Tester Statement on Vote to Re-Open the Government

(U.S. Senate) – U.S. Senator Jon Tester today released the following statement on his vote to re-open the government:

“The Senate had the opportunity today to re-open the government and get hundreds of thousands of people across this country back to work,” Tester said. “Instead, 800,000 hardworking folks, including 7,000 in Montana, will miss a second paycheck tomorrow. Too many of my colleagues are willing to give the Administration a blank check for a border wall while leaving the very people who secure our borders, our airports, and our National Parks out in the cold.”

Earlier this month, Tester gave an impassioned speech on the Senate Floor, demanding a vote to re-open the government.

Thirty-four days after President Trump rejected legislation to fund large portions of the government, dozens of federal agencies remain closed and more than 800,000 workers aren’t getting paid as a result of the longest shutdown in American history. And with over 7,000 furloughed federal employees, numerous Tribal Nations, and two of the busiest National Parks in the country, Montana has been one of the states hit hardest by the shutdown.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, Tester helped write legislation that would provide more than $21 billion for border security and immigration enforcement. He also voted for legislation to keep the government open last month, which passed the Senate unanimously. The House passed similar legislation several weeks ago. Re-opening the government now depends on the Senate voting to send this legislation to the President’s desk.

Tester joined 52 Senators in a bipartisan to vote to reopen the government, but the legislation did not receive the 60 votes needed to move forward.