Tester praises Montana budget support for timber industry

Sen. Jon Tester today praised the Montana Legislature for its final compromise and passage of the state budget, which includes funding from the recently passed federal jobs-stimulus money.

As a member of the influential U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Tester helped write, supported and voted for the federal jobs-stimulus bill.

“Working together, the Legislature got the job done today. The state budget compromise uses funding from the Jobs Bill to help rebuild Montana’s economy from the ground up by putting Montanans back to work," Sen. Tester said.

“I voted for the Jobs Bill because it creates jobs and cuts more than a half a billion dollars in taxes on Montanans. Thanks to this compromise from the Legislature, we will see smart, long-term investments in Montana priorities like jobs, education, health care, CHIP, clean water and healthy forests. I’m happy to see that the state budget includes a request I made—along with Sen. Baucus and Gov. Schweitzer—to use some of the Jobs Bill money to create a revolving loan fund to sustain Montana’s wood-products industry during this economic downturn. It’s a little common sense that will go a long way to help Montana’s timber industry gets back on its feet.”