Tester Delivers Major 2023 Wins for Montana, Veterans as Most Effective Lawmaker in Congress

Senator has passed more bills into law this Congress than all 535 members;

Key accomplishments include improving veterans’ health care and benefits, pay raises and resources for servicemembers, investing in Montana infrastructure;

Heading into 2024, Senator will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats to defend Montana’s way of life and bring down costs for working families

U.S. Senator Jon Tester was the most effective lawmaker in 2023, delivering major wins for Montana and our nation’s veterans. Tester has passed more bills into law this Congress than any other lawmaker and worked across the aisle to improve veterans’ health care and benefits, secure pay raises and critical resources for American servicemembers, and invest in Montana infrastructure, manufacturing, and innovation. Entering 2024, Tester will continue to work with Republicans and Democrats to defend Montana’s way of life and bring down costs for working families.

“Montanans sent me to the Senate to defend our country and fight for rural America, and I work hard every single day to uphold my end of the bargain,” said Tester. “I’m proud to have turned more bills into law than anyone else in Congress this year so that we can uphold the commitment we’ve made to our veterans, support our men and women in uniform, tackle Montanans’ most pressing issues, and keep this country the greatest in the world. There’s more work to be done in the new year to lower costs for working families and protect our Montana values – and just like with spring planting out on my farm, I won’t quit until the job is done.”

Key Tester accomplishments from 2023 include:

Upholding the Promise to Our Veterans:

• Held VA accountable to implement the PACT Act; passed multiple laws to improve veterans benefits and the delivery of VA care; and pushed VA to halt foreclosures for vets at risk of losing their homes through no fault of their own.

Keeping Montanans Safe:

• Invested in Montana’s law enforcement to protect our communities, reduce crime, and combat the deadly scourge of fentanyl.

Lowering Prescription Drug Costs:

• Took on Big Pharma by capping the cost of insulin for our seniors, requiring Medicare tonegotiate drug prices for common medications, and introducing legislation to hold PBMs accountable.

Updating Montana Infrastructure:

• Brought home investments to modernize Montana’s roads, bridges, airports, trains, water systems, and access to high-speed internet, which is lowering costs, creating good-paying jobs, and keeping folks connected across our state.

Supporting Our Armed Forces:

• Secured major defense wins for Montana and US servicemembers, including the largest pay raise for troops in more than two decades, eight new C-130J aircraft for MANG, and critical resources for missileers at Malmstrom.

Securing Our Borders:

• Stood up to President Biden and worked with Republicans and Democrats on commonsense solutions to provide more manpower and technology to support law enforcement and secure our borders.

Defending Our Rural Way of Life:

• Passed the Defending Hunters Education Act into law to protect shooting sports and hunter safety classes in Montana schools for Montanans’ kids and grandkids and fought to secure western representation on the Amtrak Board.

Investing in Montana Manufacturing and Innovation:

• Announced a Regional Tech Hub for Montana under the bipartisan CHIPS Act, which will unlock private and public investments for Montana to strengthen US national security through domestic manufacturing and innovation.

Protecting Montana Farms and Public Lands:

• Worked to safeguard Montanans’ right to our land by fighting to keep public lands in public hands and fighting to keep American farmland and agribusiness out of the hands of foreign adversaries.

Hearing from Constituents:

• Held roundtables, town halls, and listening sessions across the Treasure State focused on issues like the Farm Bill, public safety, the newly-secured Regional Tech Hub, and the implementation of the PACT Act.

Tester’s bills signed into law by the President so far during the 118th Congress are:

• The Veterans’ COLA Act of 2023: Tester’s law that provided a 3.2 percent cost-of-living increase for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation benefits for veterans with service-connected disabilities and military survivors.
• The Fiscal Year 2023 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act: Tester’s law that approved several VA construction projects to better serve veterans nationwide, including at the Fort Harrison VA Medical Center in Montana.
• FY 24 VA Extenders Legislation: Tester’s law that extended critical VA services and programs relied upon by the nation’s veterans and their families.
• Defending Hunters Education Act: Tester’s legislation that forced the Biden Administration to reverse course on their decision to prohibit the use of federal funds for school archery and hunting education classes.

A one-pager on Tester’s 2023 accomplishments for Montana and our veterans can be found HERE.