Tester Secures $2 Million in Workforce Support for Pyramid and Roseburg Mill Closures

Montana to receive $2 million in total from DOL’s National Dislocated Worker Grant program, which Senator Tester voted to fund through appropriations;

Senator’s funding will support former Pyramid Lumber and Roseburg Forest Products employees and their families

U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he secured $2 million in employment support to help employees and Montana families impacted by the recent Pyramid Lumber and Roseburg Forest Products mill closures.

As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Tester secured these funds through the FY23 government funding bill. Senator Tester was the only member of Montana’s Congressional delegation to vote for this funding.

“Pyramid Lumber and Roseburg Forest Products represented the best of Montana for decades, providing good jobs and serving as the beating heart for their communities,” said Tester. “I was saddened to hear of their closures, but I’m glad to see that federal dollars I supported will go directly to help former employees and their families. I’ll continue to be in close contact with local officials and work to provide any additional assistance to the impacted Montanans and their communities.”

The National Dislocated Worker Grant program was established under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and is funded through the annual appropriations process. WIOA programs were most recently extended in FY2024 by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024. 

At a recent Senate Banking hearing, Tester emphasized that he frequently hears about challenges with workforce housing across Montana and specifically cited the recent closure of Pyramid Mountain Lumber in Seeley Lake.