Tester Secures Major Investments in Montana Infrastructure

(U.S. Senate)-Today, Senator Jon Tester voted to invest in Montana by passing the Senate’s 2017 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations bill.

“We need to invest in our crumbling infrastructure and I am happy to see the Senate taking this seriously,” Tester said. “This bill makes meaningful improvements to our airports, our roads and bridges, and our pipeline safety. These investments will help put Montana in a better place to allow our economy to thrive.

The following Tester provisions are included in the 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill:

• Secures additional funding from the Airport Improvement Program to make upgrades at West Yellowstone’s growing airport.
• Doubles the amount of funding for the Small Community Air Service Development Program, which provides grants to small, rural airports in Montana to address deficiencies and remain fully operational.
• Includes language urging Amtrak to establish additional stops in Montana on the Empire Builder route. 
• Encourages the Department of Housing and Urban Development to reduce regulatory burdens on small public housing agencies. 
• Invests an additional $3.3 million in the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s pipeline safety program.