Tester rings in new year with solstice message

Overcoming Partisanship to Build a Stronger Montana

Dear Larry,

The holidays are a time to gather with friends and family. They are also a time to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the next.

It’s been a contentious year in the U.S. Senate, but that didn’t stop me from getting work done to improve Montanans' quality of life, to reduce our deficit, and to strengthen our economy.

Republicans and Democrats were able to come together this year to pass one of my top priorities: the Violence Against Women Act. Thanks to the re-authorization of this critical bill, more resources will be available to keep women and children safe.

We also need to defeat the growing problem of drug abuse in the Bakken oil region. That’s why this summer I brought the government’s top anti-drug official to Glendive to get a first-hand look at the problem and start to take steps to address it. One result of that meeting was a community effort to dispose of unused prescription drugs to keep them out of the wrong hands.

When it comes to Montana's economy, I also worked with the Blackstone Foundation and the Montana University System to open two new centers that will help young Montana entrepreneurs put their small business ideas into action.

Montana was recently rated the number one state in the country for small business start-ups, and these centers will put local entrepreneurs in contact with the people and resources they need to get off the ground.

And when it comes to our debt and deficit, I recently supported the two-year budget agreement because – while no compromise is perfect – we must move beyond the non-stop cycle of Washington-caused crises that are holding back our economy. This deal cuts the deficit by $22 billion and brings more certainty to our economy so Montana businesses can grow and create more jobs.

I will keep working with my colleagues to take the necessary steps to make sure the bill works for Montanans, but it’s long past time to pass a budget that gives Montanans the stronger economy that we deserve.

Looking ahead to 2014, I will continue to visit with Montanans across our state to share ideas about the best ways to grow our economy and reduce our deficits to move our state and country forward.

We must pass a Farm Bill that saves taxpayers money while strengthening the safety net for Montana's family farmers and ranchers.

And we need to move forward with a bipartisan overhaul of our housing finance system that makes sure taxpayers aren't on the hook for another financial crisis, while protecting the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.

I'm also going to keep working with Montanans to get my Forest Jobs and Recreation Act across the finish line to restore the health of our forests and get folks back to work in the woods. My bill just passed the Senate’s Natural Resources Committee this week, moving it one critical step closer to final passage.

Finally, I plan to use my position as the leader of the Governmental Affairs subcommittee to streamline government and save taxpayer dollars, while making sure we live up to the promises we make to veterans and our fighting men and women.

All of these initiatives will move Montana and our country forward.

But the U.S. Supreme Court's Citizens United decision that allowed corporations and a few wealthy individuals to secretly spend millions of dollars to influence elections continues to produce a partisan climate that is holding our country back.

Earlier this year, I made good on a promise to Montanans to introduce a constitutional amendment clarifying that corporations are not "people."

My fight against Citizens United will not stop until the court decision is overturned, because the best way to elect good leaders and make progress on the issues that matter to Montanans is to get special interests out of our elections.

It is an honor to serve you in the United States Senate. Please do not hesitate to contact my staff if there is any way I can be of service.

From Sharla and myself, a pleasant holiday season to you and yours,