WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Senator and Chairman Gerald Gray talk progress on passage of Little Shell recognition * * * After working together to change the Tribe's federal status for more than a decade, U.S. Senator Jon Tester and Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians Chairman Gerald Gray met today to discuss the final hurdles to the Tribe receiving its long-overdue federal recognition. "We're at the 1-yard line, and I'm h  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today celebrated a major step forward towards finalization of a U.S. trade agreement with Japan. "Today's announcement is a big win for Montana ag and jobs, and a major step forward for opening critical markets for our producers," Daines said. "It has been a privilege to be the voice of Montana's farmers and ranchers during trade negotiations between the U.S. and Japan. I'm happy   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary of Defense Mark Esper urging the Department to restore full education benefits for members of the National Guard and Reserve. "The brave men and women who serve in our Armed Forces choose to serve for a number of reasons and make many sacrifices in the defense of our country," Daines wrote. "The benefits provided by the Montgomery GI Bill and   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that $2,000,000 will be directed towards strengthening Montana's air travel infrastructure at the Billings Logan International Airport. "Strong air infrastructure is vital to Montana's economy and jobs," Daines said. "This grant is great news for Montana, as it will further strengthen tourism in Montana and continue to drive economic growth for folks in Billings a  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Daines Secured Passage out of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee * * * U.S. Senator Steve Daines today secured passage of two critical bills with direct impacts to Montana communities, the Clean Water for Rural Communities Act and a bill (S.1882) to allow Sidney Water Users Irrigation District and Kinsey Irrigation Company to continue receiving Pick-Sloan power out of the U.S.  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte held his seventh statewide town hall of 2019 last night to discuss issues important to Montanans. "Last night, thousands of Montanans came together to make their voices heard. Their ideas, concerns, and opinions guide me as I serve them," Gianforte said. Pointing to poll results from the statewide town hall, Gianforte said, "Nearly 9 in 10 Montanans said they think Congress sh  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte recognized Judy Preston of Ronan with his Spirit of Montana commendation for her selfless service and for working so that no family or student in Ronan goes hungry. Judy recently concluded her two-year term as board chair of the Ronan Bread Basket, a nonprofit organization that has provided food to neighbors in need for more than 30 years. Gianforte's Spirit of Montana is a we  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte took to the House floor today to urge Speaker Pelosi to work with the White House to ratify the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), nearly a year after the countries reached the agreement. "I rise today to urge the House leaders to give farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and business owners the certainty they need and ratify USMCA," Gianforte said. Gianforte pointed   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte praised the announced bilateral trade agreement between the United States and Japan as a "major win" for Montana. "The new trade deal with Japan is a major win for Montana farmers and ranchers," Gianforte said. "The deal President Trump struck with Japan ensures Montana's high-quality ag products have access to that critical market." The deal reduces Japanese tariffs on beef,   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Senator urges VA leadership to expand the list of presumptive conditions, lift blanket stay on processing claims, and work with DoD to address issues associated with burn pit exposure * * * At a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee oversight hearing today, Ranking Member Jon Tester urged the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following statement after the U.S. and Japan announced they had reached a trade deal: "This is welcome news for Montana's farmers and ranchers, who rely on access to foreign markets like Japan to sell their world-class products. Japan is the largest importer of Montana's wheat, and plays a critical role in our state's number one industry. "I look forward to seeing the finalized details of the deal, and I hope it means the Trump Ad  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - At a press conference, Ranking Member stands with veterans and urges VA to process the claims of veterans eligible for benefits & expand the list of presumptive health outcomes related to Agent Orange * * * Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Jon Tester (D-Mont.) today held a press conference, along with Hous  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee issued the following testimony by Shane Eaton, testified on behalf of the U.S. Cattlemen's Association, at a hearing entitled "Perspectives on the Livestock and Poultry Sectors": "It is truly an honor to be invited here today as a representative of the U.S. livestock industry. I am Shane Eaton, one part of a whole family farming and ranching operation in Lindsay, Montana. I am a descendant of Francis Eaton, a passe  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sens. Jon Tester, D-Montana, and Johnny Isakson, R-Georgia, ranking member and chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following joint statement in honor of National POW/MIA Recognition Day: "Today, we remember America's bravest - those who served our country with immeasurable devotion, paying the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. "Let our nation's flag stand as a humble reminder of those service members who were unable to return home to their  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Bills considered fund TSA, FEMA, law enforcement initiatives to combat crime, trafficking, opioids & meth * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, today secured billions in funding for critical homeland security and law enforcement priorities for Montana and the country, as part of a series of bills to fund the government for the next fisca  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jon Tester is joining a bipartisan group of colleagues to call on Defense Secretary Mark Esper to ensure the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program, which will ultimately modernize and replace the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) weapons system (including the Minuteman III, at Malmstrom Air Force Base), stays on schedule. The Senators highlighted the continued nuclear ambitions  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Health care and education among victories in Appropriations packages that provide critical funding to Native American priorities * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester secured millions in funding to support law enforcement and health care initiatives for Montana Tribes as part of the annual 2020 Appropriations package. Tester also continued his push to provide critical funding for programs to combat the ong  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Grant to fund terminal expansion, improvement * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today he has secured $2 million for Billings Logan International's ongoing project to expand and upgrade its airport terminal. The grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation, and comes on the heels of more than $1 million Tester delivered to the project in July. "Montana is a growing state,   more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Legislation includes more than $2.7 billion for water infrastructure, Tester's wildfire funding fix, and protections for Badger-Two Medicine * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester today secured billions for Montana water infrastructure and water quality protections as well as big wins for Montana's public lands as a part of the bipartisan 2020 Interior Appropriations Bill. Tester also continued his years-lo  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - At a press conference, Ranking Member stands with veterans and urges VA to process the claims of veterans eligible for benefits & expand the list of presumptive health outcomes related to Agent Orange * * * Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee Jon Tester (D-Mont.) today held a press conference, along with House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-Calif.), vete  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Senators push for comprehensive fix to Trump Administration's unfair, broken policy * * * U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), introduced legislation to restore eligibility to servicemembers seeking to transfer their educational benefits to dependents. Last summer, the Department of Defense issued a new policy that requires servicemembers to  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Bipartisan bill reauthorizing four VA programs, including support for homeless veterans, heads to President's desk * * * U.S. Senators Jon Tester, (D-Mont.), and Johnny Isakson, (R-Ga.), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, applauded the unanimous Senate passage of bipartisan legislation to en  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Bipartisan bill reauthorizing four VA programs, including support for homeless veterans, heads to President's desk * * * U.S. Senators Jon Tester, (D-Mont.), and Johnny Isakson, (R-Ga.), ranking member and chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, applauded the unanimous Senate passage of bipartisan legislation to ensure veterans continue to have access to essential programs at the U.S  more

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: As cases of suicide continue to increase across rural America, U.S. Senator Jon Tester-the only working farmer in the Senate-today announced his Seeding Rural Resilience Act to bring mental health resources and awareness to rural communities. "As a farmer, I know firsthand the importance of family farm agriculture in rural America. But I also know that farming and ranching has never been easy," Tester said.   more