Tester Named 2020 ‘Fiscal Hero’ for Work to Address National Debt

Senator is the only member of Montana delegation to receive recognition

As America’s debt continues to rise, U.S. Senator Jon Tester has been named one of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget’s 2020 “Fiscal Heroes” for his work to address the growing budget crisis.

Tester is the only member of Montana’s Congressional delegation to receive the award.

“Our country’s skyrocketing debt means we’re swiping the credit cards of the next generation at an unsustainable pace,” Tester said. “That is why I strongly opposed the Republican tax bill which added more than $1.5 trillion to the debt when we should have been saving money. Now during this pandemic, we’ve got to make smart and targeted investments to support hardworking Montanans and the small businesses that need it most.”

Last year, Tester introduced a Constitutional amendment that would prevent the federal government from spending more money than it receives in tax revenue. Under the amendment, any budget that adds to the national debt must pass with a three-fifths majority vote from both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Tester’s bill also includes provisions that protect essential safety nets such as Social Security and Medicare payments, as well as maintain existing debt payments to avoid default.

Before Montanans elected Tester to the U.S. Senate in 2006, he served as President of the Montana State Senate where he helped author and pass a balanced budget every two years.