After Securing Montana Tech Hub Designation, Tester Urges Administration to Make Additional Investment

In a letter to Commerce Secretary Raimondo, Tester calls on Administration to select Montana’s Headwaters Tech Hub for Phase 2 implementation

Following his successful push to bring a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub to Montana, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo urging the Administration to select Montana’s Headwaters Tech Hub for a Phase 2 implementation grant. This Phase 2 funding grant would fuel the Headwaters Tech Hub’s efforts to expand Montana’s existing strength in smart optical sensing technologies to address pressing priorities such as autonomous systems, national defense, precision agriculture, and critical resource management.

“Bringing jobs back to the United States, securing our domestic supply chains, reducing our dependence on China, and developing next generation technology right here at home remains critically important to our future. That’s why I am thrilled to see the work happening at the Headwaters Tech Hub, and why I stand in strong support of their application for the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Tech Hubs Program Phase 2 implementation grant,” wrote Tester.

Tester specifically noted his longstanding efforts to ensure a rural state like Montana would have an opportunity to secure a regional Tech Hub designation: “When Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, I authored a provision to ensure the new Tech Hub initiative would focus on the incredible innovation happening in rural America. Too often Washington D.C. only considers work happening on the coasts and fails to capture the benefit of world-class technology innovation happening in states like Montana. I made sure that would not happen this time through my low-population state amendment, and Montana is already proving it is up to the task of leading the way on the Tech Hub initiative.”

Tester concluded his letter by highlighting the great work that is already underway through the Headwaters Tech Hub and emphasizing his support for a Phase 2 investment: “The leaders of the Headwaters Tech Hub spent the last few months building a world-class Tech Hub implementation plan that will expand Montana’s existing strength in smart optical sensing technologies to address pressing priorities such as autonomous systems, national defense, precision agriculture, critical resource management, and more… Harnessing untapped potential in Montana will help America stay ahead of foreign competitors like China.  I am proud of the Headwaters Tech Hub team for their continued hard work, and strongly support the Headwaters Tech Hub’s Phase 2 application.  I respectfully request that you fully fund its application for Phase 2 funding.”

Tester led the charge to bring a Regional Tech Hub to Montana after specifically securing a provision in his bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to ensure the program includes rural states. Tester’s successful push to secure a Regional Tech Hub in Montana opens the door for Montana to lead the nation in critical tech development, bring millions of dollars in federal and private-sector investment, and help America outcompete countries like China.

Last August, Tester urged the United States Department of Commerce to strongly consider the Montana-based “Headwaters Tech Hub” consortium’s application to make Montana a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub. Tester hosted a roundtable at Missoula College last February to discuss next steps for securing a regional Montana Technology and Innovation Hub, and the innovation and economic growth it would bring to the state.

Congress passed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to invest in high-tech manufacturing across the country, strengthen technology supply chains, and bolster development of cutting-edge research in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Tester was the only member of the Montana congressional delegation to serve on the conference committee that negotiated the bill. Among Tester’s key achievements in negotiating the legislation were provisions that establish Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs in key areas across the country. He championed an amendment to ensure that a rural state like Montana would have an opportunity to secure Tech Hub funding, which could ultimately bring hundreds of millions of dollars in new federal funding to the state.

Tester’s full letter to Secretary Raimondo can be read HERE.