Washington is broken. There is no doubt about it.
Last week, I was handed a 479-page tax bill just hours before it was scheduled for a final vote.
A small group of senators wrote this disastrous scheme behind closed doors with no input from the public, and they gave nobody time to read it. The bill included last-minute additions scribbled in the margins that nobody could read.
As we began voting on amendments, folks were finding secret pet projects and sweetheart deals that were snuck into the bill at the very last minute.
That was Washington at its worst. Our nation’s founders must have been turning in their graves.
My job is to hold Washington accountable to Montana. That’s why on the Senate Banking Committee, I am working closely with Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to rise above the dysfunction.
After months of negotiations with folks from both parties, we struck a deal on a major bill that delivers much-needed relief to Montana from Washington’s one-size-fits-all regulations.
Our bipartisan legislation will cut red tape for small community banks and credit unions and it increase access to capital for local businesses, farmers and ranchers, and families. It also strengthens consumer protections against Wall Street.
Our bill is bringing folks from all walks of life and political parties together, and it is forging a new path of bipartisanship in the Senate.
On Tuesday, we held a committee meeting to discuss and make changes to the bill, which lasted over 6 hours. That is how it is supposed to work in Washington: open, fair debate in the light of day—on a bill everyone is allowed to discuss.
Our process drafting this bill has been transparent and our bill is posted online HERE for all to see. None of that was true about the unpopular tax “reform” bill that will add another $1.5 trillion to the national debt.
Last week, we saw how partisan Washington can be. But when folks put politics aside and work towards a common goal, we can break through the dysfunction and do what’s best for the country.
Montanans are making their voices heard. I stand with them and will continue to vote against a tax giveaway to the rich that saddles future generations with more crushing debt, while hurting hardworking Montana families. #mtpol https://t.co/Wgmb1v2vKI— Senator Jon Tester (@SenatorTester) December 9, 2017
There is a desperate need for real tax reform in this country, not a tax giveaway to the wealthy. Montanans need tax reform that gives a break to working class families and small businesses, without adding to our debt. #mtpolhttps://t.co/0puJFDpQCW— Senator Jon Tester (@SenatorTester) December 8, 2017
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