WASHINGTON, March 4 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jon Tester and a bipartisan group of Senators from the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, introduced the Telecommunications Skilled Workforce Act to address the shortage of trained workers that are necessary to fill next-generation jobs in the telecommunications industry in communities throughout the country--particularly rural America. "Workforce shortages are one of the   more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Senator secured $300,000 to expand Veterans Treatment Court in Cascade County and provide critical support to Tribal veterans in need * * * U.S. Senator Jon Tester joined community members, treatment court staff, and Indian Family Health Clinic representatives to honor a class of Native Veterans at a Great Falls Veterans Treatment Court ceremony. "Veterans Treatment Courts in Montana play a critica  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jon Tester released the following statement following news that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is delaying for one year her decision to change eligibility for rural schools receiving federal funding through the Rural Low-Income Schools (RLIS) program. Tester blasted the decision last week in a letter to Secretary DeVos, and announced legislation to reverse the arbitrary decision. "This delay is  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - At a hearing on Trump Administration defense priorities, Senator defends Montana National Guard * * * At a Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, U.S. Senator Jon Tester raised concerns over the Montana National Guard's ability to respond to emergencies at home and abroad, following President Trump's move to raid funds dedicated to critical equipment and new C-130Js for the National Guard to h  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) invited high school students in Montana to participate in the 2020 Congressional Art Competition. "Through the Congressional Art Competition, Montana's high school students can showcase their talents. The winner's artwork will hang in the U.S. Capitol where hundreds of thousands of visitors will see it," Gianforte said. "I look forward to seeing the submissions for thi  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) this week recognized Dax Wilson of Billings with his Spirit of Montana commendation for his devotion to promoting blood drives, increasing awareness, and saving lives. Dax's motivation is his mother Cassidy, who developed a rare blood disorder following his birth. Her life was saved after receiving 700 pints of blood and plasma. Today, Dax is looking to showcase the im  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Montana, issued the following news release: Following up on their public meeting in Choteau, Montana in October 2019, David Bernhardt, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, informed Congressman Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) of efforts the Trump administration will undertake to improve management of Montana's grizzly bear population. In his letter, Bernhardt reflected on the public meeting Gianforte arranged with ranchers and members of the c  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release on March 4: * * * - Secures Trump Support for New Bill with Both Measures * * * U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced new legislation that will provide full, mandatory funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and address the maintenance backlog in our national parks. This legislation and announcement follows a meeting Daines held last week with President Trump and Leader McConnell to highlight   more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Department of the Interior Commits to New Direction for Grizzly Bear Management * * * U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) responded to his frequent pleas for better management surrounding grizzly bears and human conflict in Montana. This comes after Daines discussed concerns with U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt during a U.S. Senate Appropria  more

WASHINGTON, March 7 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: U.S. Senator Jon Tester is demanding transparency from the Indian Health Service (IHS) following their refusal to hold themselves accountable by making public a report that details their decades-long mishandling of convicted sex-offender Dr. Stanley Patrick Weber. In a recent letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Tester called on IHS--which operates within the Department of Hea  more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following statement after President Trump finally called to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund: * * * - President Trump's FY 2021 budget proposal slashed LWCF by 97 percent to just $14.7 million * * * "After years of trying to gut LWCF, I'm thrilled that President Trump reversed course and now wants to sign my bipartisan permanent full funding bill into law". "I'm hopeful Mitch McConnell will drop his opposition to   more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release on March 4: * * * - Senator has led push for full, permanent LWCF funding since 2009, now supported by Trump, McConnell * * * After years leading the push to protect our nation's public lands and Montana's $7.1 billion outdoor recreation economy, U.S. Senator Jon Tester celebrated the announcement of bipartisan legislation that mirrors his own--now supported by President Donald Trump and Majority Leader Mitc  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- The Senate Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee on Water and Power issued the following testimony on March 4 by Stephanie Criswell, vice chair of the Western Invasive Species Council and invasive species program manager for Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, at a hearing to examine the impact of invasive species on Bureau of Reclamation facilities and management of water resources in the West: I am Stephanie Criswell, Vice Chair of the Western   more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - Delegation nominated class of 2024 students for Army, Navy, Air Force, and Merchant Marine Academies * * * U.S. Senators Jon Tester and Steve Daines, and Congressman Greg Gianforte congratulated Sheridan-area high school student Robinson Dale on his appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy. Robinson is Class President, National Honor Society member, High School Robotics Program member, and local 4  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. Jon Tester, D-Montana, issued the following news release: * * * - FCHIP increases capacity of 10 Critical Access Hospitals across Montana, Nevada, and North Dakota * * * U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) introduced legislation to extend the Frontier Community Health Integration Project (FCHIP) until August 2024, a program in ten facilities across Montana, Nevada and North Dakota that develops and tests health care delivery and reimburseme  more

WASHINGTON, March 6 -- Sen. John Tester, D-Montana, ranking Democratic member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, issued the following news release: * * * - Ranking Member recognized for significant legislative contributions on behalf of veterans and their families * * * Wrapping up a week of Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) hearings on Capitol Hill, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) awarded U.S. Senator Jon Tester the 2020 Congressional Award for his leadership as Ranking Member  more