Tester Demands Congress Pass a Budget for Montana

Senator: Enough is Enough

(U.S. Senate) – U.S. Senator Jon Tester is working through the weekend, urging his colleagues to do their jobs, and pass a budget that works for Montana.

Tester spoke Saturday on the Senate Floor, on the heels of Congressional failure to pass a long-term budget that funds critical services and offers certainty to Montanans.

Last night, Tester offered a three-day funding bill that would keep the lights on while negotiations for a better budget continued, but his proposal to keep the government open was rejected.

“I rise today because like so many other Montanans, I’m angry, I’m fed up, and I’m demanding a budget that does right by them,” said Tester. “I am imploring the members of this body: do your job and pass a budget that works for Montana. Congress has failed for 112 days. The budget ran out in September of last year. Since then, there has been no progress made. None. Instead, they have proposed four short term, crisis-funding bills that fail Montanans. And I will not let Washington fail Montana anymore.”

Tester called on Congress to write a budget that funds the Children’s Health Insurance Program, prevents community health centers from closing, and provides certainty for the military. Tester pointed out that short-term, crisis funding is no way to responsibly govern.

“I’m demanding better,” said Tester. “I’m saying enough is enough. So here I am, with my sleeves rolled up, pleading with the men and women of the Senate to work, to talk, to get it done.”

Tester’s floor remarks, prepared for delivery, are below:

Mr. President, I rise today on behalf of one million Montanans, and millions of other American taxpayers, who deserve a government that works for them.

I rise today because like so many other Montanans, I’m angry. I’m fed up. And I’m demanding a budget that does right by them.

These folks are nurses and teachers in Billings, welders in Butte, Airmen in Great Falls, sugar beet farmers in Sidney, and mill workers in Columbia Falls.

When I meet with them face-to-face in town halls they are demanding better. And so that’s why I’m here today. I’m bringing their voice to this floor.

I am imploring the members of this body: do your job and pass a budget that works for Montana.

Congress has failed for 112 days. The budget ran out in September of last year. Since then, there has been no progress made. None.

Instead, they have proposed four short term, crisis-funding bills that fail Montanans. And I will not let Washington fail Montana any more.

I’m demanding better. I’m saying enough is enough.

So here I am, with my sleeves rolled up, pleading with the men and women of the Senate to work, to talk, to get it done.

Let’s sit down and write a budget that funds the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides critical care for 24,000 Montana kids.

Let’s pick up the pen and write a bill that prevents our community health centers and rural hospitals from closing. These short-term continuing resolutions are slowly starving these clinics and jeopardizing health care for 100,000 Montanans.

Let’s hash out a deal that provides predictability for our troops who are putting their lives on the line for our freedoms.

Folks, let’s do our jobs.

Passing a budget is our most basic and fundamental responsibility. So why has Congress frittered away 112 days?

It makes no sense to me and it makes no sense to the people who I proudly serve.

I’m here. I’m willing and ready to negotiate with anyone. I will work day and night to get this done.

We never should have gotten to this point.

Last night I proposed a three-day bill that would have kept the lights on and given us a few short days to reach a deal that delivers for Montana.

To my bewilderment, the Majority Leader stood on the floor, looked the American public in the eye and objected.

Folks, we gotta do better than that. We have to craft a budget that works.

Negotiating these deals shouldn’t be this hard. Working across the aisle isn’t brain surgery.

Just look at the ten bipartisan bills I’ve gotten passed and signed into law this Congress.

I have worked with the senior Senator from Georgia to do some important tough stuff on behalf of our nation’s veterans. We didn’t always agree. But we got it done.

I’ve been in some heated negotiations with the good Senator from Idaho. But in the end, we focused on the things we agree on-especially for rural America. And we did it.

And now here I am with the Senator from Maine begging you to put aside party labels, stop finger pointing, and blame gaming.

It’s not what anyone wants.

Instead, DO YOUR JOB AND PASS A BUDGET THAT WORKS FOR MONTANA AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.