Tester Takes to Senate Floor to Advocate for Montana’s Urgent Needs in Coronavirus Package

“I’ve spent the last several weeks talking to Montanans about the relief they need… this bill fails to deliver it”

U.S. Senator Jon Tester today took to the Senate Floor to urge Senate Leadership to include real relief for Montana workers, small businesses, and hospitals in the nearly $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package currently being negotiated.

“I’ve spent the last several weeks talking to Montana’s small business owners, employees, health care workers, and mayors about the relief they need during this crisis, and this bill fails to deliver them that relief,” Tester said. “Instead of investing in those folks hardest hit by this crisis, it creates a nearly $500 billion dollar slush fund to bail out large corporations with taxpayer money-with virtually no guardrails on spending, layoffs, or stock buybacks at workers’ expense. I remain hopeful my colleagues on both sides of the aisle can come together to hammer out a good deal that actually works for Montana’s serious needs.”

Tester outlined his opposition to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s package-which does not address the urgent needs of the Montanans Tester has heard from-while working around the clock to craft a bipartisan compromise.

Tester has been working tirelessly to ensure that Montana is prepared to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. Last week, he urged Senate Leadership to ensure that Washington does not leave Montana behind in its response to the outbreak by pressing for this legislative package to include key priorities for Montana workers, schools, small businesses, Tribes, and local governments-feedback that he’s heard directly from folks on the ground.

Tester has been reaching out to Montana workers, business leaders, local government officials, Tribal members, and educators across the state to hear directly about the public health and economic effects of the outbreak and what policy solutions would provide the most relief.

Last week, he also held a Facebook Town Hall from his office in Washington, DC, where he fielded questions from Montanans and provided an update on his work to support folks in the Treasure State during the pandemic.