APPROPRIATIONS

• Earned a seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Tester serves on five Subcommittees of this influential body, including those charged with funding Energy and Water Development and Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies.
  
• Supported legislation to create jobs and cut taxes for Montana families. The Jobs-Stimulus Bill, also known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, delivered over $1 billion to worthy projects across Montana and is estimated to result in over $575 million in tax relief for middle class Montanans and small businesses in our state.
  • Senator Tester negotiated with Senators from both sides of the aisle to reach a compromise on this legislation, cutting the bill down to size and focusing on projects that create jobs.
    
  • The Jobs-Stimulus Bill funded a myriad of projects across the state, including those related to water infrastructure, highways, railways, airports, public lands, national defense, ports of entry, environmental cleanup, and much more.
    
  • Tester ensured that more than $7 million in needed funding was provided to the State of Montana to create a revolving loan fund to help save Montana's timber industry, which has been hard-hit by the national economic recession.
    
• Directed over $77 million in funding to dozens of needed Montana projects as part of the Fiscal Year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that passed the Senate in March.

VETERANS

• Authored and introduced the Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act. The bill makes several sweeping changes to veterans' health care benefits, including locking in increased mileage reimbursement rates for disabled veterans traveling for care, grants for service groups that transport veterans to medical appointments, special focus on American Indian veterans' health care and mental health services for returning veterans, and more.
  
• Convinced the Senate Appropriations Committee to expand the National Guard's successful Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program to all 50 states. The program prepares soldiers and their families for deployment and returning home.
  
• With Lieutenant Governor John Bohlinger, met with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki to emphasize priorities for Montana veterans, including establishing a new Vets Center in Great Falls and a new community-based outpatient VA clinic in northeastern Montana.

HOMELAND SECURITY AND DEFENSE

• Announced extended hours for the Port of Wild Horse. U.S. Customs and Border Protection broadened the window for summer hours at the port at Senator Tester's request.
  
• Included funding for the City of Whitefish's Emergency Operations Center in the Fiscal Year 2010 Homeland Security appropriations bill.

SECOND AMENDMENT

• Authored a letter with Senator Baucus to Attorney General Eric Holder in support of 2nd Amendment rights. The letter emphasized the need to enforce current laws on the books instead of passing additional laws that could infringe on gun rights.
  
• Spearheaded a successful to get the Department of Defense (DOD) to rescind its ban on the sale of fired small arms cartridge cases. The DOD rolled back the ban within hours of receiving a letter raising questions about the ban from Senator Tester and Senator Baucus.

SMALL BUSINESS

• Held a highly successful Small Business Opportunity Workshop in Great Falls, MT to connect federal agencies and Montana contractors, design firms, small businesses, and workers as plans are laid for Jobs-Stimulus Bill projects around the state.
  • In response to Senator Tester's request, two federal agencies overseeing contracts for federal construction projects in Montana agreed to put an emphasis on hiring local subcontractors for the work.
    
• Pushed the Small Business Administration to offer working capital loans to businesses affected by a massive explosion in downtown Bozeman and a fire in Whitehall.

AGRICULTURE, ENERGY, AND TRANSPORTATION

• Passed the bipartisan Wolf Kill Bill, cosponsored with Senator Barrasso (R-WY). The Wolf Kill Bill helps repay ranchers the full market value of animals killed by wolves.
  
• Authored and passed through the Senate Energy Committee a plan to establish a new office in Montana to cut red tape and speed up work on renewable energy projects on federal lands.
  
• Secured nearly millions for improvement and expansion of airports across Montana in communities large and small.
  
• Joined Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) in reintroducing legislation to jumpstart biofuel production in National Forests. The bill would allow National Forest resources to be counted toward the renewable fuels standard in the 2007 energy bill.
  
• Met with the CEO of Amtrak in Havre to show off the benefits of the Empire Builder passenger train service along Montana's Hi-Line.
  
• Organized a town hall meeting in Bozeman to update Montanans on Amtrak's study of restoring service on a southern route across Montana.

MONTANA'S OUTDOOR HERITAGE

• Pushed for more openness and public comment on a proposed rule to allow timber companies to use publicly owned roads for non-logging purposes. The U.S. Forest Service rolled back the proposal in response to Senator Tester's pressure and a Government Accountability Office report.
  
• Chosen to serve as Vice Chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus.
  
• Introduced legislation to allow motorsports dealers to sell dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles, and parts for use by young people.
  
• Along with Senator Baucus, introduced a bill to construct the Dry Redwater Project to ensure clean, safe drinking water for hundreds of families in eastern Montana.

HEALTH AND EDUCATION

• Joined Senator Max Baucus and federal officials as a Public Health Emergency was declared due to asbestos contamination in Libby, MT. Tester helped add language to an appropriations measure to push the Environmental Protection Agency to direct their immediate attention to the situation in Libby.
  
• Hosted Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in Montana. Senator Tester and Governor Schweitzer attended a listening session on education issues with Secretary Duncan.

BANKING, HOUSING, AND ECONOMY

• Voted against further government bailouts of Wall Street and the auto industry. Senator Tester is the only Senate Democrat to vote against both the $700 billion Wall Street bailout and the bailout of the auto industry.
  
• Authored legislation to ban the practice of "universal default" -- where companies automatically changed terms of a credit card account based on a consumer's use of a completely different account. Tester's proposal was included in a large bill called the Credit Card Accountability and Disclosure Act, which passed the Senate in May.
  • Senator Tester helped draft the CARD Act as a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. In addition to banning universal default, the bill bans unfair fees and penalties, gives cardholders an additional week to pay their bills, requires more notice, and stops credit card companies from exploiting young people.
    
• Hosted Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan in Montana. Senator Tester and Governor Schweitzer traveled with Secretary Donovan to tour housing on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Tester also held a listening session with Secretary Donovan to hear directly from Montana housing officials and leaders.
  
• Joined Senator Baucus in announcing training assistance and extended unemployment benefits for laid-off saw mill workers in northwestern Montana.

INDIAN AFFAIRS

• Pressed the incoming Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, to follow through on the federal government's decades-old promise to recognize the Little Shell Band of Chippewa Indians.
  
• Brought the Secretary of Education and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to the Northern Cheyenne Reservation to see first-hand the successes and challenges related to education and housing that face American Indian communities.
  
• Reintroduced THE PATH (Through Higher Education, Promoting the Advancement of Tribal Health) Act.
  

VETERANS

• Hosted the Secretary of Veterans Affairs' delegation to Montana to meet with veterans in Billings and Helena.
• Dedicated a new federally funded state veterans cemetery in Missoula.
• Broke ground on a new VA Clinic in Billings.
• Helped secure another increase in the disabled veterans travel reimbursement rate, hiking it to 41.5 cents per mile.; Tester secured the first increase in thirty years to the VA's disabled veterans travel rate in 2007, boosting the rate from 11 cents to 28.5 cents per mile.
• Recommended and secured the appointment of two Montanans to the Rural Veterans Advisory Council.
• Passed the 21st Century GI Bill, which provides the largest increase to veterans higher education benefits since World War II.
• Secured funding for a 24 bed inpatient psychiatric facility at Fort Harrison.

HOMELAND SECURITY AND DEFENSE

• Convened a field hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee in Havre, preceded by a tour with federal officials of northeast Montana border towns, ports of entry, and border patrol stations.
• Hosted the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security's visit to northern Montana.
• Arranged the Air Force Secretary's visit to Montana to meet with Airmen at Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Montana Air National Guard Station in Great Falls.
• Held a Drugbusters Summit in Montana to bring together drug interdiction agencies at all levels of government.
• Secured $29 million in upgrades to military facilities in Montana, including $10 million to rebuild the Weapons Storage Area at Malmstrom Air Force Base.
• Signed on to the Employer Supporting Guard and Reserve Pledge to protect employment rights of Guard and Reserve servicemembers who are activated.

SMALL BUSINESS

• Held small business listening sessions with concerned entrepreneurs, small business owners, and constituents in Butte, Billings, Glendive, Polson, Kalispell, Helena, and Billings.
• Received the National Federation of Independent Business Guardian of Small Business Award.
• Joined the Small Business Committee in unanimously passing legislation to reauthorize and improve the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs.

AGRICULTURE, ENERGY, AND TRANSPORTATION

• Introduced and passed a bipartisan bill to compensate ranchers for livestock killed by wolves.
• Urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) in a way that works for Montana ranchers.
• Introduced legislation to allow a portion of beef check-off dollars to be used to promote American beef.
• Supported renewable energy, including measures to support carbon capture and sequestration and extend the Production Tax Credit and the Solar Tax Credit.
• Successfully urged the Secretary of the Department of Transportation to intercede to restore Essential Air Service in rural Montana.
• Authored and introduced legislation to cut red tape for renewable energy projects on public lands.
• Fought for and delivered increased funding for Montana's Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), more than doubling funding over the previous fiscal year.
• Cosponsored the Idling Reduction Tax Credit Act to help truckers save on gas prices by giving them a tax credit to help purchase an idling reduction device.

PUBLIC LANDS AND WATER

• Stood up for open access to public land in the face of a proposal to expand private easement rights.
  • Requested and spurred favorable action from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in the face of these plans.
• Supported the Elkhorn Cemetery land transfer bill before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
• Authored and later passed in 2009 the Cooperative Watershed Management Act which creates a federal grant program through the Department of the Interior to help fund watershed groups.

HEALTH AND EDUCATION

• Voted to stop a 10.6 percent cut to Medicare and Tricare reimbursements for health care providers.
• Spoke out in favor of the Secure Rural Schools Program, extended by the Senate through 2012.
• Encouraged greater public comment on proposed rules related to Rural Health Clinics.

BANKING, HOUSING, AND ECONOMY

• Stepped forward as a leading voice opposed to bailouts.
  • Opposed creation of the $700 billion Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP).
  • Personally met with Chairman Bernanke to discuss the economy and the Bear Stearns situation.
  • Sought an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice into the downfall of troubled investment bank Bear Stearns.
  • Only Senate Democrat to vote against both Wall Street bailouts and the auto industry bailout.
• Cosponsored and supported a proposal to ban commercial ownership of industrial loan companies.
• Supported the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 to provide rebate checks, tax assistance, and foreclosure mitigation.
• Supported the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act.
  • Introduced and passed a fraud-prevention amendment to the act.
• Introduced legislation to simplify and improve ownership transfers of rural rental properties.

INDIAN AFFAIRS

• Offered an amendment to the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to encourage law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, and local levels to cooperate with tribal law enforcement to combat meth.; The amendment passed on a 95-0 roll call vote.
• Authored THE PATH (Through Higher Education, Promoting the Advancement of Tribal Health) Act and passed the legislation out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.; The act will boost staffing and quality of care at health facilities in Indian country by creating and supporting training programs at tribal colleges and promoting community outreach for public health.
• Introduced the Crow Water Compact bill and passed it out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.
• Pressed the director of the Indian Health Service for answers about a GAO report identifying lost equipment and falsified documents at the agency.
• Cosponsored the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2008 to enable tribal police to enforce violations of federal law on Indian lands.

OTHER

• Joined Senator Hutchison (R-TX) in drafting an amicus brief in support of gun rights in the D.C. gun ban case.
• Cosponsored legislation to improve access to Senators' campaign finance statements.
• Joined colleagues in urging prioritization of trade legislation dealing with China, specifically regarding currency manipulation, unfair subsidies, counterfeit enforcement problems, and food and product safety.
  

VETERANS

• Successfully secured the first increase in the VA's disabled veterans travel reimbursement program since 1977 -- raising the reimbursement rate from 11 to 28.5 cents per mile.
  
• Increased the VA budget by $3.6 billion for 2008 which was more than what President Bush requested -- and $1.8 billion more than the budget for 2007.
  
• Worked with the VA to fund a new state veterans' cemetery in Missoula.
  
• Chaired an official field hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on rural veterans' health care with Sen. Max Baucus and Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.).
  

HOMELAND SECURITY AND DEFENSE

• Sponsored an amendment to the 9/11 Commission Recommendations Bill, which has been signed into law, requiring the Department of Homeland Security to evaluate the needs and vulnerabilities of America's northern border.
  
• With Sen. Baucus, recovered $140 million from the White House Office of Management and Budget for nearly 400 new housing units at Malmstrom Air Force Base.
  
• Passed amendment requiring the Air Force to examine ways to expand the role of the Montana Air National Guard in national defense.
  
• Cosponsored successful legislation that pumps $3 billion into Homeland Security after ensuring that the money will also be spent on the northern border.
  
• Cosponsored successful amendment allocating $20 million for a Northern Border Prosecution Initiative, which strengthens law enforcement along the border.
  

AGRICULTURE, ENERGY AND TRANSPORTATION

• Passed the 2007 Farm Bill through the Senate.
  
  • Sponsored a provision providing federal crop insurance for camelina -- a plant whose oil seed can be converted into biodiesel.
    
  • Sponsored a provision to provide assistance to farmers who want to convert to organic farming.
    
  • Supported provisions to keep open all Farm Service Agency offices and implement Country-of-Origin Labeling.
    
• Passed the 2007 Energy Bill.
  
  • Supported provisions requiring the use of more biofuels, higher mileage standards and more energy-efficient buildings.
    
  • Sponsored a provision to have the government assess the potential of all geothermal resources in the country.
    
• Hosted a delegation from Iceland to tour Montana's geothermal resources.
  
• Cosponsored and voted for $10.8 billion in Amtrak funding for 2008-2012.
  
  • Sponsored an amendment to require Amtrak to evaluate whether to restore service to southern Montana while maintaining the northern route.
    

PUBLIC LANDS AND WATER

• Toured water development projects across the Hi-Line, working with local communities as well as the Blackfeet, Ft. Belknap and Fort Peck Nations to find solutions to water issues.
  
• With Sen. Baucus, demanded that U.S. officials have a seat at the table when British Columbia discusses the possibility of opening the Canada's Upper Flathead Basin to mining and drilling.
  
• With Wyoming's delegation, cosponsored legislation to expedite payments of Abandoned Mine Land funds to states (Montana is due to receive $58 million).
  

HEALTH AND EDUCATION

• Supported the College Cost Reduction and Access Act, which increases the maximum Pell grant and halves rates on federal student loans.
  
• Hosted Montana education leaders for a meeting in Washington with Education Secretary Margaret Spellings to discuss the No Child Left Behind Act.
  

BANKING

• Co-hosted a free public investment forum in Billings and Kalispell.
  
• Took part in a hearing to investigate unfair interest rate increases for credit card holders who pay their bills on time.
  
• Introduced legislation amending the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit creditors from using adverse information such as a credit score as a reason to raise interest rates.
  
• Twice joined colleagues on the Banking Committee in writing to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, encouraging the Fed to take action under existing law to protect homeowners from the housing crisis.
  

INDIAN AFFAIRS

• Held a statewide Tribal College Summit to discuss improving tribal education in Indian Country.
  
  • Introduced legislation called The PATH, which encourages tribal colleges to promote health-related education and train American Indians to join the health-related workforce.
• Held an official field hearing of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee on rural Indian health care with Chairman Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.).
  

OTHER

• Became the first U.S. Senator to post his daily schedule online.
  
• Opened eight field offices across Montana.
  
• Enacted the most sweeping ethics reform legislation since the Watergate scandal.
  
• Raised the federal minimum wage for 68,000 Montanans, 15 million Americans.