it expands access to vital HUD-VASH case management services, connecting chronically homeless veterans with the resources they need to find employment and housing. Tester also introduced Tribal HUD-VASH, which provides rental assistance for homeless or at-risk Native veterans and will improve case management services, provide housing for eligible homeless Native veterans by mandating federal agencies to work cooperatively and ensure program accountability through Congressional reporting.\nDuring the hearing, Tester talked broadly about Montana's affordable housing crises and the effect it has on the state's economy: We've got issues with affordable housing and workforce housing throughout this country. It doesn't matter if you're talking urban areas or rural areas. In fact, I would say that in Montana, it's probably the biggest inhibitor for economic development that we have right now because there's simply not any housing.\nTester is a strong advocate for expanding affordable housing opportunities in Montana. Through his position on the Senate Appropriations Committee, he played a key role in negotiating a bipartisan budget deal that made substantial investments into affordable housing initiatives including the HOME and CDBG programs. Earlier this year he helped secure more than $4 million for Public Housing Authorities across Montana and more than $26 million for affordable housing in Indian Country.\nRead more about Tester's efforts to expand affordable housing in Montana HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7082", "Missoula to Receive $13 Million Department of Transportation BUILD Grant for Infrastructure After Tester Advocacy [press_release]", "2019-11-06", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Missoula County will receive a $13 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Mullan BUILD project, after a sustained push from U.S. Senator Jon Tester.\nTester fought for the project at the federal level, meeting with the Missoula County Commissioners and other local advocates in his office in Washington, penning a letter of support to the Department of Transportation, and personally calling Secretary Elaine Chao.\nThis grant is big news for anyone who lives, works, or does businesses in and around Missoula, and I'm glad the federal government agrees, said Tester. It's a much-needed project that will help make housing more affordable, and improve roads and other infrastructure critical to keep Missoula thriving.\nThe proposed Mullan BUILD project will provide valuable access to nearly 1,500 acres of undeveloped residential, commercial, and industrial land. The extended transportation infrastructure would enable new industry to set up shop in a focused area close to other businesses and employees. It would avoid the type of leap-frog development that stresses rural roads and would provide more, safer options for multi-modal travel. Funding for the project will boost the efficiency of the area's transportation network as well as facilitate the transit of goods and people within the region.\nThe project will also help make possible the new Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) for veterans in Missoula. The new clinic, which Tester fought to secure in bipartisan legislation passed by the Senate in 2017, will serve more than 47,000 veterans in the area and allow VA to expand its current Primary Care, Mental Health, and Specialty Care services.\nTester has led the charge to make substantial investments into Montana's outdated infrastructure. He was instrumental in negotiating a bipartisan budget deal earlier this year, providing critical funding for infrastructure programs across the country. In the same funding agreement, he secured millions of dollars for infrastructure projects in Indian Country. This year alone, he has secured tens of millions in funding for airport infrastructure projects across Montana.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7083", "Tester Announces $3.5 Million for Environmental Protection Center at Chief Dull Knife College [press_release]", "2019-11-06", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that the National Science Foundation has awarded $3.5 million in grants to Chief Dull Knife College in Lame Deer to help establish a fully equipped, industry-standard environmental protection center for water quality research and landscape monitoring on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation and surrounding areas.\nAccess to clean, safe water is a fundamental right, and these funds will help Chief Dull Knife College complete critical water quality monitoring and assessment for residents of Northern Cheyenne, said Tester. \"This new center will provide students in Indian Country with the opportunity to perform cutting-edge STEM research that will hone their professional skills and have a direct impact on improving the health of their community.\nThis research center will fill a critical role in the STEM education pipeline for Native students and provide a space for Tribal government, Tribal Colleges, and industry partners to engage with students on environmental issues and strategies. The center will also serve as a clearinghouse for physical data as well as a hub for land management discussions, training, and environmental studies.\nTester has fought hard to ensure Montana's Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) have the resources they need to best serve their communities and strengthen their economies. This week, Tester led 37 of his colleagues in sending a letter to Senate Leadership demanding the renewal of critical federal funding for Montana's TCUs. He recently reintroduced his Native Educator Support and Training (NEST) Act to recruit more Native American teachers and retain qualified educators in Indian Country, and he was instrumental in negotiating a budget deal that brought millions to Native American education programs earlier this year. In August, Tester announced $3.5 million for Salish Kootenai College's indigenous research center, which also focuses on growing STEM opportunities and research in Tribal communities.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7081", "Tester Leads Colleagues in Push to Renew Funding for Montanas Tribal Colleges and Universities [press_release]", "2019-11-04", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester, along with Alabama Senator Doug Jones, is leading a group of 36 colleagues in a new push to fund Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs). In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the senators called for the immediate passage of the Tester-backed, bipartisan FUTURE Act, which would reauthorize $255 million in mandatory federal funding for these institutions, which expired on September 30, 2019. The House of Representatives approved the legislation unanimously in September.\nHistorically Black College and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and minority serving institutions (MSIs) are an essential component of America's higher education and workforce development system, Tester and his colleagues wrote. Given the importance of this funding to hundreds of institutions and millions of students, we request that the Senate delay no longer and take up the bipartisan FUTURE Act immediately to avoid permanent damage to our nation's colleges.\nTester has been an avid supporter of education initiatives in Indian Country. He recently reintroduced his Native Educator Support and Training (NEST) Act to recruit more Native American teachers and retain qualified educators in Indian Country, and he was instrumental in negotiating a budget deal that brought millions to Native American education programs earlier this year.\nThe loss of these funds would be huge for Montana Tribal Colleges, said David Yarlott, Jr., President of Little Big Horn College. The funds are used to support many critical functions of the institutions, of which many would be discontinued if the funds were no longer availableA loss of the funds would drastically impact services at TCUs.\nFUTURE Act funding is critical for TCUs, said Sandra Boham, President of Salish Kootenai College and Chair of the Montana Tribal College President's Association. Already operating on finite resources, these funds allow institutions to expand and strengthen, shoring up student services to meet the unique needs of our communities. We are in full support of reauthorization of this vital funding.\nMontana is home to seven Tribal Colleges and Universities, the most of any state. These institutions serve thousands of Native students and hundreds of non-Native students each year. Across the country, there are 37 Tribal Colleges and Universities operating 75 campuses in 16 states.\nFull text of the letter can be found HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7080", "Stop turning your backs on Vietnam vets who are suffering Tester, Colleagues Slam Acting White House Chief Mulvaney [press_release]", "2019-11-01", "2019", "2019-11", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and his colleagues are refusing to back down from their fight to ensure Vietnam veterans suffering from toxic exposure to Agent Orange receive necessary benefits and care from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).\nTester led four colleagues on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee in a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) today urging Director and Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney to stop blocking the inclusion of Bladder Cancer, Hypothyroidism, Parkinsonism, and Hypertension on VA's presumptive list as it relates to Agent Orange exposure. Expanding the list of conditions would provide disability compensation and health benefits for more than 80,000 veterans currently suffering from these health conditions.\nNo more excuses, the Senators demanded in their letter. Stop turning your backs on thousands of Vietnam-era Veterans across the country who are suffering and dying from significant health conditions directly associated with their service to our nation and their exposure to toxic herbicides. Stop denying the overwhelming scientific evidence provided to you by countless veterans and medical experts  the same evidence cited by the previous VA Secretary, who attempted to add these medical conditions to the presumptive list more than two years ago. These veterans and their families have already sacrificed a great deal. They should not be forced to wait one minute longer.\nThe National Academies of Medicine (NAM) issued the Veterans and Agent Orange Update 2014 on March 10, 2016, listing Hypothyroidism and Bladder Cancer as having limited or suggestive evidence of an association to Agent Orange exposure. In addition, this report broadened the definition of Parkinson's disease, which also was in the limited or suggestive evidence of an association category, to include Parkinson-like symptoms or Parkinsonism. NAM later issued the Veterans and Agent Orange Update 11 on November 15, 2018, which found even greater scientific evidence that Agent Orange causes Hypertension in Vietnam Veterans.\nIn addition to Tester, the letter was signed by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).\nFor years, Tester has fought tirelessly in Congress to make sure Vietnam Veterans get the treatment and benefits they have earned. In September 2018, Tester led Democratic Senators in detailing the lack of movement from VA on adding health-related outcomes to the presumptive list for herbicide exposure. They also pushed the Department to follow through on self-imposed deadlines, as proposed in a letter sent by Secretary Wilkie at the beginning of this year. In September 2017, Tester led a group of Senators in demanding VA make a decision on the NAM report. He repeated the call to act in March 2018. He additionally urged the Office of Management and Budget to assist VA in expanding the list of presumptive medical conditions in April 2018.\nRead the full letter to Acting White House Chief of Staff Mulvaney HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7075", "Tester Working to Bring COOL Back to Washington  Boost American Agriculture [press_release]", "2019-10-31", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Aiming to Make COOL Cool Again and boost Montana's agricultural producers, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today introduced a Senate resolution to support reinstating country of origin labeling for beef and pork.\nCountry of origin labeling, or COOL, are laws and regulations that require retailers to inform customers what country certain commodities originated in, giving shoppers more information and allowing producers to compete in a more transparent marketplace.\n\"Our farmers and ranchers produce the best agricultural products in the world,\" Tester said. \"Consumers want to buy those American-made products, and country of origin labeling lets producers show their product was raised right here in America-and ensures folks can make informed choices about the food they buy.\"\nCOOL regulations are currently in effect for several products, including chicken, lamb, goat, farm-raised and wild caught fish and shellfish, and most nuts. But in 2015, Congress repealed the law requiring the labels for beef and pork, reducing the competitive advantage for American-made beef and pork products-a decision Tester opposed. That decision has been blamed for tumbling prices and forces American producers to compete with foreign meat without any way of showing where their product came from.\nMontana agricultural groups cheered Tester's resolution, and Walter Schweitzer, President of the Montana Farmers Union, said he appreciated Tester's collaborative approach to tackling the issue.\n\"Montana Farmers Union, in collaboration with National Farmers' Union, led the fight for COOL. We are pleased to see the commitment on the part of Senator Tester to introduce this resolution,\" Schweitzer said. \"Consumers deserve to know where their food comes from and they don't appreciate being misled on the origin of beef and pork, which in turn not only hurts the consumer, but also producers. Montana family farmers received historically high prices for all of our commodities while COOL was enforced and yet consumers are paying more for a steak today than when we had COOL. Meanwhile meat packers are making record profits today at the expense of family farms and the consumer.\"\nThe importance of a country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for beef cannot be overstated,\" said Bill Bullard, CEO of R-CALF USA. \"It is the only tool available to U.S. cattle farmers and ranchers to enable them to effectively compete against the growing tide of cheaper, undifferentiated beef imports in the U.S. marketplace.  R-CALF USA appreciates Senator Tester's leadership in demonstrating the importance of establishing a national system so hard-working American cattle farmers and ranchers can distinguish their superior beef products in the U.S. marketplace.\"\n\"Montana Cattlemen's Association is very disappointed that President Trump did not reinstate COOL as part of the NAFTA/USMCA renegotiation,\" said Jan McDonald of the Montana Cattlemen's Association. \"Passage of this resolution will make it clear that Congress supports US beef and pork producers and understands that consumers have the right to know and choose what they purchase.\"\n\"Consumers are increasingly seeking out more information on the products they choose to feed their families,\" said Leo McDonnell, Director Emeritus of the U.S. Cattlemen's Association. \"The U.S. produces the highest quality, safest, and most eco-conscious beef in the world. U.S. cattle producers deserve the opportunity to showcase their product in the retail marketplace. We're incredibly grateful for Senator Jon Tester continuing to champion Truth in Labeling efforts through the introduction of this resolution. We ask other Senators will follow his lead and choose to stand with American consumers and ranching families.\"\n\"Family Farm Action strongly supports Senator Tester's resolution for the Country of Origin Labeling on beef and pork,\" said Jake Davis, National Policy Director for Family Farm Action. \"This simple but powerful action provides fairness for American family farmers and transparency for American consumers. Farmers and ranchers deserve a level playing field and consumers deserve the choice to buy United State born, raised and processed meat.\"\n\"Country-of-Origin Labeling supports our rural livelihoods and Ag families,\" said Jeanie Alderson, a rancher from Birney, Mont. and a member of the Northern Plains Resource Council. \"When we had COOL in 2014, we saw hundreds of thousands of dollars going into rural communities across Montana and bolstering our local economies as a result of higher prices. Senator Tester's resolution works to bring back COOL to support our country's hard working ranchers. Consumers deserve the right to know where their meat comes from, and ranchers deserve the right to an honest market.\"\nTester's resolution is available HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7076", "Senate Passes Tester Fix Cutting Red Tape for Public Access at Agriculture Research Service Facilities [press_release]", "2019-10-31", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The U.S. Senate today passed a measure written by U.S. Senator Jon Tester that cuts bureaucratic red tape impeding public access to lands on Agriculture Research Service facilities like Fort Keogh in Miles City. The amendment was included in a Fiscal Year 2020 Appropriations Package, which passed the Senate by a vote of 84-9.   \"Washington bureaucrats shouldn't stand in the way of local ARS facilities providing public access to lands where folks have hunted and fished for decades,\" said Tester. \"My measure will allow facilities like Fort Keogh to work with local stakeholders to improve public access in a way that works best for the community and for the ARS.\" Montanans had long used a public access point at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Fort Keogh facility to access hunting, fishing, and recreational opportunities on the Lower Yellowstone River. However, due to vandalism to USDA property and subsequent bureaucratic delays around reopening the site, public access at the site has been closed since 2013.  Senator Tester's measure eliminates the red tape within the USDA, helping clear the way for allowing public access at ARS facilities like Fort Keogh.  As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Tester has been a longtime advocate for Fort Keogh, and has repeatedly secured full funding for the facility despite attempts by the Trump Administration to close it. Tester has also been a steadfast champion for public lands access. He has been the only member of Montana's Congressional delegation who has consistently fought on behalf of reauthorizing and fulling funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which is one the best conservation tools Montanans have to increase public access to public lands. Text of Senator Tester's amendment can be found HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7077", "Tester Slams Attempt to Gut Land and Water Conservation Fund [press_release]", "2019-10-31", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today slammed a proposed amendment by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) that would prevent the critical Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) from acquiring land, stripping the program of one of its key functions. Recent LWCF land acquisitions in Montana include 8,200 acres of prime elk habitat in Tenderfoot Creek, 6,400 acres in the Stillwater State Forest, and 422 acres on the Falls Creek Property along the Rocky Mountain Front, in addition to parks, soccer fields, and fishing sites across the state.  \"This dangerous amendment would cripple LWCF, and Montana's $7 billion outdoor recreation industry would be worse off for it,\" Tester said. \"I'm going to be focusing on building up this critical program and fighting for the full $900 million in funding it deserves, instead of gutting it from the inside out.\" Established in 1964, the LWCF is a critical conservation tool that uses revenues from oil and gas leasing to fund conservation and recreation priorities across the nation. Congress permanently reauthorized the program this year, but it has yet to be funded at an acceptable level. President Trump proposed cutting the LWCF budget by 98 percent this spring, and the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee set its funding at just $524 million - less than two-thirds of the authorized $900 million. Since its creation, the LWCF has invested more than $540 million into Montana's $7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy. Tester successfully fought to secure $425 million in funding for the LWCF in the March 2018 budget bill after the Trump Administration pushed to gut the program, and he was the only member of Montana's delegation to vote for that funding. He then secured an additional $10 million in LWCF funding in the February appropriations package, bringing the total to $435 million for 2019. Tester originally introduced the Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act in 2009 to permanently reauthorize and fully fund the critical conservation initiative and has reintroduced it every Congress since:", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7079", "Tester Scores Wins for Montana as Annual Spending Bill Passes Senate [press_release]", "2019-10-31", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following the Senate's passage of several annual spending bills, U.S. Senator Jon Tester is celebrating the inclusion of a number of provisions that will provide critical funding to Montana agriculture, infrastructure, public lands, and Indian Country.\nThis bipartisan spending bill will help us make smart investments in Montana's agriculture, infrastructure, public lands, safety, and Indian Country, said Tester. Though it's still missing full funding for programs like LWCFwhich the Majority Leader refuses to bring up for a voteit will help keep roofs over heads and gas in the tank for families all across the Big Sky.\nTester also successfully attached two amendments to today's bills, the first to address a longstanding public access issue at the Agricultural Research Facility in Miles City, and the second to increase funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Anti-meth program to $13 million.  He also supported amendments to increase funding for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network to $8 million, as well as to require the United States Department of Agriculture to prioritize staffing issues within the Rural Housing Service.\nAs a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Tester is responsible for writing the 12 appropriations bills that fund the government each year. Today, the Senate passed a minibus funding package of four appropriations bills that includes many provisions that will directly benefit Montana.\nAgriculture\n \nFunding for new employees and requiring a report on all vacancies, including at the Agricultural Research Station in Sidney.\n$16.5 million to promulgate and implement a federal hemp plan, as well as $2.5 million for research on hemp production systems. The bill provides access to guaranteed loans for hemp producers, and encourages hemp research and education.\nAcknowledgement of a trade barrier related to herbicide tolerances, and recognizes the need for research into contamination sources, encourages the Agriculture Secretary to provide competitive grants to study the issue.\nLanguage underscoring the severe cattle losses in a few regions, including the Rocky Mountains. The language encourages USDA to prioritize the Farm Bill updates to the Livestock Indemnity Program so that assistance is provided to producers as soon as possible.\nPrioritization of Canadian wheat grading, as well as the Varietal Registration System, because Canada maintains a VRS that is tied to its grading system, strictly limiting the varieties of wheat that can be included in its premium classes.\nIncreases in funding for the Wheat and Barley Scab program, and funds the Organic Transition Program at $6 million.\n$5 million for state and Tribal agencies to manage chronic wasting disease in free-ranging deer populations to help contain the spread of the disease in wildlife populations in Montana and other states.\nRequire USDA to prioritize maintenance and staff needs in the Rural Housing Services.\n \nTransportation, Housing, and Urban Development\n \n$3.8 billion for Airport Improvement Program grants.\n$10 million to maintain funding for the Small Community Air Service Development Program.\n$5 million to address pilot and aviation maintenance workforce shortages.\nBoosts funding for Amtrak's Empire Builder and restores ticket agents in Shelby and Havre.\n$1 billion for the BUILD grant program.\nFully funds University Transportation Centers (UTCs), including Montana State University's consortium of UTCs on improving rural mobility.\nExempts livestock haulers from ELD hours of service requirements through FY20.\n$3.325 billion for Community Development Block Grants.\n$1.25 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships program.\n \nInterior, Environment, and Public Lands\n \n$2.7 billion in EPA state revolving funds to support water infrastructure.\n$1.16 billion for Superfund cleanup, enforcement, and research.\nFully funds the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program at $500 million.\n$465 million for the LWCF, including $21.75 million in funding for conservation projects across Montana (listed below). Tester continues to fight for the full $900 million in authorized funding for the LWCF and has introduced his Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act every Congress since 2009. He is the only member of Montana's congressional delegation to consistently request full funding for the LWCF. \n$8 million for the Clearwater Blackfoot Project in the Lolo National Forest.\n$4.4 million for the Lolo Trails Landmark Project in the Lolo National Forest.\n$1 million for the Falls Creek Access Project in the Lewis and Clark National Forest.\n$2 million for Montana National Wildlife Refuges and Conservation Areas.\n$3.5 million for the Blackfoot River Watershed.\n$2.85 million for the Lost Trail Conservation Project.\nImplements the wildfire funding fix Senator Tester fought for in the Fiscal Year 2018 appropriations bill. This frees up $2.25 billion in additional funding that Interior and Forest Service can tap into when fire spending goes above the ten year average, eliminating the need for Forest Service to borrow from its other programs when firefighting costs run over budget.\n$172.3 million for Nonpoint Source Management Program grants, helping control waste runoff into rivers and lakes.\n$25 million for monitoring and testing of PFAs across the agencies, and the bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to finalize its maximum contaminant levels for the two most damaging chemicals under the Safe Drinking Water Act.\nTransboundary Watershed Management: $1.5 million for U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamgages to monitor transboundary watersheds and continuing support for monitoring at Lake Koocanusca. Additionally, the EPA and State Departments are directed to coordinate with local stakeholders and provide a report to the Committee on remaining data gaps for the watershed.\nEncourages the Interior Department to work with the Blackfeet tribe to protect Badger-Two Medicine and directs them to report to the Committee on their progress.\nUrges the EPA to ensure that any remaining settlement funding from W.R. Grace is available for the Libby Community to conduct operations and maintenance once cleanup activities are completed at the Superfund site.\n \nIndian Affairs\n \n$158.8 million (five percent) set-aside for Tribes from the Crime Victims Fund. \n$1 million for Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) investigations and other services related missing persons and murder cases.\n$6 million for implementation and continuation of the special Tribal jurisdiction under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to help Native communities prosecute domestic violence crimes.\n$1 million for Department of Justice (DOJ) research on violence against Native American Women.\n$1 million for criminal and investigative services to focus on cold and unsolved cases.\nDirects the BIA and DOJ to improve coordinationincluding data sharing, training, and technical assistance, and other resourcesto better address and prevent these crimes.\n$419 million to Public Safety and Justice Initiatives at the BIA.\n$2 million for equipment to help Tribal law enforcement collect and preserve crime scene evidence.\n$2.5 million for BIA to operate new advanced training for detectives and forensics in the Great Plains region.\n$7.5 million to hire drug enforcement officers and assist in drug-related issues.\n$40.3 million for construction funding, including report language acknowledging the backlog of public safety facility renovations in Indian Country.\n$1 million for expediting background checks to hire new Tribal law enforcement officers.\n$53.2 million for Urban Indian Health Programs.\n$57.8 million for the Indian Health Professions program and $44 million for the Indian Health Service (IHS) Repayment Program, which help HIS recruit and retain staff.\n$11.5 million for new and replacement IHS staff quarters.\n$2 million for Native language immersion program grants for non-BIE funded schools, private nonprofits, and Tribal organizations.\nRequires BIA to conduct a study on law enforcement staffing needs and how to improve the hiring and retention of Tribal law enforcement officers.\n \nLaw Enforcement and Public Safety\n \n$3.17 billion for the Crime Victim Fund, which includes the five percent set-aside for Tribes.\n$500 million for the Violence Against Women Act, which includes $43.5 million for victims services and violence prevention in rural communities and $36.5 million for transitional housing.\n$454 for Byrne JAG program to provide flexible funding to help local law enforcement reduce crime in their communities.\n$27.5 million to help law enforcement purchase bullet proof vests.\n$100 million to address and prevent school violence.\n$173 million to clear sexual assault and DNA evidence backlogs.\n$27 million for the Victims of Child Abuse Act to ensure that these crimes are investigated appropriately and victims have the resources they need.\n$80 million for Drug Courts and $23 million for Veterans Treatment Courts.\n \nTester, a senior member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, has been a fierce advocate for ensuring that spending in Washington reflects Montana values. Last month, he worked with a bipartisan group of Senators to pass infrastructure, environment, and Indian affairs funding packages through the committee. He also led a small group of Senators in ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history by negotiating a bipartisan funding bill at the beginning of the year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7073", "Tester, Daines Amendment Would Invest $13 Million in Local Efforts to Combat Meth Epidemic [press_release]", "2019-10-30", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tester, Daines Amendment Would Invest $13 Million in Local Efforts to Combat Meth Epidemic \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n  \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t The COPS Anti-Methamphetamine Task Forces Program helps local law enforcement agencies interdict the manufacture, distribution of meth \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines this week attached a bipartisan amendment to the 2020 partial government spending package that would boost funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Anti-Methamphetamine Program to $13 million, up from $8 million last year.\nOur local law enforcement agencies are fighting back against Montana's meth epidemic every day, and we need to give them more tools to get the job done, said Tester. This funding will help the folks on the front lines stop the flow of meth into our communities and bring the perpetrators to justice.\nMontana families and communities are being devastated by the ongoing meth epidemic, Daines said. This bipartisan amendment gets our law enforcement professionals the resources and tools they need to protect our communities and ensure the safety and health of all Montanans.\nThe COPS Anti-Meth Task Forces program provides grants directly to local law enforcement agencies in states on the front line of the methamphetamine epidemic. These investments help agencies investigate meth labs, bring traffickers to justice, and interdict meth and the chemicals used to make it.\nThe Montana Department of Justice received a $946,981 Anti-Meth Task Forces award in 2018.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7071", "Following Tester Push, USDA Eases Hemp Regulations for Montana Farmers [press_release]", "2019-10-29", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following a sustained push from U.S. Senator Jon Tester, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that it will publish a new hemp rule in the federal register that will ease regulations for Montana farmers.\nThis is a win for Montana's farmers, cutting the red tape that's stood in the way of business and job growth, said Tester, who was the first member of Montana's congressional delegation to ask federal agencies to address the issue. The new rule means better access to cutting-edge research and new markets for hempwhich our state leads the country in producingand it means certainty for the folks pioneering a new crop.\nTester has been a champion for Montana hemp producers since they started cultivating the plant as part of a 2014 pilot program. Last month, he secured nearly $165,000 to research hemp and establish Canadian markets for the crop, and earlier this spring, he successfully pushed Customs and Border Protection to update their hemp guidance to allow Montana producers to purchase hemp seeds from Canada. Tester was the first member of Montana's Congressional delegation to ask federal agencies to address this issue in a March 12th letter to USDA Secretary Perdue.\nJust last week, following six months of inaction from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) on updating its hemp-related guidance, Tester demanded that they comply with federal law and cease prohibiting local banks from accepting funds related to hemp farming.\nThe USDA rule, which will have a 60 day comment period before it goes into effect, includes the following provisions:\n \nFramework for states and Tribes to draft and finalize their own hemp guidance, which may be used in place of federal guidance. The framework includes testing procedures, THC thresholds, and destruction of non-compliant plants. States and Tribes may apply as soon as the rule goes into effect.\nroducers may apply for a USDA hemp license 30 days after the rule goes into effect. The 30-day delay will help prioritize state and Tribal plans.\nAllows hemp producers and businesses to move their products interstate.\n \nHemp was removed from the list of Schedule I controlled substances nearly a year ago, following the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, which now permits producers to grow the crop. In August, the National Credit Union Administration announced that it will provide financial services to legally operating hemp businesses and farmers. The Fiscal Year 2020 Senate Appropriations package currently making its way through Congress would direct the Farm Credit Service to bank hemp as well.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7072", "Tester to Boeing CEO: I would walk before I would get on a Boeing 737 MAX [press_release]", "2019-10-29", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following the fatal crashes of two Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, U.S. Senator Jon Tester grilled Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg at today's Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing about the company's failure to prioritize safety over profit, overlooking flaws in the jets' design to get it on the market faster.\nLast year, two Boeing 737 MAX jets crashed within six months, killing 346 people. In response, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all 737 MAX aircraft earlier this year. Tester took Muilenburg to task on the company's failure to adequately inspect the safety of the aircraft or report the risks to FAA, demanding that Boeing be held accountable to the victims' families.\nI would walk before I would get on a Boeing 737 MAX Tester said. When issues like this happen, it costs your company huge. And so, you shouldn't be cutting corners, and I see corners being cut and now this Committee has to do something about it.\nThe FAA has delegated airplane approval authority to private companies since the 1950s, and it created the Organization Designation Authority (ODA) in the early 2000s so corporate engineers could oversee lower priority safety approvals, saving only critical issues for the FAA.  However, recent reports suggest that ODA designees within Boeing often face pressure from managers and rarely interact with FAA officials.\nWhen Boeing rushed to build its 737 MAX aircraft, ODA designees felt immense pressure to approve its design quickly. Boeing added an electric stall-prevention Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) to the jet in order to compensate for changes in aerodynamics and never disclosed this riskier system to FAA. This design flaw caused the two Boeing 737 MAX jets to crash.\nTester has been on the front lines of defending the safety of American consumers in the face of large, profit-driven companies. Earlier this year, he reintroduced his PICKET Act, which aims to hold corporations accountable during labor disputes, and he sponsored legislation to halt ag mergers in order to combat corporate consolidation that is draining American small towns. He has also been one of the top advocates for campaign finance reform, introducing a constitutional amendment to overturn the disastrous Citizens United Supreme Court decision.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7070", "Tester Fields Feedback in Butte at 7th Town Hall of the Year [press_release]", "2019-10-25", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester spent an hour today answering questions and soliciting feedback from a crowd of approximately 140 Butte Americans at his 7th public, in-person town hall of the year.\nThese in-person town halls are the best way for me to talk with my bossesyou, the people of Montanaabout the issues you're facing in your communities, said Tester. Anyone can come here. They don't need an invite, their questions aren't screened, and I've got to answer them regardless of what they ask. I can't hide while I'm standing up here.\nBefore opening up the floor for questions, Tester spoke about his recent efforts to bring Montana values to Washington. He highlighted his recently introduced billthe Seeding Rural Resilience Actwhich aims to curb the rising rates of farmer suicide and spoke about his actions to hold the Trump Administration accountable to Vietnam veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange.\nTester then fielded questions from the crowd ranging from climate change to taking care of veterans, protecting our public lands, the ongoing trade war, the Butte Area Superfund site, and more.\nIn response to a question about getting dark money out of our elections, Tester said: The amount of money in our elections causes paralysis in Washington DC. If we curb that influence, it would help us get a lot more stuff done that benefits normal folks, not just big donors. That's why I've introduced multiple bills to overturn Citizens United, because our elections should be controlled by the people, not big corporations.\nThis is Tester's 7th in-person, public town hall this year-following those in Bozeman, Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, Billings and Livingstonand his twelfth since President Trump took office. He has held dozens of Facebook Live town halls and public forums since 2016, ranging on topics from health care reform to Farm Bill reauthorization, VA community care, the ongoing trade war, and local infrastructure priorities across Montana.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7067", "Tester, Colleagues Condemn Administration for Ignoring Vietnam Veterans Suffering from Agent Orange [press_release]", "2019-10-24", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-Mont.), colleagues on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, and veterans service organizations (VSOs) are condemning the Trump Administration following released documents revealing that the White House blocked efforts by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to expand the list of presumptive health outcomes for Vietnam veterans suffering from service-connected exposure to Agent Orange.\nAccording to internal documents obtained by a veteran through the Freedom of Information Act, Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney and other White House officials objected to VA Secretary David Shulkin's recommendation to add three health conditions  bladder cancer, Parkinsonism, and hypothyroidism  to the list of conditions eligible for Agent Orange benefits in October 2017, denying approximately 83,000 veterans faster access to disability compensation and health benefits.\nTester, along with Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) released the following statement:\nThis was not the promise we made to our veterans who sacrificed so much for our country. It has been made abundantly clear that Mick Mulvaney and other White House officials have no reservations about turning their backs on thousands of veterans across the country who are suffering and dying from significant health conditions associated with toxic herbicides. For years, this Administration has been denying scientific evidence, refusing to pay for essential care and benefits, and abandoning our aging population of Vietnam-era veterans. No more excuses. We won't stop fighting until the Trump Administration does right by these veterans, who have waited far too long for the care and benefits they earned.\nFor over three years, VA has taken no actions on the National Academies 2016 recommendations to add bladder cancer, hypothyroidism, and Parkinson's-like syndromes as linked to Agent Orange exposure, nor has VA taken action on the 2018 recommendation to add hypertension as associated with Agent Orange, said Disabled American Veterans National Commander Stephen Whitehead. Veterans with these diseases, particularly terminal illnesses like bladder cancer, which are scientifically linked to Agent Orange should not have to wait years, sometimes decades, to receive the full benefits and health care they deserve.  It's time for the Secretary to follow the scientific recommendations of the National Academies, add these four new presumptives and end the wait for thousands of Vietnam veterans suffering and dying from Agent Orange-related diseases.\nIn light of today's news regarding the continued delay to add four presumptive diseases to the Agent Orange list, the VFW is extremely upset and dissatisfied with the backdoor political games that are being played in D.C. as the lives of our veterans are at stake, said Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander-in-Chief William J. Doc Schmitz. The health and welfare of our nation's veterans should, and must, be our number one priority.\nWe hold the Office of Management and Budget and its director culpable in the deaths of those Vietnam veterans who went to their graves waiting for their government to do the right thing and grant service-connection for exposure to Agent Orange and other rainbow agents, as recommended by the VA Secretary based on findings of the Institute of Medicine, said Vietnam Veterans of America National President John Rowan.\nCurrently, VA provides presumptions for seven of the twelve health outcomes for which the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has found a suggestive association between herbicide exposure and a particular medical condition. However, the above-named conditions have yet to be recognized by VA. In fact, hypertension is now recognized by NAM as having positive association, or an even stronger link, with herbicide exposure. A presumption of exposure means that if a veteran served in a specific area during a defined time frame, VA will presume that they were exposed to certain harmful chemicals or environmental hazards.\nFor years, Tester has fought tirelessly in Congress to make sure Vietnam veterans get the treatment and benefits they have earned. In September 2018, Tester led Democratic Senators in detailing the lack of movement from VA on adding health-related outcomes to the presumptive list for herbicide exposure. They also pushed the Department to follow through on self-imposed deadlines, as proposed in a letter sent by Secretary Wilkie at the beginning of this year. In September 2017, Tester led a group of Senators in demanding the VA make a decision on the Academy's report. He repeated the call to act in March 2018. In April 2018, Tester urged the Office of Management and Budget to assist the VA in expanding the list of presumptive medical conditions.\nAdditionally, Tester called on the Trump Administration to provide long-overdue health care and benefits to Vietnam-era veterans living with exposure to Agent Orange. He also successfully fought to include his Occupational and Environmental Transparency Health (OATH) Act into the annual must-pass defense bill, bipartisan legislation requiring DOD to track servicemembers exposures to toxic chemicals in their individual medical records. And, his bipartisan Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 extending VA benefits to veterans who served off the shores of Vietnam, was signed into law on June, 26, 2019.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7069", "Tester Grills Media Executives on Failure to Bring Local Broadcasting to Montana Markets [press_release]", "2019-10-24", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "During a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the reauthorization of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA), U.S. Senator Jon Tester demanded that AT&T/DirecTV work to provide local news broadcasts to unserved rural communities across the countryparticularly in Helena and Glendive.\nCurrently, AT&T only provides local broadcasts to 198 out of 210 media markets nationwide; two of those not being served are in Montana. Tester grilled AT&T Senior Vice President of Content and Programming, Robert Thun, on the company's inability to provide satellite services to larger communities in rural America when, at the same time, he is able to pick up service at his farm in Big Sandy.\nQuite frankly, Helenaby Montana standardsis far from remote. It's our state capitol. I think that there's a lack of desire [on the part of AT&T] to do anything about it, said Tester in response to Thun's comments that AT&T can't serve remote areas.\nThirty years ago, Congress gave satellite companies discounted copyright licenses that allowed them to serve rural areas with distant signals from New York or Los Angeles to overcome technological roadblocks and better compete with cable.  This week, the Commerce Committee debated the necessity of this provision in today's video landscape.\nTester has led the charge to provide rural America with access to the same technology and resources that are given to urban areas. Earlier this year, he supported the Broadband DATA Act, which would help improve broadband mapping and fill in gaps in coverage in rural areas. He cosponsored the Save the Internet Act of 2019 in an attempt to reinstate Net Neutrality and ensure that people in rural states have access to technology that helps them remain competitive, and he is fighting to stop rural America from falling behind as 5Gthe next generation of wireless technologybegins testing in American cities.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7065", "Tester Turns Up Pressure After DeVos Stonewalls on Public Student Loan Forgiveness Programs bureaucratic nightmare [press_release]", "2019-10-23", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After five weeks of silence from the Department of Education regarding significant problems with the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness (TEPSLF) programs, U.S. Senator Jon Tester this week continued his push for answers from Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in the wake of revelations that she blocked the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) from gathering data about student loans.\nTester first wrote to Secretary DeVos on September 10th demanding her response to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that raised significant concerns about her implementation of PSLF and TEPSLF.\nAs Montanans reach the required 10 years of service to apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, too many are finding the process to be nothing short of a bureaucratic nightmare, wrote Tester in his follow-up letter. I am disappointed that I have not yet received a response about how the Department of Education is addressing the myriad of concerns laid forth in [the GAO] report.\nTester continued: In testimony before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) testified that your Department blocked CFPB examiners from culling information about the status of the PSLF in student loan servicing agencies. In so doing, your Department prohibited the nation's primary consumer protection agency from intervening and potentially offering solutions to some of the borrowers seeking relief from their student loans Once more, the Department's lack of transparency about the shortfalls of the PSLF program is alarming. \nPSLF, and its 2018 expansion with TEPSLF, provide debt relief to Americans who agree to work in public service as teachers, firefighters, nurses, and nonprofits for ten years. PSLF is also a critical tool for rural employers who want to recruit recent graduates to fill jobs in their communities. However, the September 5th GAO report found numerous problems with the implementation of the programs, including significant mismanagement and bureaucratic hurdles that resulted in a less than one percent rate of approval for those applying to have their loans forgiven through TEPSLF in its first year. Secretary DeVos has yet to answer Senator Tester's letter demanding her response to the report.\nAdditionally, during a Senate Banking Committee hearing last week, CFPB Director Kathleen Kraninger confirmed that the Department of Education had blocked her Bureau's attempts to gather data on problems with the PSLF and TEPSLF programs. Tester grilled Director Kraninger, urging her to move forward with examinations of how student loan servicing companies were treating public service workers applying for debt relief.\nTester closed his letter to Secretary DeVos by emphasizing the importance of fixing the PSLF and TEPSLF programs: I am writing again today to reiterate the necessity of mitigating these concerns for borrowers in as thorough a manner as possible. While I appreciate the Department's workload, the lack of response to my letter of more than five weeks ago indicates to me that addressing this issue is a not a priority for the Department.\nTester has led efforts in Congress to strengthen education benefits for Montanans and led an expansion of the PSLF program to cover volunteer first responders. He is also working to address teacher workforce shortagesin rural America with the Rural Educator Support and Training (REST) and Native Educator Support and Training (NEST) Acts, which would provide scholarships, loan forgiveness, and professional development opportunities to educators who commit to work in rural schools and in Indian Country.\nRead the full letter HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7066", "Tester Backs LWCF Full Funding Efforts, Slams Congressional Leadership for unwillingness to get it across the finish line [press_release]", "2019-10-23", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Continuing his years-long fight for the full $900 million in authorized funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), U.S. Senator Jon Tester is backing a bipartisan provision to do just that, while calling on Congressional leadership to step up and pass it.\nFor a vital program critical to Montana's $7.1 billion outdoor economy, anything less than the full $900 million authorized for LWCF is not enough, Tester said. The Senate could fully and permanently fund LWCF tomorrow, if Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stepped up to the plate. Instead this program continues to languish below its authorized levels because of leadership's unwillingness to get it across the finish line.\nLast month, Tester defended Montana's outdoor heritage and called on Congressional leaders in both parties to fully fund LWCF as they set their 2020 federal funding priorities, calling this a historic opportunity to reach the landmark conservation program's full potential to expand access to public lands for future generations.\nEstablished in 1964, the LWCF is a critical conservation tool that uses revenues from oil and gas leasing to fund conservation and recreation priorities across the nation. Congress permanently reauthorized the program this year, but it has yet to be funded at an acceptable level. President Trump proposed cutting the LWCF budget by 98 percent this spring, and the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee set its funding at just $524 million  less than two-thirds of the authorized $900 million.\nSince its creation, the LWCF has invested more than $540 million into Montana's $7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy. Tester successfully fought to secure $425 million in funding for the LWCF in the March 2018 budget bill after the Trump Administration pushed to gut the program, and he was the only member of Montana's delegation to vote for that funding. He then secured an additional $10 million in LWCF funding in the February appropriations package, bringing the total to $435 million for 2019.\nTester originally introduced the Land and Water Conservation Authorization and Funding Act in 2009 to permanently reauthorize and fully fund the critical conservation initiative and has reintroduced it every Congress since:", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7063", "Tester Secures More Than $6 Million for Rural Water and Waste Disposal Infrastructure [press_release]", "2019-10-22", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester secured funding for much-needed improvements to water and wastewater infrastructure to help create, restore, and clean lagoons, as well as ensure clean, accessible drinking water and wastewater removal across rural Montana.\nTester helped secure more than $6 million$1.498 million in grant funding and $4.788 in loansfrom the United States Department of Agriculture's Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program to improve water systems in Simms, Absarokee, and Broadview, Montana.\nWhether it's used to grow our crops or sustain our families, clean water and waste disposal are critical to Montana's frontier communities, Tester said. These investments will help Simms, Absarokee, and Broadview upgrade their water infrastructure, improving conditions for small business owners, farmers, and families who depend on clean, reliable drinking water in their homes.\nThe funding will go to support projects, some already underway, in the following communities:\nSimms\n$100,000 in loans and $374,000 in grants to support the second phase of infrastructure development, focusing on removing lagoon sludge, distributing cleaned lagoon water to nearby agricultural lands, lining lagoons to prevent leakage, and creating better interpond control structures.\nAbsarokee\n$4.1 million in loans and $408,000 in grants to improve the wastewater system in Absarokee, which will be used to create a new lagoon and upgrade the efficiency of the current treatment system to safeguard water quality.\nBroadview\n$588,000 in loans and $916,000 in grants for Broadview to upgrade their existing drinking water storage tank to one with a larger capacity and connect transmission lines from the existing system to the new tank.\nEnsuring all Montanans have access to clean water for their homes and crops is a top priority for Tester. This year he has already secured more than $2 million to upgrade Geraldine's outdated water and wastewater infrastructure, and in 2018 secured over $20 million for rural water infrastructure improvements. In 2018, he also helped to pass the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act to upgrade water systems, expanding access and ensuring quality.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7044", "Tester Demands Regulators Allow Hemp Producers to Bank Locally, Slams Agency for Disregarding Federal Law [press_release]", "2019-10-18", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following six months of inaction from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) on updating its hemp-related guidance, U.S. Senator Jon Tester is demanding that they comply with federal law and cease prohibiting local banks from accepting funds related to hemp farming.\nMontana leads the nation in hemp production, planting more than 40,000 acres in 2019, Tester wrote to FinCEN Director Ken Blanco. Yet, as producers pioneer a new crop, they are shut out of the banks that they have worked with for generations. I am hearing from folks across Montana that their banks will not accept funds related to hemp farming, fearing enforcement action from their regulators especially as most farmers are harvesting their very first hemp crop, it is absolutely unacceptable to deny legally available services to those who need them.\nFinCEN is among the last regulators to implement year-old laws allowing farmers to produce hemp, preventing many financial institutions from banking hemp due to fear of enforcement action from the organization. FinCEN is refusing to update its guidance until a USDA federal hemp plan is released.\nHemp was removed from the list of Schedule I controlled substances nearly a year ago, following the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, which now permits producers to grow the crop. In August, the National Credit Union Administration announced that it will provide financial services to legally operating hemp businesses and farmers. The Fiscal Year 2020 Senate Appropriations package currently making its way through Congress would direct the Farm Credit Service to bank hemp as well.\nTester has been a champion for Montana hemp producers since they started cultivating the plant as part of a 2014 pilot program. Last month, he secured nearly $165,000 to research hemp and establish Canadian markets for the crop, and earlier this spring, he successfully pushed Customs and Border Protection to update their hemp guidance to allow Montana producers to purchase hemp seeds from Canada. Tester was the first member of Montana's Congressional delegation to ask federal agencies to address this issue in a March 12th letter to USDA Secretary Perdue.\nYou can read Tester's letter to FinCEN Director Blanco HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7045", "Tester Announces More Than $100,000 in Adaptive Sports for Disabled Veterans in Montana [press_release]", "2019-10-18", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced more than $103,000 has been awarded to help disabled veterans in Montana improve their independence, well-being, and quality of life through adaptive sports and therapeutic arts programs.\nThis funding comes from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Adaptive Sports Grant Program, which provides grants across the country to support veteran mental health. Of the total, $75,000 has been awarded to Horses Spirit Healing, Inc., a nonprofit organization outside of Billings that specializes in equine therapy for veterans. $28,035 has been awarded to Disabled Recreation Environmental Access Movement (DREAM) Adaptive Recreation, Inc. in Whitefish, an organization that helps enhance the quality of life of individuals with disabilities by providing year-round outdoor adaptive recreational opportunities.\nToo many of our nation's veterans return home from war with seen and unseen wounds, and we owe it to them to open every avenue possible for treatment and rehabilitation, Tester said. These grants will allow us to live up to the promises we made to the brave men and women who served, by giving veterans the opportunity to pursue alternative therapies that work for them closer to home.\nAs someone who has been raised around horses all my life, I know firsthand the value and healing power that equestrian therapy can have on a veteran, said Horses Spirit Healing co-founder Barbara Skelton. At Horses Spirits Healing, we help disabled veterans transition back to civilian life after their military service find the ability to heal through equine therapy. I thank Senator Tester for his continued advocacy and unyielding commitment to connecting veterans in Montana with the therapy they need.\n\"We are thrilled to receive another VA Adaptive Sports Grant award for 2019-2020, said DREAM Adaptive Recreation Executive Director Julie Tickle. The VA Adaptive Sports Grant has been critical in helping us expand our services to Montana Veterans. Outdoor recreation provides more than just physical health benefits it provides an opportunity for veterans to reintegrate into the larger community, build relationships, and focus on mental and emotional well-being. We hope our programs encourage veterans to fully live their lives post injury or illness. It's an honor to provide our services to such a deserving population.\"\nAs a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Tester has continuously fought to increase funding for adaptive recreation opportunities for disabled veterans. Earlier this year, he sent letters of support to VA, urging the Department to award these critical funds to support Montana's veteran population. VA awarded 126 grants to national, regional, and community programs across the country that provide these services.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7039", "At Hearing on Housing Challenges in Indian Country, Tester Presses BIA  HUD to Cut Burdensome Red Tape [press_release]", "2019-10-17", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After hearing testimony from Fort Belknap Indian Community Councilman Nate Mount at a Senate hearing today on housing challenges in Indian Country, U.S. Senator Jon Tester pressed the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to cut burdensome red tape that has prevented Montana tribal members from obtaining home loans.\nThe fact of the matter is that if you want to have a healthy community, you've got to have housing, Tester said. The folks who are in this room and have seen the situation in Indian Country know that housing is horrible. It's just like inner city povertyquite franklyon many of the large, land-based tribes in this country, and Montana is no exception.\nTester continued: It impacts everything. It impacts getting businesses into Indian Country, it impacts getting teachers into Indian Country, it impacts law enforcement, and it just goes down the list. Everything has the foundational issue of housing and it needs attention in Indian Country.\nTester specifically pressed BIA head Darryl LaCounte on the HEARTH Act, which allows federally recognized tribes to opt out of the Secretarial approval requirements for tribal leases and implement leasing regulations to specifically meet their own needs. Last month Fort Belknap became the first Montana tribe to submit a Residential Leasing Act for BIA reviewbut BIA has repeatedly put up barriers to the review, and the Tribe's housing waitlist remains over 150 families long.\nTribal members living on trust lands face unique barriers to attaining homeownership, with approximately 90,000 Native families homeless or under-housed. Traditional mortgage lenders are often reluctant to issue mortgages to borrowers living on trust land because of the unique challenges and delays that can come with such mortgages.\nThe Department of Housing and Urban Development's Assessment of American Indian and Alaska Native Housing Needs released in January 2017 documented a need of 68,000 new units across Indian Country to address high rates of substandard homes and overcrowded conditions in tribal communities.\nTester is a longtime supporter of efforts to boost access to safe, affordable housing and increase homeownership in Indian Country. He introduced Tribal HUD-VASH this Congress, which provides rental assistance for homeless or at-risk Indian veterans and will improve case management services, provide housing for eligible homeless Indian veterans by mandating federal agencies to work cooperatively, and ensure program accountability through Congressional reporting.\nHe is also a co-sponsor of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act (NAHASDA) that reauthorizes the Indian Housing Block Grant and Title VI Loan Guarantee, which provides financing guarantees to tribes for private market loans to develop affordable housing.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7040", "Tester Seeks Permanent Fix to Transboundary Water Pollution [press_release]", "2019-10-17", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In response to a steady flow of pollution from Canadian mines to waterways in Northwest Montana, U.S. Senator Jon Tester this week called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of State to work together and identify a path forward to fix the transboundary water issue and protect the Kootenai River watershed.\nTester wrote to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, asking them to identify and implement additional monitoring to fully understand the scope of the contamination, and to work with Canada to halt the flow of pollution across the border.\nI urge you to work together to finalize and publicly release a report identifying what additional monitoring is necessary to understand the scope of contamination in this watershed, and the best path forward to coming to a thorough and timely agreement with your Canadian counterparts to stop transboundary pollution in this watershed, Tester wrote  As new mining activities are considered north of the border, we do not have the luxury of assuming selenium and other possible contaminants are not affecting waterways in the U.S. I stand ready to work with you to understand the threats to water quality in the Kootenai River watershed, and to protect that water.\nThe Montana Department of Environmental Quality has continually found increased levels of contamination, including selenium, nitrates, sedimentation, and other impairments associated with Canadian coal mining in the watershed, and just last month researchers at the EPA and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) found high levels of selenium in mountain whitefish eggs.\nTester has long advocated for a fix to halt the flow of pollution into American waters. Earlier this summer he joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in calling on Canadian officials to implement tougher regulations for rivers that originate in Canada and flow into the U.S., noting that communities in Northwest Montana depend on clean, healthy water to survive.\nAs part of the 2020 Interior Appropriations Bill, Tester secured $1.5 million for USGS streamgages to monitor transboundary watersheds and continuing support for monitoring at Lake Koocanusca, the transboundary reservoir in the Kootenai watershed. Tester also secured language directing EPA and State Department to provide a report to the Committee on remaining data gaps for the watershed.\nRead the full letter HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7041", "Tester, Bennet, Gardner Bill Bans Members of Congress from Becoming Lobbyists [press_release]", "2019-10-17", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Aiming to shut the revolving door of lobbyist influence in Washington, U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) today reintroduced legislation banning members of Congress from becoming lobbyists.\nTruly draining the swamp means pulling the plug on politicians trying to cash in on their public service, Tester said. This bill is simpleit bans members of Congress from becoming lobbyists, ensuring we're 100 percent committed to the folks we represent, not special interests.\nAmericans should be confident that their elected leaders go to Washington to represent them, not to audition for high-paying lobbying jobs for special interests, Bennet said. We have been careless with the American people's trust in our democracy, and this reform would go a long way toward restoring it. For the privilege of serving in the United States Congress, members should accept a ban on lobbying.\nI'm proud to work with Senator Bennet and Senator Tester to restore faith in government and ensure elected leaders are truly serving the people they represent, Gardner said. By blocking Members of Congress from ever becoming lobbyists following their time in office, this legislation will bring the transparency and accountability to elected officials that Coloradans expect and deserve.\nThe Center for Responsive Politics has found that, of all former members of the 115th Congress now working, 50 percent are employed by lobbying firms.\nTo help restore public confidence in government, the Close the Revolving Door Act of 2019 would:\n \nBan current members of Congress from ever becoming lobbyists; \nIncrease the statutory staff restrictions on lobbying from one year to six years;\nBan lobbyists from joining Congressional staffs or committee staffs that they have lobbied for six years;\nCreate a more accessible website for public reporting of lobbying activities;\nRequire substantial lobbying entities to report on the non-lobbyist employees they have who are former members of Congress or former senior congressional staff, and describe those employees' job responsibilities; and\nIncrease the maximum penalty for violating the Lobbying Disclosure Act.\n \nA longtime advocate for government transparency and accountability, Tester is the founder and Chairman of the Senate Transparency Caucus and strongly supports closing the revolving door between the government and lobbying firms.\nEarlier this year he reintroduced the Spotlight Act, a bill to shine a light on dark money political donors and require the Trump Administration to enforce the nation's campaign finance laws. And in September of 2018, Tester's bill requiring Senate candidates to electronically file their campaign finance reports with the Federal Election Commission was signed into law.\nThe bill text is available HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7043", "Tester on Senates Failure to Override Trump Emergency Declaration that Raids Billions from Military to Pay for Border Wall [press_release]", "2019-10-17", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tester on Senate's Failure to Override Trump Emergency Declaration that Raids Billions from Military to Pay for Border Wall \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n  \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senate had already rejected emergency declaration on bipartisan basis, after Trump veto lacks 2/3 majority to override \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tU.S. Senator Jon Tester today released the following statement condemning the Senate's failure to override President Trump's veto of a bipartisan bill intended to terminate the emergency declaration he has used as justification for raiding vital military construction funds to build a wall at the southern border:\n The result of President Trump's end-run around Congress with this phony emergency declaration' is billions of dollars diverted from our military to pay for a southern border wall that Mexico was supposed to pay for. Congress today failed to put a stop to this actionleaving billions more in critical national security projects in jeopardy. But I will keep fighting every way I can to ensure that Montana, and our military bases around the country that help defend the homeland, are protected from this short-sighted, dangerous action. \n\nDespite the Senate's bipartisan rejection of his emergency declaration in March, President Trump has forged ahead with his plan to siphon $3.6 billion dollars from the Department of Defense (DoD) and military construction budgets in order to pay for a southern border wall.\nAs Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Tester recently proposed a series of amendments to invest in real national security priorities rather than the Trump Administration's ineffective and wasteful border wall. These included preventing the diversion of $3.6 billion in critical military construction projects the President intends to use to pay for the wall, and would block further transfers by the President that circumvent the will of Congress and taxpayers.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7037", "Tester, Bennet, Moran Lead Bipartisan Push to Address Alarming Increase in National Guard Suicide Rate [press_release]", "2019-10-16", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) today led a bipartisan call for the Department of Defense (DoD) to address the increasing suicide rate among members of the National Guard. Recent suicide reports conducted by the DoD found that the suicide mortality rate for the National Guard is consistently higher than that of Active Duty and Reserve members.\nIn a letter to the Office of Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, the Senators cited potential reasons for the increase in National Guard suicide rates, stemming from problems finding full time employment and a lack of access to quality mental health care, particularly in rural areas, to the institutional and conditional isolation from the broader military community. The Senators emphasized that the unique position of National Guard servicemembers as both soldiers and civilians necessitates tailored solutions for accessing mental health care and community-based support.\nWe cannot continue to treat the National Guard as just another branch of the Active Army and Air Force while not paying special attention to their unique needs. We must ensure the National Guard has care and community that is comparable to the Active components, wrote the Senators. The National Guard maintains comparable operational tempos but lacks the support of a community that fully empathizes with their unique and sometimes isolating experience of being both soldier and civilian.\nThe Senators requested that DoD provide an analysis of the gaps in existing suicide prevention programs and the factors contributing to the discrepancy in National Guard suicide rates.\nWe therefore ask that your office prepare a brief no later than December 2019 on the gaps, if any, that remain across Department of Defense, branch-level, or interagency suicide prevention programs for the National Guard. We also ask that you provide an analysis of any explanatory factors contributing to differences in suicide rates between the Active and Reserve Component and the National Guard, concluded the Senators.\nEarlier this year, Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Ranking Member Tester helped introduce the bipartisan Care and Readiness Enhancement (CARE) for Reservists Act alongside Senator Moran, to address the high rate of suicide among members of the National Guard and Reserve. Currently, members of the National Guard and Reserves undergo annual health assessments to identify medical issues that could impact their ability to deploy, but any follow-up care is often pursued at their own expense. The Senators' bipartisan CARE for Reservists Act will authorize DoD to improve Guardsmen and Reservists' access to consistent mental health, regardless of their deployment status.\nTester is also continuing to push the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, which takes a comprehensive approach to address mental health care and prevent suicide by ensuring veterans can utilize alternative therapies including yoga, acupuncture, animal therapy, and outdoor sports and recreation therapy.\nRead the full letter to Secretary Stewart HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7038", "Tester Invites Air Force Secretary to Montana Following Senate Confirmation [press_release]", "2019-10-16", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Following his vote to confirm President Trump's nominee to serve as Secretary of the Air Force, U.S. Senator Jon Tester is inviting Secretary Barbara Barrett to Great Falls to discuss critical United States Air Force priorities in Montana.\nCongratulations on your confirmation as the 25th Secretary of the United States Air Force, wrote Tester. You are taking the helm of one of our nation's most important military institutions at a critical time, and I look forward to working closely with you on behalf of the Airmen in Montana and those deployed around the world. To that end, I invite you to visit Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Montana Air National Guard's 120th Airlift Wing in Great Falls, and to meet personally with some of the men and women who work tirelessly to keep our nation secure.\nIn his letter, Tester urged Secretary Barrett to visit the missile fields at Malmstrom Air Force Base to get a firsthand perspective of the base's aging infrastructure needs and high operational tempo of units like the 819th and 219th REDHORSE. He also welcomed the Secretary to engage directly on efforts to address the housing challenges for service members at Malmstrom.\nAdditionally, he encouraged the Secretary to thoroughly review Montana Air National Guard's aging fleet of C-130Hs: These aging aircraft, many of which are currently deployed overseas, are in critical need of additional upgrades to prolong their lifespan and to ensure that they can carry out their missions safely and effectively. For decades, the men and women of the 120th have performed their mission with distinction, and it is imperative that they are provided the very best equipment and aircraft to do their jobs.\nMontana's Malmstrom Air Force Base is one of only three military bases across the country that house Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs). As the only member of the Montana delegation to serve on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, Tester has continued to be a staunch advocate for the development of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program, which will ultimately modernize and replace the ICBM weapons system, including the Minuteman III.\nTester joined his Senate colleagues today voting 85-7 to confirm Barrett's nomination.\nRead the full letter to Secretary Barrett HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7035", "Tester to Senate Leadership: Protect Critical Funding for Rural Counties Before it Runs Out [press_release]", "2019-10-15", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator Jon Tester has joined a bipartisan group of his Senate colleagues in calling for a minimum of a two-year reauthorization for Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) and the Secure Rural Schools and Self-Determination Act (SRS)two programs critical to Montana counties' balance sheetsin any year-end legislation.\nThe Senators wrote to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, saying PILT and SRS represent a critical lifeline to rural counties across America.\nMontana counties need certainty to budget for the future, Tester said. PILT and SRS give them that certainty, and make sure folks in rural Montana don't get left behind.\nPILT makes payments to counties with large amounts of untaxable federal land for services like law enforcement, mental health programs, and libraries, and is authorized through the end of FY 2019 but awaits a vote for FY 2020. SRS compensates forested counties with federal land for lost revenue due to declining timber production, and expired at the end of FY 2018, with final payments going out early this year. Without reauthorization, forested counties will lose funding for schools, road maintenance, and search and rescue operations on federal lands.\nCongress has an obligation to ensure counties with large swaths of federally-owned, tax-exempt forests and rangelands can adequately provide essential services for their residents, the Senators wrote. Without the certainty of these two critical programs, schools, libraries, and jails will close.\nTester has long fought for PILT and SRS. He secured two years of SRS funding in 2016 and delivered $40 million in PILT funds for Montana in 2018 alone.\nThe Senators' letter is available HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7036", "Grassley Joins Tester Bill to Address Farmer Suicides as Farm  Mental Health Groups Praise Efforts [press_release]", "2019-10-15", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "As the only farmers currently serving in the U.S. Senate, U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) are receiving praise from farm and mental health organizations across the country for the introduction of their Seeding Rural Resilience Act, which aims to curb the rising rate of farmer suicides in America.\nRural America has a crisis on its handsI see it in my community, and I see it in the small communities across Montana, Tester said. Lack of resources, stalled crop prices, isolation, and the stigma against receiving mental health care have caused more and more farmers to take their own lives. This bill is no silver bullet, but it puts us on track towards giving our farmers the resources they need so they can keep doing what they do bestfeeding the world.\nFarmers are increasingly feeling the pain of sinking commodity prices, devastating natural disasters and ongoing trade disruptions. That, coupled with the largely solitary nature of farming, has led more and more family farmers to desperation and feelings of hopelessness, Grassley said. This should not be the case. This bill continues important efforts to raise awareness about this issue and provide the assistance necessary to encourage farmers and their families during difficult times.\nAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the suicide rate is 45 percent higher in rural America than in urban areas. Americans in rural communities face isolation, distance from basic health care services, lack of broadband access, stigmas against receiving counseling, and financial burdens due to stagnant crop prices. These factors cause higher rates of stress for American farmers and ranchers, making it even harder for people in rural communities to get by.\nThe Senators' Seeding Rural Resilience Act aims to curb growing rates of suicide in rural America by implementing a voluntary stress management training program to Farm Service Agency, Risk Management Agency, and National Resources Conservation Service employees; providing the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture with $3 million to create a PSA campaign bringing awareness to the issue; and directing the Secretary of Agriculture to work with state, local, and nongovernmental stakeholders to determine best practices for responding to farm and ranch mental stress.\nTester and Grassley's Seeding Rural Resilience Act has been applauded by farming and mental health organizations across the country:\nFarmers and ranchers are some of the most resilient people you'll ever meet, but the pressures right now are enormous in this perfect storm of a down farm economy, volatile weather and the trade war, said American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall. We know from our research that financial challenges impact farmers' state of mind. Farm Bureau commends Senators Tester and Grassley for addressing these challenges by introducing the Seeding Rural Resilience Act. This act will be instrumental in bringing mental health resources and awareness to rural communities.\nThe American Psychological Association supports the Seeding Rural Resilience Act intended to provide mental health resources to farmers and ranchers who are increasingly under pressure and facing the biggest farming crisis since the 1980s, said American Psychological Association CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD. Intense stress can have serious and lasting mental and physical health consequences. Agriculture is a complex profession that doesn't provide vacation time, sick days or employee wellness programs. Addressing farmers' and ranchers' stress and mental health needs requires a multi-tiered effort. This legislation lays out a plan for federal, state, local and nongovernmental stakeholders to collaborate and identify ways to directly increase access to mental health services for farmers and ranchers.\nNASDA appreciates Senators Tester and Grassley's leadership on the Seeding Rural Resilience Act and looks forward to its passage, said National Association of State Departments of Agriculture CEO Dr. Barb Glenn. Often times, state departments of agriculture have the closest connection to farmers and their personal operations, compared to other governmental organizations. NASDA members hold these relationships with serious regard, and it's because of these connections state departments of agriculture are better able to provide health and wellness services to farmers. NASDA also commends the bill's focus on partnerships with health organizations and its commitment to focus on individual care. Our industry can be large and complex, however, farmers and ranchers are always the foundation. We're encouraged Senators Tester and Grassley recognize and draw attention to this.\nEven in the best of times, farming is an incredibly high-stress occupation, said Roger Johnson, National Farmers' Union President. But this year, extreme weather events, low commodity prices, and volatile export markets have made a difficult profession next to impossible and added to an already overwhelming need for more mental health resources in rural communities. We applaud Senators Tester and Grassley for introducing this important legislation, which will improve farmers' and ranchers' access to help when they need it.\nIt's not an easily discussed topic in rural America, but it's something more of us need to be talking about: mental health, said Chris Skorupa, Vice President of Rural & Agricultural Council of America. Our industry is almost five times more likely to commit suicide than any other trade. We need to be addressing the root of the problem  a struggling farm economy  but we also need to ensure the right mental health resources are readily available for those who seek them. RACA looks forward to continuing our work with Senator Tester to strengthen the bottom lines of our family farms and ranchers, while also providing much needed support and mental health resources in rural America.\nThe legislation is also supported by the American Dairy Coalition, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Farm Aid, Female Farmer Project, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Corn Growers' Association, National Family Farm Coalition, National Sunflower Association, National Young Farmers Coalition, U.S. Canola Association, U.S. Cattlemen's Association, and the USA Dry Pea & Lentil Association.\nRead the full text of the Seeding Rural Resilience Act HERE.\nAnyone experiencing a mental health crisis can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 1-800-273-TALK, or 1-800-273-8255.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7033", "Tester Secures Nearly $1.2 Million for Montana Community Health Centers [press_release]", "2019-10-11", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Livingston, Mont.) - Continuing his years-long push to ensure all Montanans have access to affordable health care, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced $1,191,355 in Department of Health and Human Services grants for four Montana community health centers. These grants come as funding for community health centers is again set to expire on November 21 if Congress does not act. \"These funds will help ensure our community health centers can continue to meet the needs of Montanans, even when dysfunction in Washington once again threatens their ability to provide care to folks across our state,\" said Tester. \"These centers are absolutely critical to the health and safety of Montanans, and Congress needs to do its job and reauthorize sustainable community health center funding.\"    Montana ranks 43rd in the nation in oral health, and these funds will be used to help health centers to expand their oral health service capacity through new infrastructure enhancements such as modernizing existing facilities, purchasing dental and radiology equipment, increasing oral health integration in to centers' primary care, and procuring mobile dental units to increase access to care.  The community health centers receiving funding are as follows: \nBighorn Valley Health Center (Hardin): $300,000\nCommunity Health Care Center (Great Falls): $300,000\nPureView Health Center (Helena): $300,000\nPartnership Health Center (Missoula): $291,355\n \nTester has been a steadfast supporter of community health centers and improving Montanans' access to health care. He was instrumental in crafting a bipartisan budget deal that reauthorized and increased funding for community health centers last year. In March, Tester was recognized for the second year in a row as a national champion for community health centers and an advocate for Montana's patients and medical professionals by the National Association of Community Health Centers.\nEarlier this year, Tester cosponsored the Community Health Investment, Modernization, and Excellence Act to mandate annual increases in community health center funding for the next five years. He was the only member of Montana's delegation to vote to fund community health centers last year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7034", "Upholding His Commitment to Transparency, Tester Hosts 6th In-Person Town Hall of the Year in Livingston [press_release]", "2019-10-11", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Livingston, Mont.) - U.S. Senator Jon Tester spent an hour today soliciting feedback and answering questions from approximately 150 Park County residents in his 6th public, in-person town hall since the start of the year. \"In order to do this job, you've got to listen to the folks you represent, whether they agree with you or not,\" Tester said. \"These in-person town halls put me in the hot seat-folks can ask anything they want and I have to respond. By coming to a forum like this, you're helping to hold me accountable so I can take your ideas back to Washington and continue fighting for Montana.\" Tester kicked off the forum by highlighting some of his recent legislative actions including his ongoing efforts to protect public lands from outside interests. He also spoke about his work to make housing more affordable in towns like Livingston and Gardiner and pointed out his recent bill, the Seeding Rural Resilience Act, which works to combat the climbing rates of farmer suicide in the United States. Tester heard from constituents on issues ranging from public lands, to climate change, suicide prevention, securing benefits for our veterans, civic engagement, forest management, and recent U.S. action in Syria. This is Tester's 6th in-person, public town hall this year-following those in Bozeman, Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, and Billingsand his twelfth since President Trump took office. He has held dozens of Facebook Live town halls and public forums since 2016, ranging on topics from health care reform to Farm Bill reauthorization, VA community care, the ongoing trade war, and local infrastructure priorities across Montana.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7031", "Tester Backs Bill to Keep Electric Co-ops in Business, Support Rural Montana, After Feedback at Public Town Hall [press_release]", "2019-10-10", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After hearing directly from members of Montana's rural electric co-ops at meetings across the state and at his public town hall in Billings last week, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced he is signing onto a bill to protect electric co-ops from harmful provisions in the 2017 Republican tax bill.\nThe bipartisan RURAL Act would reverse a provision of the hastily-written 2017 Republican tax bill that penalizes electric co-ops for applying for federal grants, putting their tax-exempt status at risk and jeopardizing jobs and affordable power for thousands of Montanans.\nMontanans rely on the affordable power electric co-ops provide to run their businesses, homes, and farms, Tester said. The RURAL Act will make sure co-ops can continue providing critical services at a rate that doesn't break the bank, and will help them get the lights on as soon as possible after natural disasters.\nTester continued: Harmful provisions like this one  that threaten jobs, raise costs for consumers, and could potentially lead even more folks to leave rural communities for good - are why I opposed the Republican tax bill in the first place. In the future, I hope folks in Congress and the White House spend more time carefully considering exactly how their legislation will affect real people and businesses.\nUnder the law, cooperatives can only receive 15 percent of their revenue from non-members and still retain their tax-exempt status. The 2017 Republican tax bill included a malicious provision that changed the type of revenue that would be counted towards that 15 percent, effectively barring co-ops from applying for grants from FEMA for disaster relief to get power lines up and running after natural disasters like landslides or wildfires.\nWritten and passed without any public input or Congressional hearings, the 2017 Republican tax bill has been disastrous for Montana, and spawned a host of terrible consequences, including hiking taxes on children receiving survivor benefits because they lost a military parent in the line of duty, growing income inequality, and adding trillions of dollars to the national debt.\nTester has solicited feedback from constituents at five previously announced, in-person public town halls in Bozeman, Missoula, Helena, Great Falls, and Billings in 2019, and twelve since President Trump took office. He has held dozens of Facebook Live town halls and public forums since 2016, ranging on topics from health care reform to Farm Bill reauthorization, VA community care, the ongoing trade war, and local infrastructure priorities across Montana.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7032", "Tester Challenges VA to Aggressively Combat Veteran Suicide Crisis Following Reported Increase [press_release]", "2019-10-10", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(U.S. Senate) - Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Jon Tester (D-Mont.) is leading six colleagues in challenging the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to aggressively increase its efforts to connect veterans in Montana and across the country with critical metal health care.\nLast month, VA released new data detailing an increase in suicide rates among veterans in 2017. In their letter, the Senators today pressed VA Secretary Wilkie to implement proactive measures aimed at addressing the concerning number of veteran suicides. They expressed urgency in increasing the Department's efforts to protect and promote veterans' well-being.\n\"Statistics and experience show that there are many known risk factors that increase a veteran's risk for suicide,\" wrote the Senators. \"Therefore, we urge VA to implement aggressive measures to improve veterans' mental health... We must be assured that VA is doing all that it can to reach veterans at highest risk before the point of crisis.\" \nThe Senators also called on VA to deploy mental health care and suicide prevention resources to vulnerable populations including rural, women, and younger veterans. They questioned the Department's strategies and requested that VA expand outreach to women veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserve who were never federally activated.\n\"Women veterans are at particular risk of suicide compared to their non-veteran counterparts,\" they wrote. \"The suicide rate among women veterans was 2.2 times greater than the rate among non-veteran women in 2017, with nearly 300 women veterans dying by suicide in 2017. With women comprising an ever-larger segment of the active duty population, and therefore veteran population, VA needs to do more to reach out to women veterans and make them feel comfortable in VA facilities. What is VA doing to ensure the physical infrastructure, staff, and fellow veterans are welcoming to women veterans? How is VA reaching out to women veterans to encourage them to engage in VA services?\"\nTester and his colleagues additionally highlighted the need to streamline mortality data collection, analysis, and dissemination in order to better understand the scope of the veteran suicide crisis across the nation.\nThe letter was signed by Senators Michael Bennet (D-Col.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).\nRead the full letter to Secretary Wilkie HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.tester.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=7028", "Tester Moves to Crack Down on Scams Against Montana Seniors [press_release]", "2019-10-08", "2019", "2019-10", "Democrat", "House", "MT", "Jon Tester", "T000464", "www.tester.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "With reports that one in four older Americans contacted by scammers in 2018 sent money, U.S. Senator Jon Tester is backing a bill aimed at curbing the growing number of scams perpetrated against seniors.\nThe bill would establish a Senior Scam Prevention Advisory Council, made up of representatives from the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Department of Treasury, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and the Federal Reserve System. The Council would also include representatives from the private sector and consumer and senior advocacy organizations, and be charged with developing guidance and educational materials for retailers and financial services companies to help them stop consumers from being scammed.\nFraudsters continue finding new ways to scam Montana's seniors  and the data shows these crimes are on the rise, Tester said. So it's more urgent than ever that we act, and this bill is a critical startgiving the federal government and industry more tools to combat fraud and make sure seniors keep their money in their pockets.\nThe Federal Trade Commission says one in four seniors who were contacted by scammers sent money in 2018, an alarming rise compared to one in 14 in 2017. The Government Accountability Office estimates these scams cost seniors $2.9 billion annually, with the average senior losing about $9,000.\nTester is also a cosponsor of the Senior Fraud Prevention Act, which would direct the Federal Trade Commission to establish a fraud prevention office, educate seniors about fraud, and maintain reporting systems to help law enforcement find and prosecute scammers. A relentless champion for Montana seniors, Tester is fighting to ensure they have access to critical entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare. He recently sponsored the Medicare Mental Health Access Act to give seniors expanded access to mental health services, and also authored a bipartisan bill to make Medicare Part D more transparent and lower costs for seniors taking prescription drugs.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 458, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Democrat", "p1": "MT", "p2": "2019"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MT&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 458, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=MT&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MT&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 458, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MT&year=2019&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MT&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "MT", "label": "MT", "count": 458, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MT&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "2019", "label": "2019", "count": 458, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MT", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2019-10-08,https~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Etester~2Esenate~2Egov~2F~3Fp~3Dpress_release~26id~3D7028", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Democrat&state=MT&year=2019&_next=2019-10-08%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fwww~2Etester~2Esenate~2Egov~2F~3Fp~3Dpress_release~26id~3D7028&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 144.8870119638741, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}