Tester Secures Major Investments, Advances Montana Priorities in Critical Funding Bills

Senator Fights to Include Infrastructure Improvements, FSA Funding, and Brazilian Beef Ban in Ag and Energy Appropriations Bills

(U.S. Senate) – U.S. Senator Jon Tester, a member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, today advanced Montana priorities and secured major investments in two critical funding bills.

Tester successfully included amendments to strengthen the ban on Brazilian beef imports and to force the nomination of a USDA Rural Development Undersecretary in the 2018 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. Tester’s amendments will require USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to report to Congress on specific provisions regarding the Brazilian beef ban and to restore the position of USDA Rural Development Undersecretary, which Perdue has attempted to eliminate.

“During times of drought and market uncertainty, it is critical that Montana family farmers and ranchers have the resources they need to protect their bottom line,” Tester said. “This important bill invests in agriculture research, protects critical FSA jobs, improves water infrastructure, and ensures rural America has an advocate at USDA. Republicans and Democrats support this bill because folks worked together to address the needs of rural families and rural communities.”

Tester also secured critical water and wastewater infrastructure investments in the 2018 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill. Tester helped include additional funding for each of Montana’s rural water infrastructure projects and delivered the first-ever federal funding for the Blackfeet Water Compact, which was ratified by Congress last fall.

“Montana’s rural water projects are vital to families, businesses, and family farms and ranches across the state and they create good-paying jobs,” Tester added. “The water infrastructure investments secured today will help close that funding gap and provide folks with additional certainty. Reliable access to clean water is essential for every Montanan.”

Tester worked with Republicans and Democrats to pass both the 2018 Agriculture Appropriations Bill, which funds the Department of Agriculture and other ag initiatives, as well as the 2018 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, which funds initiatives within the Energy and Interior Departments.

In addition to his amendments, Tester successfully pushed for and secured the following investments and provisions in the must-pass funding bills:

2018 Agriculture Appropriations Bill

• Fully funds the Fort Keogh Research Laboratory in Miles City. The President’s proposed USDA budget attempted to shut down the lab.
• $1.2 billion for the Farm Service Agency, a significant increase over the President’s proposed budget, which would have cut funding for the offices that assist local farmers and ranchers.
• $550 million for USDA Rural Development water and wastewater infrastructure. The President’s proposed USDA budget provided $0 for rural water and wastewater infrastructure.
• Language urging Secretary Perdue to work closely with the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative to prioritize a solution regarding unfair Canadian wheat grading practices.

2018 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

• $48 million in additional funding for construction of ongoing rural water projects in the west.
• $4.8 million for construction on the Rocky Boy’s-North Central Montana Rural Water System, which supplies water to communities, farmers, and ranchers in northcentral Montana.
• $6 million for construction on the Fort Peck-Dry Prairie Rural Water System, which supplies water to communities, farmers, and ranchers in northeast Montana. 
• $10 million for the Blackfeet Water Compact, which is the first time the account has received federal funding.
• Language that bars the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation from reallocating funding from the Lower Yellowstone Intake Diversion Dam.

The Agriculture and Energy and Water Appropriations Bills are two of the 12 annual must-pass government funding bills. Both bills were passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee today and will now await a final vote on the Senate floor.