Chairman Tester, VA Secretary McDonough Tour Southwest Montana Veterans Home

Day two of Secretary’s Montana visit included tour of state-of-the-art facility with veterans, staff, and local officials in Butte

U.S. Senator Jon Tester and Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough continued their Montana tour today with a visit to the Southwest Montana Veterans Home where they heard directly from veterans, staff, and community leaders.

In his capacity as the new Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Tester brought McDonough to the Treasure State to meet firsthand with veterans, VA employees, Veterans Service Organizations, local health care providers, state and community officials, and members of the media on his first official trip as Cabinet Secretary.

“It’s an honor to host Secretary McDonough on his first trip to Montana to hear directly from veterans and advocates on how we can improve VA services in Butte and across the state,” said Chairman Tester. “Today’s visit provided veterans and local officials with the opportunity to meet with the Secretary firsthand to discuss their experiences and the impacts of this new facility. I look forward to continuing to address the unique needs of our rural veterans and ensure we deliver quality benefits and care to all who’ve served.”

Following a decade-long push from Tester, the Southwest Montana Veterans Home opened its doors last month to Butte-area veterans. The approximately $20 million facility includes five, 12-bedroom cottages along with a Community Center and will have room for 60 veterans. The new Veterans Home offers many services for its residents, including an activities program, spiritual resources, support groups, and social services.

The Senator and Secretary will continue their tour tomorrow in Helena where they will visit the new primary care clinic at the Fort Harrison VA Medical Center and host a listening session with veterans at the Montana National Guard headquarters.

Chairman Tester has been fighting to ensure Montana’s veterans and their families, especially those in rural areas, are supported during the ongoing pandemic. He worked tirelessly to ensure the most recent COVID relief bill delivered targeted resources to vaccinate, support, and protect veterans in Montana and across the country.