Jon Tester

Jon Tester (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. Senate from Montana. He assumed office on January 3, 2007. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.

Tester (Democratic Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. Senate to represent Montana. He is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on June 4, 2024.^[source]

He was first elected to the Senate in 2006 with a margin of victory of less than 1 percent over Republican incumbent Sen. Conrad Burns. He most recently won re-election in 2018 in a state that voted for President Donald Trump by more than 20 points. Tester, who described himself as a moderate in a post-election interview with MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, said he won by localizing the race and discussing the cost of healthcare, access to public lands, veterans, and the cost of higher education.^[1]

Prior to his election to the Senate, Tester was a member of the Montana State Senate from 1999 to 2006. He served as Senate president from 2005 to 2006.^[2]

As of a 2014 analysis of multiple outside rankings, Tester is a more moderate left of center Democratic Party vote. As a result, he may break with the Democratic Party line more than his fellow members.

Biography

Tester was born in Havre, Montana, near the town of Big Sandy, Montana, on the land that his grandfather homesteaded in 1916.^[3] In 1978, he graduated from the University of Great Falls with a B.S. in music. He then worked for two years as a music teacher in the Big Sandy School District before returning to his family's farm and custom butcher shop.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Tester's academic, professional, and political career:^[2]

2007-Present: U.S. Senator from Montana
1999-2006: Montana State Senate
1983-1992: Big Sandy School Board

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023

The 118th United States Congress began on January 3, 2023, at which point Republicans held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-212), and Democrats held the majority in the U.S. Senate (51-49). Joe Biden (D) was the president and Kamala Harris (D) was the vice president. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 118th Congress, 2023

Vote

Bill and description

Status

Yea

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 22, 2023, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2024. The bill required a simple majority vote in the Senate to pass the bill as amended by a Senate and House conference report.^[4]

Passed (87-13)

Yea

Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024

The Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 (H.R. 6363) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on November 17, 2023, providing for the funding of federal agencies through January 19, 2024. The bill prevented a government shutdown that would have taken place if funding was not approved by November 17, 2023. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate.^[5]

Passed (87-11)

Yea

Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act

The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act (H.R. 5860) was a bill approved by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2023, providing for the funding of federal agencies through November 17, 2023. The bill prevented a government shutdown that would have taken place if funding was not approved by October 1, 2023. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate.^[6]

Passed (88-9)

Yea

Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023

The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (H.R. 3746) was a bill passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 3, 2023. The bill raised the federal debt limit until January 2025. The bill also capped non-defense spending in fiscal year 2024, rescinded unspent coronavirus relief funding, rescinded some Internal Revenue Service (IRS) funding, enhanced work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program (TANF), simplified environmental reviews for energy projects, and ended the student loan debt repayment pause in August 2023. The bill required a three-fifths majority vote in the Senate.^[7] Click here to read more.

Passed (63-36)

Yea

Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.

H.J.Res. 7 (Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020.) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the 118th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on April 10, 2023. The resolution ended the national coronavirus state of emergency, which began on March 13, 2020. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the Senate.^[8] Click here to read more.

Passed (68-23)

Nay

Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives relating to "Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached 'Stabilizing Braces'".

H.J.Res. 44 (Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives relating to "Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached 'Stabilizing Braces'".) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate. The bill sought to nullify a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) rule establishing criteria to determine whether firearms equipped with stabilizing braces that facilitate shoulder fire were subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the Senate.^[9]

Failed (50-49)

Yea

Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".

H.J.Res. 30 (Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to "Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights".) was a joint resolution of disapproval under the terms of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) passed by the 118th Congress and vetoed by President Joe Biden (D) on March 20, 2023. This was Biden's first veto of his presidency. The resolution sought to nullify a Department of Labor rule that amended the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to allow retirement plans to consider certain environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) factors in investment-related decisions. The resolution required a simple majority vote in the Senate.^[10] Click here to read more.

Passed (50-46)

Elections

2024

General election

The primary will occur on June 4, 2024. The general election will occur on November 5, 2024. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Montana

Incumbent Jon Tester and Michael Hummert are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Montana on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate
		Jon Tester
		Michael Hummert

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Montana

Brad Johnson, Tim Sheehy, and Charles A. Walking Child are running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Montana on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate
		Brad Johnson
		Tim Sheehy
		Charles A. Walking Child

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Green primary election

Green primary for U.S. Senate Montana

Robert Barb and Michael Downey are running in the Green primary for U.S. Senate Montana on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate
		Robert Barb
		Michael Downey

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate Montana

Sid Daoud is running in the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate Montana on June 4, 2024.

		Candidate
		Sid Daoud

	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Devin Braaten (L)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia is gathering information about candidate endorsements. To send us an endorsement, click here.

2018

See also: United States Senate election in Montana, 2018

See also: United States Senate election in Montana (June 5, 2018 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Montana

Incumbent Jon Tester defeated Matt Rosendale and Rick Breckenridge in the general election for U.S. Senate Montana on November 6, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Jon Tester (D)	50.3	253,876
	Matt Rosendale (R)	46.8	235,963
	Rick Breckenridge (L)	2.9	14,545

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 504,384 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Steve Kelly (G)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Montana

Incumbent Jon Tester advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Montana on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jon Tester	100.0	114,948

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 114,948
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Sarah Dean (D)
Greg Strandberg (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Montana

Matt Rosendale defeated Russell C. Fagg, Troy Downing, and Albert Olszewski in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Montana on June 5, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Matt Rosendale	33.8	51,859
	Russell C. Fagg	28.3	43,465
	Troy Downing	19.1	29,341
	Albert Olszewski	18.7	28,681

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 153,346
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Green primary election

Green primary for U.S. Senate Montana

Steve Kelly defeated Timothy Adams in the Green primary for U.S. Senate Montana on June 5, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Steve Kelly	61.2	971
	Timothy Adams	38.8	615

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 1,586
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Thomas Breck (G)

2012

See also: United States Senate elections in Montana, 2012

**U.S. Senate, Montana General Election, 2012**
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Jon Tester Incumbent	48.6%	236,123
	Republican	Denny Rehberg	44.9%	218,051
	Libertarian	Dan Cox	6.6%	31,892
Total Votes				486,066

2006

On November 9, 2006, Tester was elected to the United States Senate. He defeated the incumbent Conrad Burns (R) and Stan Jones (Libertarian).^[11]

United States Senate, Montana General Election, 2006
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Jon Tester	49.2%	199,845
	Republican	Conrad Burns	48.3%	196,283
	Libertarian	Stan Jones	2.6%	10,377
Total Votes				406,505

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Jon Tester has not yet completed Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey. Send a message to Jon Tester asking him to fill out the survey. If you are Jon Tester, click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?

Any candidate running for elected office, at any level, can complete Ballotpedia's Candidate Survey. Completing the survey will update the candidate's Ballotpedia profile, letting voters know who they are and what they stand for. More than 16,000 candidates have taken Ballotpedia's candidate survey since we launched it in 2015. Learn more about the survey here.

You can ask Jon Tester to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing info@jontester.com.

2018

Campaign website

Tester’s campaign website stated the following:

“

SERVING OUR VETERANS
Montana is home to nearly 100,000 veterans. There is a strong tradition of service in our state, and Jon knows that one of his most important duties in the Senate is to make sure this nation lives up to the promises made to each and every one of our veterans.

Jon talks directly to Montana’s heroes, and takes their thoughts and concerns with him to Washington – and gets them real results.

As the Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Jon has fought relentlessly to hold the VA accountable for its failures. He authored and got signed into law the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, a landmark bill making it easier for the VA to fire and hold accountable bad employees.

He demanded an investigation into wait times for veterans seeking care through VA Montana, and then successfully pressured VA leadership to send an expert team to address the issue. And when the VA didn’t pay $230,000 in backlogged claims to the Billings Mental Health Center, Tester fought back and got them to pay up.

And Robert Wilkie, the next Secretary of the VA, was recently sworn in with Jon’s strong support. Jon will work with Secretary Wilkie to hold the VA accountable to Montana’s veterans.

FIXING CHOICE

Jon is working tirelessly to fix the broken VA Choice program. Jon’s bipartisan VA MISSION Act, signed into law by President Trump, scraps the Choice program and replaces it with a more streamlined system focused on getting veterans care in their communities. Jon brought the concerns of Montana veterans directly to President Trump and his Administration, and worked with Democrats and Republicans to get this legislation signed into law.

STAFFING

Jon knows that being able to hire and retain doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals is key to getting our veterans the quality care they’ve earned, and he’s battled relentlessly to ensure the VA has the tools to do so.

He led negotiations on a bipartisan bill that included provisions he authored expanding the VA’s ability to more quickly hire for positions with a severe shortage of candidates and requiring the VA to create a database of every critical or difficult to fill vacancy, which was signed into law.

Jon has also fought tirelessly to attract medical professionals to the VA, successfully pushing to increase the VA’s limit on student loan debt repayments, creating a pilot program to repay student loans for mental health professionals, and backing a proposed VA psychiatric residency program in Montana.

INCREASED ACCESS

Jon understands that in a rural state like Montana, access to quality care is critical. That’s why he’s been relentless in his push for more VA facilities, helping secure nine new veterans clinics, vet centers, or telehealth clinics across Montana, as well as two veterans clinic expansions in Billings and Missoula. Jon has fought tirelessly to ensure veteran drug treatment courts in Great Falls, Billings, Bozeman, and Missoula get the resources they need, and to bolster programs across Montana to assist homeless veterans and their families. And after years of battling bureaucrats, Jon secured funding for a Southwest Veterans Home in Butte. Jon will continue to advocate on behalf of Montana veterans for increased access to care.

ROSENDALE’S FAILED RECORD

As a state legislator, Matt Rosendale repeatedly voted against Montana’s veterans. Rosendale’s voted against the Southwest Montana veterans home, against funding for the Columbia Falls veterans home, against scholarships for Montana Purple Heart recipients, and against home loan benefits for Montana veterans and Gold Star families. Rosendale’s record is crystal clear: he works against Montana’s veterans and is only looking out for himself.

INVESTING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
As a former teacher, and school board member, Jon knows first-hand how important public education is to Montana. Jon knows that greater access to higher education improves lives and boosts Montana’s economy. That’s why he’s fought tirelessly to protect local control of Montana’s schools, to expand educational and job training opportunities for all Montanans, and for the resources rural schools need to compete.

From Head Start to post-secondary education, Jon has been an advocate for Montana’s students. And when Washington bureaucrats got in his way, he let them have it.

Jon has stood up for Montana against Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. When DeVos threatened the University of Montana’s TRiO program over a formatting error, Jon held her feet to the fire and delivered for Montana students. And Jon is battling DeVos at every turn as she tries to privatize our public schools. Jon knows voucherizing schools might work in downtown Chicago, but it won’t work in Chinook.

Jon’s fought to make a college degree attainable for any Montanan who is ready and willing to do the work. He’s pushed for year-round Pell grants in order to help more Montanans finish college on time and without mountains of debt. And he’s worked tirelessly to ensure our veterans get full access to their G.I. Bill benefits.

Jon’s goal is to expand education opportunities for all Montanans, including those who don’t want or need a college degree. He’s hosted blue-collar jobs roundtables across the state and worked with community colleges to deliver vocational training for Montanans.

Jon wants all Montanans to have access to good-paying jobs and education is critically important to achieving that goal.

Like out-of-touch billionaire Betsy DeVos, Matt Rosendale doesn’t get it. He supports vouchers and charter schools, which pull federal funding away from public schools, but do not have the same accountability. He’s even voted against bipartisan education funding at the state level, including to improve school infrastructure. But why should we expect a developer from Maryland to be looking out for Montana’s children?

He’s not looking out for Montana’s students – he’s following the Koch Brothers’ lead. He’s called for ending federal funding for higher education. In the legislature, he voted against scholarships for Montana veterans and engineering students, and voted against funding critical infrastructure in the state university system.

KEEPING PUBLIC LANDS IN PUBLIC HANDS
Jon is relentlessly defending our public lands. In Montana, hunting, fishing, and our outdoor heritage isn’t just a way-of-life, it’s an economic driver. Montana’s outdoor economy accounts for more than $7 billion into our economy.

Jon has consistently opposed transferring federal lands to the state and is a champion of public access in the United States Senate.

Jon’s relentless advocacy for Made-in-Montana public lands legislation shows he has Montana’s back. After in-person town hall meetings, listening sessions, and roundtables across the state Jon has heard Montanans loud and clear: keep our public lands in public hands.

Jon worked across the aisle to pass Made-in-Montana legislation to protect the North Fork of the Flathead and over 275,000 acres on the Rocky Mountain Front. And Jon’s Yellowstone Gateway Protection Act would permanently protect the Paradise Valley from mining at the gateway to Yellowstone National Park. Jon believes there are some places you just don’t mine, and the doorstep of Yellowstone is one of them.

He’s also been a champion of collaborative legislation to protect lands for the next generation. Jon’s Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act was crafted over the years with local stakeholders from sportsmen to small business owners to the timber industry to add 79,000 acres of wilderness while accommodating recreational and commercial uses.

And just this year, President Trump signed Jon’s bill to protect East Rosebud Creek by designating it “wild and scenic.” Jon worked with the entire Montana delegation to get the bill to the President’s desk.

Out-of-state special interests are attacking Montana’s public lands, but Jon will always be there defending them. He’s a relentless advocate for public access to public lands, ensuring hunting, fishing, and hiking opportunities for generations to come.

Matt Rosendale is no friend to our public lands – which is no surprise since he spent two decades as a developer on the Eastern Shore in Maryland. Then he moved to Montana, bought a $2 million ranch and started calling himself a rancher, even though he owns no cattle. He talks a big game about public lands access for Montanans, but just a couple years ago, he wanted to transfer federal public lands to the state, which would explode Montana’s budget and force the sale of lands to private owners, closing off access to sportsmen and devastating Montana’s outdoor economy. And on the Land Board, when he had the chance to vote to protect access for sportsmen in Southwest Montana and to open up thousands of acres to public access in Eastern Montana – he voted no. As a developer, Rosendale bought farmland in Maryland and Montana, and built neighborhoods on it.

CREATING GOOD JOBS
One of Jon’s top priorities in the Senate is to help create jobs for Montanans, and to retain the ones we already have.

In 2017, Jon announced his plan to #EmployMT, a comprehensive strategy to create high-paying jobs, rebuild our infrastructure, invest in the workforce, and spur innovation in Montana.

Jon, a small business owner himself, knows that keeping small businesses growing is the key to a thriving economy, and that responsibly investing in public education and job training programs will help connect qualified workers with jobs in Montana.

Jon believes that a critical step toward keeping jobs in Montana is keeping jobs here in America, which is why Jon has voted to end tax incentives that make it easier for corporations to send jobs overseas.

Jon also supports a responsibly-built Keystone XL Pipeline, because he knows responsible energy development will not only increase energy security and create jobs, but it will also spur small businesses and new opportunities. It’s also why he believes the pipeline should be built with American steel.

KEEPING WASHINGTON ACCOUNTABLE
Montanans know that transparency and accountability are essential in our government. Often saying that “a little sunshine in government is always a good thing,” Jon has carried that attitude with him to Washington. The transparency and ethics standards he enforces in his offices are unmatched in Congress.

Jon immediately became a trailblazer for shining much-needed light into every corner of our government. Jon made history the very first day he took office, fulfilling a campaign promise to hold himself accountable by becoming the first member of Congress to post his daily public schedule online for all Montanans to see. He continues to post his schedule to this day.

And after helping pass the most sweeping ethics reforms since Watergate, he went beyond those rules and banned all gifts, meals, and travel from lobbyists for himself and his staff.

Jon has fought to end automatic pay raises for members of Congress and sponsored legislation to make government records available in a searchable Internet database at no charge to the public.

Jon has pushed multiple bills to crack down on special interests and dark money in politics, and has introduced a Constitutional Amendment to overturn the Citizens United decision and say corporations aren’t people.

He also voluntarily files his campaign finance reports online, and is the author of legislation that would require all Senate candidates to do so.

Jon knows the problems in Washington are because of both parties and that real change starts with holding both parties, Congress and government accountable.

PROTECTING OUR RURAL WAY OF LIFE
Jon and his wife Sharla still farm the same land Jon’s grandparents homesteaded in the early 1900’s. He grew up in Big Sandy, attended school there, and came back to teach at the same school he graduated from. His Montana roots run deep.

In the United States Senate, Jon fights for rural Montana. He defends farmers and ranchers from burdensome regulations, fights to maintain critical services like Farm Service Agency offices and the Essential Air Service, and he delivers on investments in rural infrastructure.

Jon is bringing Montana common sense to Washington. He is pushing back against Washington bureaucrats who don’t know the difference between a tractor and a combine. He’s reined in Washington overreach by modernizing livestock auctions and reduced burdensome regulations on cow pies that were never intended for farmers and ranchers. He’s held several in-person farm bill listening sessions across the state to ensure Montana producers have a seat at the negotiating table. As a farmer, Jon knows producers need access to markets and he has fought for fair trade deals that will help Montana farmers and ranchers.

Growing up off of a dirt road, miles from pavement, Jon understands the need for investments in Montana’s infrastructure. Jon’s fought for critical funds to Montana counties that help build roads, bridges, and schools across the state. He’s been a strong advocate for rural broadband. Jon believes rural broadband will help bring jobs back to Montana and he’s fought relentlessly to deliver investments across Montana. He’s held big telecom companies, like Verizon, accountable to their Montana customers.

Jon fights for rural Montana and will not stop until Washington is held accountable.

Matt Rosendale is a real estate developer from Maryland. He made his millions turning farmland in Maryland into developments. Now he’s got his sights set on Montana. Rosedale moved to Montana, bought a trophy ranch, and launched his political career. He even voted repeatedly for land use rules that would hurt Montana farmers and ranchers, but help developers like him. And Rosendale has failed to stand up against disastrous trade policies that are hurting Montana agriculture – he even said that farmers suffering because of tariffs was all part of the “negotiation process.” Rosendale’s anti-public lands, anti-public education, and pro-dark money stances show he does not share our values. He wants to make Montana look a little bit more like his native east-coast.

DEFENDING NATIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS
Jon is working tirelessly in Washington to deliver for Indian Country. Jon believes we need to keep our promises to our Native American brothers and sisters, maintain tribal sovereignty, and respect treaty rights.

Jon’s willing to work with anyone to strengthen tribal law enforcement, bring more teachers to Indian Country, and hold the Indian Health Service accountable. Jon’s visited all 7 reservations and is fighting to get the Little Shell Tribe federally recognized.

Jon will stop at nothing to defend Montana’s tribes and ensure Washington is accountable to them.

However, Matt Rosendale is a millionaire East Coast developer whose record shows he wouldn’t respect tribal sovereignty or fight to ensure the federal government upholds its treaty obligations to our tribal nations. Matt Rosendale’s record shows he is no friend to Indian Country. He’s voted against the CSKT water compact, against expanding tuition assistance for native students, and would rip health care away from thousands of Native Americans.

DEFENDING RURAL ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND DRIVING DOWN COSTS
Jon is relentlessly fighting to defend Montana’s access to affordable health care.

Jon believes we need to fix the current health care law to deliver better and cheaper care for all Montanans. He fought back against Washington plans to gut health care in rural communities, end Medicaid expansion, and increase the number of uninsured in Montana.

Montanans deserve access to affordable health care and Jon is working tirelessly in Washington to deliver. He has proposed legislation to increase the number of residencies in rural America, reduce the cost of prescription drugs, and close the gap on insurance costs for middle class families.

Jon is a champion of Community Health Centers and the Healthy Montana Kids program. He knows the critical role both play in Montana communities. He’s relentlessly defended rural health care and has fought to preserve Critical Access Hospitals across the state. And he will stand up to any Washington politician who tries to play political games with these health care investments.

Jon will go to the mat to defend Montanans’ Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare. As Washington politicians look to balance the budget on the backs of Montana seniors, Jon will always have Montanans’ backs.

As Montana’s Insurance Commissioner, Matt Rosendale rubber stamped higher insurance rates for Montana families. He’s supported policies that would jack up costs even more on Montanans, and remove protections for folks with pre-existing conditions like cancer and pregnancy. He’s pushed shady, short-term health care policies that don’t cover pre-existing conditions, and has made it more difficult for Montana families to stay covered. He opposed a bipartisan measure that strengthened Montana’s community health centers and drug treatment courts, but backed a bill that would have cut access to rural health care and increased the cost of prescription drugs. He’s looking to balance the budget on the back of Montana’s seniors and working families and his policies would lead to thousands of Montanans being left without coverage and our rural hospitals being forced to board up their doors.

^[12]

”

—Matt Rosendale’s campaign website (2018)^[13]

Campaign advertisements

The following is an example of an ad from Tester's 2018 election campaign.

"Character," Tester campaign ad released October 18, 2018

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Jon Tester campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. Senate Montana	On the Ballot primary	$25,164,364	$14,422,282
2018	U.S. Senate Montana	Won general	$21,242,980	$20,822,247
2012	U.S. Senate (Montana)	Won	$13,395,778	N/A**
2006	U.S. Senate (Montana)	Won	$5,588,548	N/A**
Grand total			$65,391,670	$35,244,529
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only availabale data.

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage and endorsements scopes.

Notable candidate endorsements by Jon Tester
Endorsee	Election	Stage	Outcome
Colin Allred ^source (D)	U.S. Senate Texas (2024)	Primary	Advanced in Primary
Steve Bullock ^source (D)	President of the United States (2020)		Withdrew in Convention
Hillary Clinton ^source (D)	President of the United States (2016)	Primary	Lost General

Committee assignments

U.S. Senate

2023-2024

Tester was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

2021-2022

Tester was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

2019-2020

Tester was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

2017-2018

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, Tester was assigned to the following committees:^[14]

2015-2016

Tester served on the following committees:^[15]

2013-2014

Tester served on the following Senate committees:^[16]

Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Department of Homeland
- Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment
- Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection Members
- Subcommittee on Economic Policy
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Subcommittee on Emergency Management, Intergovernmental Relations, and the District of Columbia
- Subcommittee on the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal Programs and the Federal Workforce Chairman
- Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
Committee on Indian Affairs Chairman
Committee on Veterans' Affairs

2011-2012

Tester served on the following Senate committees:

Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
- Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
- Subcommittee on Homeland Security
- Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Legislative Branch

Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- Subcommittee on Economic Policy
- Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development
- Subcommittee on Financial Institutions

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
- Ad Hoc Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration
- Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight

Committee on Indian Affairs

Committee on Veterans' Affairs

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023

The 117th United States Congress began on January 3, 2021 and ended on January 3, 2023. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-213), and the U.S. Senate had a 50-50 makeup. Democrats assumed control of the Senate on January 20, 2021, when President Joe Biden (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D), who acted as a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, assumed office. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023

Vote

Bill and description

Status

Yea

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) was a federal infrastructure bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on November 15, 2021. Among other provisions, the bill provided funding for new infrastructure projects and reauthorizations, Amtrak maintenance and development, bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, clean drinking water, high-speed internet, and clean energy transmission and power infrastructure upgrades. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[17] Click here to read more.

Passed (69-30)

Yea

American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 11, 2021, to provide economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key features of the bill included funding for a national vaccination program and response, funding to safely reopen schools, distribution of $1,400 per person in relief payments, and extended unemployment benefits. The bill required a 1/2 majority vote in the Senate.^[18] Click here to read more.

Passed (50-49)

Yea

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (H.R. 5376) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 16, 2022, to address climate change, healthcare costs, and tax enforcement. Key features of the bill included a $369 billion investment to address energy security and climate change, an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, allowing Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices, a 15% corporate minimum tax, a 1% stock buyback fee, and enhanced Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcement, and an estimated $300 billion deficit reduction from 2022-2031. The bill required a 1/2 majority vote in the Senate.^[19] Click here to read more.

Passed (51-50)

Yea

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (S. 1605) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 27, 2021, authorizing Department of Defense acitivities and programs for fiscal year 2022. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[20]

Passed (88-11)

Yea

James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023

The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (H.R. 7776) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2023. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[21]

Passed (83-11)

Yea

Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022

The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (S. 3373) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 10, 2022, that sought to address healthcare access, the presumption of service-connection, and research, resources, and other matters related to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[22]

Passed (86-11)

Yea

Chips and Science Act

The Chips and Science Act (H.R. 4346) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 9, 2022, which sought to fund domestic production of semiconductors and authorized various federal science agency programs and activities. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[23]

Passed (64-33)

Yea

Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021

The Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives. The bill proposed prohibiting governmental restrictions on the provision of and access to abortion services and prohibiting governments from issuing some other abortion-related restrictions. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[24]

Failed (46-48)

Yea

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 2471) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 15, 2022, providing for the funding of federal agencies for the remainder of 2022, providing funding for activities related to Ukraine, and modifying or establishing various programs. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[25]

Passed (68-31)

Yea

Respect for Marriage Act

The Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 13, 2022. The bill codified the recognition of marriages between individuals of the same sex and of different races, ethnicities, or national origins, and provided that the law would not impact religious liberty or conscience protections, or provide grounds to compel nonprofit religious organizations to recognize same-sex marriages. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[26] Click here to read more.

Passed (61-36)

Yea

Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023

The Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 6833) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2022. It provided for some fiscal year 2023 appropriations, supplemental funds for Ukraine, and extended several other programs and authorities. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[27]

Passed (72-25)

Yea

COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act

The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act (S. 937) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on May 20, 2021, that included provisions to designate an officer or employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to facilitate expedited review of hate crimes, required the DOJ to issue guidance to law enforcement agencies aimed to establish online hate crime reporting processes and to raise awareness about hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and established state grants to create hate crime reporting hotlines, among other related provisions. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[28]

Passed (94-1)

Yea

Postal Service Reform Act of 2022

The Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 (H.R. 3076) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on April 6, 2022, that sought to address healthcare and retirement benefits for postal workers, allow USPS to provide certain nonpostal products and services, and expand service performance and budgetary reporting. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[29]

Passed (79-19)

Yea

Bipartisan Safer Communities Act

The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938) was a firearm regulation and mental health bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 25, 2022. Provisions of the bill included expanding background checks for individuals under the age of 21, providing funding for mental health services, preventing individuals who had been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor or felony in dating relationships from purchasing firearms for five years, providing funding for state grants to implement crisis intervention order programs, and providing funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[30] Click here to read more.

Passed (65-33)

Yea

Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act

The Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act (H.R. 5305) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2021, that provided for continuing fiscal year 2022 appropriations to federal agencies through December 3, 2021, in order to prevent a government shutdown that would have otherwise occurred if fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills had not been passed by October 1, 2021. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate.^[31]

Passed (65-35)

Guilty

Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

This was a resolution before the 117th Congress setting forth an article of impeachment saying that Donald Trump (R) incited an insurrection against the government of the United States on January 6, 2021. The House of Representatives approved the article of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of the charges. Conviction on the impeachment charges required a 2/3 majority vote in the Senate.^[32] Click here to read more.

Not guilty (57-43)

Yea

Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022

The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022 (H.R. 350) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to expand the availability and reporting of information about domestic terrorism, enhance the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) ability to prosecute domestic terrorism, among other things. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[33]

Failed (47-47)

Yea

A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2022 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2023 through 2031.

This concurrent resolution (S.Con.Res. 14) was a budget resolution passed by the 117th Congress outlining the fiscal year 2022 federal government budget, setting forth budgetary levels for fiscal years 2023-2031, and providing reconciliation instructions for legislation that increased the deficit. It contained a proposed framework for the Build Back Better Act. The resolution required 1/2 majority vote in the Senate.^[34] Click here to read more.

Passed (50-49)

Yea

Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act

The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act was a federal elections bill approved by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to, among other provisions, make Election Day a public holiday, allow for same-day voter registration, establish minimum early voting periods, and allow absentee voting for any reason, restrict the removal of local election administrators in federal elections, regulate congressional redistricting, expand campaign finance disclosure rules for some organizations, and amend the Voting Rights Act to require some states to obtain clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice before implementing new election laws. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to invoke cloture and a 1/2 majority vote on passage.^[35] Click here to read more.

Failed (49-51)

Yea

Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022

The Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act was a bill passed by the 117th Congress in the form of an amendment to a year-end omnibus funding bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022. The bill changed the procedure for counting electoral votes outlined in the Electoral Count Act of 1887. Elements of the bill included specifying that the vice president's role at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes is ministerial, raising the objection threshold at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes to one-fifth of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, identifying governors as the single official responsible for submitting the certificate of ascertainment identifying that state’s electors, and providing for expedited judicial review of certain claims about states' certificates identifying their electors. The bill required a 3/5 majority vote in the Senate to concur in the House's version of the bill.^[36] Click here to read more.

Passed (68-29)

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2020

Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018

For detailed information about each vote, click here.

Votes on domestic policy (click to expand)

Voted Yea on: First Step Act of 2018 (S 756)

Motion Agreed to (87-12) on December 18, 2018

Proposed making changes to the criminal justice system.^[37]

Voted Yea on: Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (HR 2)

Conference Report Agreed to (87-13) on December 11, 2018

Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance through fiscal year 2023.^[38]

Voted Nay on: "Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States" (PN2259)

Nomination Confirmed (50-48) on October 6, 2018

Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States^[39]

Voted Nay on: "Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States" (PN2259)

Cloture Motion Agreed to (51-49) on October 5, 2018

Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States^[40]

Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2)

Bill Passed (86-11, 3/5 majority required) on June 28, 2018

Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance.^[41]

Voted Nay on: Immigration reform proposal from Sen. Chuck Grassley and the Trump administration (S Amdt 1959 to HR 2579)

Cloture Motion Rejected (39-60, 3/5 majority required) on February 15, 2018

Proposed providing a path to citizenship for 1.8 million individuals brought into the U.S. without legal permission as children, $25 billion for border security, limits on chain migration or family-based migration, and eliminating the visa lottery system.^[42]

Voted Yea on: Immigration reform proposal from the Common Sense Coalition (S Amdt 1958 to HR 2579)

Cloture Motion Rejected (54-45, 3/5 majority required) on February 15, 2018

Proposed providing a path to citizenship for individuals brought into the U.S. without legal permission as children, $25 billion for border security, and limitations on chain or family-based immigration.^[43]

Voted Nay on: Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act amendment (S Amdt 1948 to S Amdt 1959)

Cloture Motion Rejected (54-45, 3/5 majority required) on February 15, 2018

Proposed withholding funding from sanctuary jurisdictions for not cooperating with federal immigration officials.^[44]

Voted Yea on: Coons-McCain immigration plan (S Amdt 1955 to S Amdt 1958)

Cloture Motion Rejected (52-47, 3/5 majority required) on February 15, 2018

Proposed providing a path to citizenship for individuals brought into the U.S. without legal permission as children and conducting a study to determine what border security measures were needed. It also proposed requiring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to secure the U.S.-Mexico border by 2021.^[45]

Voted Nay on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (S 2311)

Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Rejected (51-46, 3/5 majority required) on January 29, 2018

Proposed amending the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus was 20 weeks or more. The bill proposed providing exceptions for an abortion: (1) that was necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.^[46]

Voted Nay on: An amendment to repeal the requirements for individuals to enroll in health insurance and for employers to offer it—"Skinny bill" (S Amdt 667 to S Amdt 267 to HR 1628 the American Health Care Act of 2017)

Amendment Rejected (49-51) on July 28, 2017

The amendment proposed repealing the requirements for individuals to enroll in health insurance and for employers to offer it.^[47]

Voted Nay on: An amendment to repeal the ACA, including Paul amendment (No. 271) (S Amdt 271 to S Amdt 267 to HR 1628)

Amendment Rejected (45-55) on July 26, 2017

An amendment to repeal the ACA, including Paul amendment (No. 271)^[48]

Voted Nay on: Motion to advance the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, including Cruz and Portman amendments (S Amdt 270 to S Amdt 267 to HR 1628)

Motion Rejected (43-57, 3/5 majority required) on July 25, 2017

A procedural vote to advance the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA), including the Cruz and Portman amendments.^[49]

Voted Nay on: Motion to begin debate on the American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628)

Motion to Proceed Agreed to (50-50, Vice President voted Yea) on July 25, 2017

Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to title II of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2017.^[50]

Voted Nay on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55(4)—confirmation vote)

Nomination Confirmed (54-45) on April 7, 2017

Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—confirmation vote.^[51]

Voted Nay on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55(3))

Cloture Motion Agreed to (55-45) on April 6, 2017

Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—second vote to end debate and move to a vote on Gorsuch's nomination under the new precedent requiring only a simple majority to pass.^[52]

Voted Yea on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55(2))

Decision of Chair Not Sustained (48-52) on April 6, 2017

Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—a vote to keep the Senate precedent of requiring 60 votes to close debate on Supreme Court nominations.^[53]

Voted Nay on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55)

Cloture Motion Rejected (55-45, 3/5 majority required) on April 6, 2017

Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—initial vote to end debate and move to a vote on Gorsuch's nomination.^[54]

Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand)

Voted Yea on: "Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 6157)

Conference Report Agreed to (93-7) on September 18, 2018

Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.^[55]

Voted Yea on: "Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 5895)

Conference Report Agreed to (92-5) on September 12, 2018

Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.^[56]

Voted Yea on: "Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 6157)

Bill Passed (85-7) on August 23, 2018

Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.^[57]

Voted Yea on: "Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 5895)

Bill Passed (86-5) on June 25, 2018

Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.^[58]

Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625)

Motion Agreed to (65-32) on March 23, 2018

Proposed providing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.^[59]

Voted Yea on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)

Motion Agreed to (71-28) on February 9, 2018

Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through March 23, 2018^[60]

Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695)

Cloture Motion Rejected (55-44, 3/5 majority required) on February 8, 2018

Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through March 23, 2018.^[61]

Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 195)

Motion Agreed to (81-18) on January 22, 2018

Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018.^[62]

Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 195)

Cloture Motion Agreed to (81-18, 3/5 majority required) on January 22, 2018

Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018.^[63]

Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 195)

Cloture Motion Rejected (50-49, 3/5 majority required) on January 19, 2018

Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018.^[64]

Voted Yea on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370)

Motion Agreed to (66-32, 3/5 majority required) on December 21, 2017

Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018.^[65]

Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

Motion Agreed to (51-48) on December 20, 2017

Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018 and proposed changes to the tax code.^[66]

Voted Yea on: "A joint resolution making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes." (HJ Res 123)

Joint Resolution Passed (81-14) on December 7, 2017

Proposed funding the government until December 22, 2017.^[67]

Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

Bill Passed (51-49) on December 2, 2017

Proposed amending the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses.^[68]

Voted Nay on: A concurrent resolution establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)

Concurrent Resolution Agreed to (51-49) on October 19, 2017

Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027.^[69]

Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601)

Motion Agreed to (80-17) on September 7, 2017

Proposed suspending the debt ceiling and funding the government until December 8, 2017, and providing funding for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts.^[70]

Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244)

Motion Agreed to (79-18) on May 4, 2017

The $1.2 trillion budget bill proposed funding the government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2017.^[71]

Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand)

Voted Yea on: "A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress." (SJ Res 54)

Joint Resolution Passed (56-41) on December 13, 2018

Proposed removing United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that were not authorized by Congress.^[72]

Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810)

Bill Passed (89-8) on September 18, 2017

Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, and to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. On November 15, 2017, the Senate passed the defense policy bill by voice vote. This bill was the result of compromises made in the conference report. For more information on the compromise bill, click here.^[73]^[74]

Voted Yea on: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364)

Bill Passed (98-2) on July 27, 2017

Proposed providing congressional review and proposed countering aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes.^[75]

Voted Yea on: Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017 (S 722)

Bill Passed (98-2) on June 15, 2017

Proposed providing congressional review and proposed countering aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes.^[76]

114th Congress

The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.^[77]^[78] The Senate confirmed 18,117 out of 21,815 executive nominations received (83 percent). For more information pertaining to Tester's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections.^[79]

Economic and fiscal

Trade Act of 2015

See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015

On May 22, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314, which was used as a legislative vehicle for trade legislation with the titles "Trade Act of 2015" and the "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015," by a vote of 62-37. The bill proposed giving the president trade promotion authority (TPA). TPA, also known as fast track authority, allows the president to negotiate trade deals that cannot be amended by Congress. Congress casts a simple up or down vote on a trade agreement, and the legislation only requires a simple majority for approval. The bill also included a statement of trade priorities and provisions for trade adjustment assistance. Tester voted with 30 other Democratic senators against the bill.^[80]^[81]
Trade promotion authority
On June 24, 2015, by a vote of 60-38, the Senate approved trade promotion authority (TPA) as part of HR 2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act. Tester was one of 31 Democrats to vote against the bill. After, Senate Republican leadership honored a pledge to support trade adjustment assistance (TAA) by passing the measure as part of HR 1295 - Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 by voice vote. The House passed HR 1295 the following day, on June 25, 2015, and both TPA and TAA were signed into law on June 29, 2015.^[82]^[83]^[84]

2016 Budget proposal

On May 5, 2015, the Senate voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 51-48. The non-binding resolution will be used to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government before funding runs out on October 1, 2015. The vote marked the first time since 2009 that Congress approved a joint budget resolution. All 44 Democrats, including Tester, voted against the resolution.^[85]^[86]^[87]

Defense spending authorization

On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed S 1356 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 91-3. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included "$5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget" and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison.^[88]^[89] Tester voted with 41 Democrats, 48 Republicans and one independent in favor of the bill.^[90] On November 5, 2015, the House passed the bill by a vote of 370-58, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015.^[91]

On June 18, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1735 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 71-25. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Tester voted with 20 Democrats, 49 Republicans and one Independent to approve the bill.^[92] The House passed the bill on May 15, 2015.^[93] President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015.^[94]

2015 budget

On October 30, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 by a vote of 64-35. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017.^[95] Tester voted with 43 Democrats, 18 Republicans and two independents in favor of the bill.^[96] It passed the House on October 28, 2015.^[97] President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015.

Foreign Affairs

Iran nuclear deal

See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015

On May 7, 2015, the Senate voted to approve HR 1191 - A bill to provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements relating to Iran's nuclear program, and for other purposes, by a vote of 98-1. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. All 43 Democratic senators who voted, including Tester, approved the bill.^[98]^[99]

Hire More Heroes Act of 2015
On September 10, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 58-42.^[100] Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Tester voted with 39 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the measure of disapproval.^[101]

Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 follow up votes
On September 15, 2015, the Senate voted for a second time to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 56-42.^[102] Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Tester voted with 39 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the measure of disapproval.^[103] The legislation was voted on for a third time on September 17, and it failed for a third time by a vote of 56-42.^[104]

Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 fourth vote
On September 17, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster a vote on S.Amdt.2656 to S.Amdt.2640 by a vote of 53-45. The amendment proposed prohibiting "the President from waiving, suspending, reducing, providing relief from, or otherwise limiting the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran."^[105] Tester voted with 42 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the amendment.^[106]

Domestic

USA FREEDOM Act of 2015

On June 2, 2015, the Senate passed HR 2048 - the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 by a vote of 67-32. The legislation revised HR 3199 - the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 by terminating the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Tester voted with 42 Democrats, 23 Republicans and one Independent to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015.^[107]^[108]

Cyber security

On October 27, 2015, the Senate passed S 754 - the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 by a vote of 74-21.^[109] The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Tester voted with 13 Democrats, six Republicans and one independent against the bill.^[110]

Immigration

On October 20, 2015, the Senate voted against proceeding to a vote on S 2146 - the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act by a vote of 54-45. The bill proposed withholding federal funding from "sanctuary jurisdictions" that violate the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and other federal immigration laws. In addition, the bill proposed increasing "penalties for individuals who illegally reenter the United States after being removed" and providing "liability protection for State and local law enforcement who cooperate with Federal law enforcement."^[111] Tester voted with 41 Democrats, one Republican and two Independents against proceeding to the bill.^[112]

113th Congress

The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.^[113] The Senate confirmed 13,949 out of 18,323 executive nominations received (76.1 percent). For more information pertaining to Tester's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.^[114]

National security

John Brennan CIA nomination

Tester voted for the confirmation of John Brennan as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The nomination was confirmed by the Senate on March 7, 2013, with a vote of 63 - 34. Most Democrats supported the nomination, while Republicans were somewhat divided with roughly one-third supporting the nomination.^[115]

Economy

No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013

Tester voted for H.R.325 -- No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013. The bill passed the Senate on January 31, 2013, with a vote of 64 - 34. The purpose of the bill was to temporarily suspend the debt ceiling and withhold the pay of members of Congress until a budget could be passed. The vote largely followed party lines with Democrats overwhelmingly supporting it and many Republicans in opposition to the bill.^[116]

Government shutdown

See also: United States budget debate, 2013

During the shutdown in October 2013, the Senate rejected, down party lines, every House-originated bill that stripped the budget of funding for the Affordable Care Act. A deal was reached late on October 16, 2013, just hours before the debt ceiling deadline. The bill to reopen the government, H.R. 2775, lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.^[117] The final vote on H.R. 2775 was 81-18, with all 18 votes against the bill from Republican members. Tester voted with the Democratic Party for the bill.^[118]

Immigration

Mexico-U.S. border

Tester voted against Senate Amendment 1197 -- Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border. The amendment was rejected by the Senate on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 39 - 54. The purpose of the amendment was to require the completion of 350 miles of fence described in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 before registered provisional immigrant status may be granted. It would also require 700 miles of fence be completed before the status of registered provisional immigrants may be changed to permanent resident status. The vote followed party lines.^[119]

Social issues

Violence Against Women (2013)

Tester voted for S.47 -- Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. The bill was passed by the Senate on February 12, 2013, with a vote of 78 - 22. The purpose of the bill was to combat violence against women, from domestic violence to international trafficking in persons. All 22 dissenting votes were cast by Republicans.^[120]

Previous congressional sessions

Fiscal Cliff

Tester voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by an 89 - 8 vote on January 1, 2013.^[121]

Issues

National security

Rand Paul Patriot Act filibuster

On May 20, 2015, Senator Rand Paul (Ky.) conducted a nearly 11 hour filibuster of the renewal of provisions in the USA PATRIOT ACT. Paul specifically argued against the mass collection of metadata by the National Security Agency and warrantless wiretapping. He asked Senate leadership to allow members of Congress to debate reauthorizing the USA PATRIOT ACT and propose amendments to HR 2048 - the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015, rather than simply casting an up or down vote on the legislation. Tester was one of 10 senators who asked Paul questions during the filibuster.

Fundraiser for Walsh

Tester and Max Baucus held a fundraiser in November 2013 for Democratic candidate John Walsh, who was running for Montana's U.S. Senate seat in 2014 before dropping out of the race due to a plagiarism scandal. Baucus was appointed U.S. Ambassador to China and did not seek re-election. The fundraiser featured Democrat Chuck Schumer from New York. This fundraiser angered Democrat John Bohlinger, who challenged Walsh in the primary. He said, "I am really troubled by the involvement of the Washington insiders in a Montana Democratic senatorial primary race. They should have no business of trying to influence an outcome of an election here." Bohlinger continued to blast D.C. donors saying, "I’ll be raising money, but it will be far lesser amounts than the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (of Washington, D.C.) will pour into Walsh’s campaign fund. Mine will be money that comes from Montanans. I’m really offended by the DSCC and their interest in this (primary)."^[122]

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Tester's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $766,004 and $1,565,000. That averages to $1,165,502, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic senators in 2012 of $13,566,333.90. Tester ranked as the 63rd most wealthy senator in 2012.^[123] Between 2006 and 2012, Tester's calculated net worth^[124] increased by an average of 6 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.^[125]

Jon Tester Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2006	$872,367
2012	$1,165,502
Growth from 2006 to 2012:	34%
Average annual growth:	6%^[126]
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.^[127]

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). In the 113th Congress, Tester was the chair of the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Tester received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Lawyers/Law Firms industry.

From 2005-2014, 26.82 percent of Tester's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.^[128]

Jon Tester Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$19,676,005
Total Spent	$19,404,963
Chair of the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$1,903,365
Retired	$1,163,028
Securities & Investment	$1,000,230
Lobbyists	$636,681
Leadership PACs	$574,602
% total in top industry	9.67%
% total in top two industries	15.58%
% total in top five industries	26.82%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Tester was a centrist Democrat as of July 2014.^[129] This was the same rating Tester received in July 2013.

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.^[130]

Tester most often votes with:

Tester least often votes with:

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Tester missed 23 of 2,765 roll call votes from January 2007 to September 2015. This amounts to 0.8 percent, which is better than the median of 1.6 percent among current senators as of September 2015.^[131]

Congressional staff salaries

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Tester paid his congressional staff a total of $2,492,099 in 2011. He ranked 12th on the list of the lowest paid Democratic senatorial staff salaries and ranked 41st overall of the lowest paid senatorial staff salaries in 2011. Overall, Montana ranked 28th in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.^[132]

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

Tester ranked 47th in the liberal rankings in 2013.^[133]

2012

Tester ranked 41st in the liberal rankings in 2012.^[134]

2011

Tester ranked 41st in the liberal rankings in 2011.^[135]

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Tester voted with the Democratic Party 83.9 percent of the time, which ranked 47th among the 53 Senate Democratic members as of July 2014.^[136]

2013

Tester voted with the Democratic Party 81.5 percent of the time, which ranked 47th among the 52 Senate Democratic members as of June 2013.^[137]

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Tester is married to Sharla Tester, with whom he has two children, Christine and Shon.^[3]

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

U.S. Senate Montana

Officeholder

U.S. Senate Montana

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	U.S. Senate Montana 2007-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Montana State Senate 1998-2007	Succeeded by -

[show]

Montana's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Steve Daines (R)

Jon Tester (D)

Representatives

District 1

Ryan Zinke (R)

District 2

Matt Rosendale (R)

Republican Party (3)

Democratic Party (1)

[1] MSNBC, "How Jon Tester won a red state election against Trump opposition," November 30, 2018

[bio-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "Jon Tester," accessed July 1, 2013

[campaignbio-3] 3.0 ^3.1 Jon Tester: The Right Man to Represent Montana, "About," accessed October 22, 2011

[4] Congress.gov, "H.R.2670 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024," accessed February 27, 2024

[5] Congress.gov, "H.R.6363 - Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024," accessed February 27, 2024

[6] Congress.gov, "H.R.5860 - Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act," accessed February 27, 2024

[7] Congress.gov, "H.R.3746 - Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023," accessed February 27, 2024

[8] Congress.gov, "H.J.Res.7 - Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020." accessed February 23, 2024

[9] Congress.gov, "H.J.Res.44 - Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives relating to "Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached 'Stabilizing Braces'"" accessed February 28, 2024

[10] Congress.gov, "H.J.Res.30 - Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to 'Prudence and Loyalty in Selecting Plan Investments and Exercising Shareholder Rights'." accessed February 23, 2024

[11] U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006," accessed March 28, 2013

[quotedisclaimer-12] Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.

[13] Jon Tester for Senate, “Issues,” accessed September 11, 2018

[14] United States Senate, "Committee Assignments of the 115th Congress," accessed January 19, 2017

[15] United States Senate, "Committee Assignments of the 114th Congress," accessed February 17, 2015

[16] Congressional Quarterly, "Senate Committee List," accessed January 22, 2013

[17] Congress.gov, "H.R.3684 - Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act," accessed April 15, 2022

[18] Congress.gov, "H.R.1319 - American Rescue Plan Act of 2021," accessed April 15, 2022

[19] Congress.gov, "H.R.5376 - Inflation Reduction Act of 2022," accessed January 20, 2023

[20] Congress.gov, "S.1605 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022," accessed April 15, 2022

[21] Congress.gov, "H.R.7776 - James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023," accessed January 20, 2023

[22] Congress.gov, "S.3373 - Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022," accessed January 20, 2023

[23] Congress.gov, "H.R.4346 - Chips and Science Act," accessed January 20, 2023

[24] Congress.gov, "H.R.3755 - Women's Health Protection Act of 2021," accessed April 15, 2022

[25] Congress.gov, "H.R.2471 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022," accessed January 20, 2023

[26] Congress.gov, "H.R.8404 - Respect for Marriage Act," accessed January 20, 2023

[27] Congress.gov, "H.R.6833 - Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023," accessed January 20, 2023

[28] Congress.gov, "S.937 - COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act," accessed April 15, 2022

[29] Congress.gov, "H.R.3076 - Postal Service Reform Act of 2022," accessed January 23, 2023

[30] Congress.gov, "S.2938 - Bipartisan Safer Communities Act," accessed January 20, 2023

[31] Congress.gov, "H.R.5305 - Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act," accessed January 23, 2023

[32] Congress.gov, "H.Res.24 - Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.," accessed April 15, 2022

[33] Congress.gov, "H.R.350 - Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022," accessed January 23, 2023

[34] Congress.gov, "S.Con.Res.14 - A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2022 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2023 through 2031.," accessed April 15, 2022

[35] Congress.gov, "H.R.5746 - Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act," accessed January 20, 2023

[36] Congress.gov, "H.R.2617 - Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023," accessed January 20, 2023

[37] Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment with an Amendment)," December 18, 2018

[38] Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2)," December 11, 2018

[39] Senate.gov, "On the Nomination (Confirmation Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," October 6, 2018

[40] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture Re: Brett M. Kavanaugh to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," October 5, 2018

[41] Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 2, As Amended)," June 28, 2018

[42] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1959)," February 15, 2018

[43] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1958 As Modified)," February 15, 2018

[44] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1948)," February 15, 2018

[45] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1955)," February 15, 2018

[46] Senate.gov, "On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Consideration of S. 2311)," January 29, 2018

[47] Senate.gov, "On the Amendment (McConnell Amdt. No. 667)," July 28, 2017

[48] Senate.gov, "On the Amendment (Paul Amdt. No. 271 )," July 26, 2017

[49] Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Waive All Applicable Budgetary Discipline Re: Amdt. No. 270)," July 25, 2017

[50] Senate.gov, "On the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Proceed to H.R. 1628)," July 25, 2017

[51] U.S. Senate, "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," April 7, 2017

[52] U.S. Senate, "On the Cloture Motion (Upon Reconsideration, Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," April 6, 2017

[53] U.S. Senate, "On the Decision of the Chair (Shall the Decision of the Chair Stand as the Judgment of the Senate?)," April 6, 2017

[54] U.S. Senate, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," April 6, 2017

[55] Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 6157)," September 18, 2018

[56] Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 5895)," September 12, 2018

[57] Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H. R. 6157 As Amended)," August 23, 2018

[58] Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 5895 As Amended)," June 25, 2018

[59] Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1625)," March 23, 2018

[60] Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1892 with an Amendment (SA 1930))," February 9, 2018

[61] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 695)," February 8, 2018

[62] Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment with Further Amendment)," January 22, 2018

[63] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 195)," January 22, 2018

[64] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 195)," January 19, 2018

[65] Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1370)," December 21, 2017

[66] Senate.gov, "On the Motion to Recede from the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1 and Concur with Further Amendment ," December 20, 2017

[67] Senate.gov, "On the Joint Resolution (H.J. Res. 123)," December 7, 2017

[68] Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 1 As Amended )," December 2, 2017

[69] Senate.gov, "On the Concurrent Resolution (H. Con. Res. 71 As Amended)," October 19, 2017

[70] Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amdt. to the Senate Amdt. with an Amdt. No. 808 to H.R. 601)," September 7, 2017

[71] U.S. Senate, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 244)," May 4, 2017

[72] Senate.gov, "On the Joint Resolution (S.J. Res. 54, As Amended), December 13, 2018

[73] Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 2810 As Amended)," September 18, 2017

[finalndaa-74] The Hill, "Senate sends $692B defense policy bill to Trump's desk," November 15, 2017

[75] Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 3364)," July 27, 2017

[76] Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (S. 722 As Amended)," June 15, 2017

[77] Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the 113th Congress," accessed April 29, 2015

[78] Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, Second Session of the 114th Congress," accessed January 5, 2017

[79] Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the One Hundred Fourteenth Congress," April 13, 2015

[80] Congress.gov, "HR 1314," accessed May 25, 2015

[81] Senate.gov, "H.R. 1314 (Ensuring Tax Exempt Organizations the Right to Appeal Act)," accessed May 25, 2015

[82] Senate.gov, "Roll Call for HR 2146," June 24, 2015

[83] The Hill, "Senate approves fast-track, sending trade bill to White House," June 24, 2015

[84] The Hill, "Obama signs trade bills," June 29, 2015

[85] Congress.gov, "S.Con.Res.11," accessed May 5, 2015

[86] Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany S. Con. Res. 11)," accessed May 5, 2015

[87] The Hill, "Republicans pass a budget, flexing power of majority," accessed May 5, 2015

[88] The Hill, "Redone defense policy bill sails through House," accessed November 12, 2015

[89] Congress.gov, "S. 1356," accessed November 12, 2015

[90] Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to S. 1356)," accessed November 12, 2015

[91] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 618," accessed November 12, 2015

[92] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture Re: Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 1735)," accessed October 6, 2015

[93] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 239," accessed May 27, 2015

[94] Congress.gov, "H.R. 1735," accessed May 27, 2015

[95] Congress.gov, "HR 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015," accessed November 1, 2015

[96] Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1314)," accessed November 1, 2015

[97] Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 579," accessed November 1, 2015

[98] Congress.gov, "HR 1191," accessed May 8, 2015

[99] Senate.gov, "H.R. 1191," accessed May 8, 2015

[100] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on McConnell Amdt. No. 2640 )," accessed September 10, 2015

[101] Congress.gov, "HJ Res 61," accessed September 10, 2015

[102] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on McConnell Amdt. No. 2640 )," accessed September 16, 2015

[103] Congress.gov, "HJ Res 61," accessed September 10, 2015

[vote3-104] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on McConnell Amdt. No. 2640 )," accessed September 17, 2015

[105] Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.2656 to S.Amdt.2640," accessed September 17, 2015

[samdt2656vote-106] Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on McConnell Amdt. No. 2656)," accessed September 17, 2015

[107] Congress.gov, "H.R.2048," accessed May 26, 2015

[108] Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 2048)," accessed June 2, 2015

[s754-109] Congress.gov, "S 754," accessed November 1, 2015

[110] Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (S. 754, As Amended)," accessed November 1, 2015

[111] Congress.gov, "S 2146," accessed November 2, 2015

[112] Senate.gov, "On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S. 2146)," accessed November 2, 2015

[113] Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the 112th Congress," accessed September 5, 2013

[114] Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, Second Session of the 113th Congress," accessed March 4, 2014

[115] Project Vote Smart, "PN 48 - Nomination of John Brennan to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency - Voting Record," accessed September 25, 2013

[116] Project Vote Smart, "HR 325 - To Ensure the Complete and Timely Payment of the Obligations of the United States Government Until May 19, 2013 - Voting Record," accessed September 25, 2013

[117] The Washington Post, "Reid, McConnell propose bipartisan Senate bill to end shutdown, extend borrowing," accessed October 16, 2013

[118] Senate.gov, "H.R. 2775 As Amended," accessed October 31, 2013

[119] Project Vote Smart, "S Amdt 1197 - Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border - Voting Record," accessed September 25, 2013

[120] Project Vote Smart, "S 47 - Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 - Voting Record," accessed September 25, 2013

[121] U.S. Senate, "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff," accessed January 4, 2013

[122] Missoulian.com, "Bohlinger criticizes Baucus, Tester for early backing of Walsh in U.S. Senate race," accessed November 12, 2013

[123] OpenSecrets, "Tester, (D-MT), 2012," accessed February 18, 2014

[124] This figure represents the average annual percentage growth from either 2004 (if the member entered office in 2004 or earlier) or their first year in office (as noted in the chart below) to 2012, divided by the number of years calculated.

[125] This number was found by dividing each member's total net worth growth percentage by the number of years included in the calculation.

[126] This figure represents the total percentage growth divided by the number of years for which there are net worth figures for each member.

[127] This figure was calculated using median asset data from the Census Bureau. Please see the Congressional Net Worth data for Ballotpedia spreadsheet for more information on this calculation.

[128] OpenSecrets.org, "Sen. Jon Tester," accessed September 18, 2014

[129] GovTrack, "Jon Tester," accessed July 22, 2014

[130] OpenCongress, "Jon Tester," archived February 28, 2016

[131] GovTrack, "Sen. Jon Tester (D)," accessed September 23, 2015

[132] LegiStorm, "Jon Tester," accessed August 16, 2012

[133] National Journal, "2013 Congressional Vote Ratings," accessed July 22, 2014

[134] National Journal, "TABLE: House Liberal Scores by Issue Area," accessed February 26, 2013

[135] National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: House," accessed February 23, 2012

[136] OpenCongress, "Voting With Party," accessed July 2014

[137] OpenCongress, "Voting With Party," accessed July 2014

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]

[35]

[36]

[37]

[38]

[39]

[40]

[41]

[42]

[43]

[44]

[45]

[46]

[47]

[48]

[49]

[50]

[51]

[52]

[53]

[54]

[55]

[56]

[57]

[58]

[59]

[60]

[61]

[62]

[63]

[64]

[65]

[66]

[67]

[68]

[69]

[70]

[71]

[72]

[73]

[74]

[75]

[76]

[77]

[78]

[79]

[80]

[81]

[82]

[83]

[84]

[85]

[86]

[87]

[88]

[89]

[90]

[91]

[92]

[93]

[94]

[95]

[96]

[97]

[98]

[99]

[100]

	v • e State of Montana Helena (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? \| Elections in 2024 \| How to vote \| How to run for office \| Ballot measures
Government	Who represents me? \| U.S. President \| U.S. Congress \| Federal courts \| State executives \| State legislature \| State and local courts \| Counties \| Cities \| School districts \| Public policy