- 08.04.2023
Tester is Most Effective Lawmaker in Congress Entering August Work Period
Of 535 Members of Congress, Tester is the only lawmaker to have multiple bills signed into law
As Congress enters its August state work period, U.S. Senator Jon Tester has been the most effective lawmaker thus far during the 118th Congress. Tester is the only lawmaker out of all 535 Members of Congress to have multiple bills signed into law.
“Montanans expect their elected officials to put politics aside and deliver real results for our state,” said Tester. “That’s why I always work with anyone– Republican or Democrat – to get commonsense legislation passed that helps lower costs for Montana’s working families, ensures our military has the tools it needs to keep our country safe, and honors the commitment we made to our nation’s veterans. I’ll keep fighting for Montanans’ ideas in the halls of Congress to get things done for the Treasure State.”
In a divided Congress with a Republican majority in the House and a Democratic majority in the Senate, only 12 bills have successfully been signed into law by the President. Tester has authored two of the 12 bills signed into law.
Tester’s bills signed into law by the President so far during the 118th Congress are:
- The Veterans’ COLA Act of 2023: Tester’s bipartisan legislation to increase compensation benefits for veterans with service-connected disabilities and military survivors under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
- The Fiscal Year 2023 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act: Bipartisan legislation authored by Tester to authorize several VA construction projects this year.
In March, Tester was ranked the 4th most effective Senator among all 100 Republicans and Democrats in the 117th Congress for his successful work defending Montana and fighting on behalf of our nation’s veterans. The rating, compiled by the non-partisan Center for Effective Lawmaking, is based on the combination of fifteen metrics regarding the bills that each member of Congress sponsors, how far they move through the lawmaking process, and how substantial their policy proposals are. Tester was also ranked as the #1 Senator out of 100 who has been the most “continually effective” across multiple Congresses.