[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Pages 1089-1091]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       BUILDING A BETTER MONTANA

  Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have the speech 
that I gave to the Montana House of Representatives on January 16, 
2017, printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

       Speaker Knudsen, Majority Leader Ehli, Minority Leader Eck, 
     honored guests, members of the House: It is truly an honor to 
     be here.
       I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that today is 
     Martin Luther King Jr. Day--a day that celebrates a man who 
     saw injustice in this country and worked to change it. It is 
     a great reminder of the impact a citizen can have on our 
     government if we work together.
       This tradition of inviting the members of our Congressional 
     Delegation to address this body reminds us: we are Montanans 
     first. Twelve years ago, when I was Senate President, we made 
     time for these addresses because they are a way to align 
     Montana's priorities at a state and federal level. Montanans 
     look to our elected officials for leadership and a spirit of 
     cooperation. I will admit it is disappointing that the 
     current Montana Senate President chose to abandon the smart 
     tradition of joint addresses to the Legislature, especially 
     early in the session when there is a little more time to do 
     so. Speaker Knudsen, thank you for doing your part to honor 
     this tradition.
       But first, I would like to take a moment and thank the men 
     and women who have made our country the leader of the free 
     world for so many generations: our veterans. Would all of the 
     fine folks who served our country please stand to be 
     recognized. Thank you for your service to our country. As the 
     incoming Ranking Member of the VA Committee, I promise we do 
     not take our responsibility to you lightly. Whether it is 
     getting the Southwest Vets Home in Butte built or holding the 
     VA accountable for long wait times, we will work together to 
     do right by our veterans.
       As a citizen legislature, we have veterans, farmers, 
     teachers, and small business men and women. And for 90 days 
     or so, you come to Helena to represent your district, vote 
     your conscience, and make Montana proud. Our state's founders 
     knew that whether you are a rancher from Bloomfield or a 
     teacher from Helena, for these 90 days, your priority would 
     be to your constituents and our great state. Despite our 
     differences, we have a common goal, to ensure Montana 
     continues to be the Last Best Place for generations to come.
       We know Montana is already a great place. With Glacier and 
     Yellowstone National Parks, world-class hunting and fishing, 
     and the best agriculture products in the world, folks from 
     all over come to our state to experience a little slice of 
     the paradise we get to call home. From Sidney to St. Regis 
     and everywhere in between, Montana is full of the hardest 
     working people in the nation.

[[Page 1090]]

       I hope to work with you to create good paying jobs across 
     Montana. Today I will present a thoughtful, common sense, 
     Montana-focused plan to strengthen our economy and create 
     high paying jobs. I am calling it Employ Montana. Employ 
     Montana will rebuild our infrastructure, create a marketplace 
     for our products, pave the way for innovation, invest in our 
     workforce, and responsibly develop our resources. This will 
     let folks know Montana is open for business.
       But in order to compete in a global marketplace Montana 
     needs more than scenery and a dedicated workforce. My first 
     objective, as part of Employ Montana, is to invest in our 
     infrastructure. Together, we can ensure that folks have an 
     infrastructure that allows them to get to work during the 
     week and to play on the weekend and that businesses big and 
     small can get their products to market.
       That's why I worked to pass a long-term highway bill that 
     ensures Montanans gets more bang for their buck. Thanks to 
     the highway bill, for every dollar that hardworking Montanans 
     contribute to the federal Highway Trust Fund, our state gets 
     about two-and-a-half bucks back. This year, that's about $424 
     million for our roads, bridges, and highways.
       But we only get that funding if the state agrees to put up 
     a certain amount as well. The Governor provided a temporary 
     fix that ensures we get that funding this year. But this is 
     still a systemic issue that we must address in the future. 
     Montanans need you to ensure the tens of millions of dollars 
     that Montana families pay into the Highway Trust Fund are not 
     sent to New York, California, or Alabama instead. Our 
     construction workers, contractors, and middle class families 
     cannot afford to see money left on the table because their 
     politicians can't agree. I've seen this body rise to the 
     challenge time and time again and I know you will not 
     disappoint.
       Montana's infrastructure needs go beyond our bridges, 
     streets, and water systems. That's why Employ Montana will 
     also prepare our state for the 21st Century economy by 
     ensuring responsible investments in rural broadband. In 2015, 
     the second phase of the Connect America Fund delivered nearly 
     $100 million to two broadband companies that serve Montana. I 
     want to see that money resulting in fiber being laid down 
     across this state as soon as possible. That's why I plan to 
     hold CenturyLink and Frontier's feet to the fire and find out 
     what progress they are making. We've invested in them, and it 
     is time to find out what kind of return we are receiving.
       Strong connectivity across Montana will attract businesses 
     to our state and allow our Montana made companies to market 
     their product worldwide--companies like Kracklin Kamut, a 
     healthy wheat-based snack food. I am pleased to have Thomas 
     joined by his wife Heather and daughter Grace who just moved 
     to Big Sandy to work for Kracklin Kamut. An innovative start-
     up like Kracklin Kamut brought Thomas and his family to Big 
     Sandy to work, and with stronger broadband, Kracklin Kamut 
     can be sold even in the biggest markets, which could bring 
     more jobs and more families to the community.
       In Montana, we know that, whether it's snack food or 
     textiles, we make a superior product and we are proud to see 
     ``Made in America'' slapped on the label. It is time that we 
     make sure our taxpayer dollars are being used to support 
     American workers, not lining the pockets of foreign 
     corporations.
       Through my Employ Montana plan, I will introduce the Berry 
     Amendment Extension Act, which would require the Department 
     of Homeland Security to purchase their supplies from American 
     companies. I think of Bozeman's own Mystery Ranch, which 
     could provide the folks on the border with their quality 
     multi-purpose backpacks. This is a common sense solution that 
     will create jobs here in Montana and keep our taxpayer 
     dollars within our own borders. Whether Montanans produce 
     backpacks, airplane parts, beef, or wheat, we are competing 
     in a global marketplace.
       President-elect Trump and I agree: we need to ensure 
     America has fair trade, not free trade. And as part of my 
     Employ Montana plan, I look forward to working with the 
     President-elect to develop trade policies that ensure Montana 
     producers get a fair shake while protecting American workers.
       My friends from the forested counties can agree: it's time 
     to negotiate a new softwood lumber agreement. I will work 
     with the new Administration to create a fair, effective, and 
     sustainable softwood lumber agreement. This will help our 
     timber industry get the certainty they need to responsibly 
     cut trees and help get our mills back to work.
       Our timber industry is not the only one suffering from 
     unfair trade practices. Farmers across Montana continue to 
     feel the consequence of unfair wheat grading by the Canadian 
     government. There is many a company that gets stopped at the 
     border because of unfair trade practices. Montana farmers 
     produce the best product. To see it immediately downgraded to 
     feed grade at the border is unacceptable. I'll do my part, 
     and I want the Trump administration to do their part to 
     ensure Montana farmers can be competitive in the global 
     marketplace. This will create a strong market for Montana's 
     farmers, putting more money into the hands of our farmers, 
     more money that they can spend on Montana products.
       I believe the best way to create jobs is to build an 
     economy that empowers innovators. Often times, creative 
     Montanans lack the access to capital in order to start their 
     business. A large part of my Employ Montana plan is dedicated 
     to ensuring Montana innovators have access to capital and the 
     means to develop private partnerships. Programs like the 
     Small Business Innovation Research Program provide grant 
     money to companies to help them get off the ground.
       I am pleased to have one of those innovators, Stan Abel, of 
     SiteOne Therapeutics, in the gallery today joined by his wife 
     Stacey. Stan saw the opioid crisis ravaging our country and 
     worked with scientist to try and find a better, less 
     addictive, way to manage pain. With the help of SBIR grants 
     Stan was able to get his business started and went on to 
     secure private investment from Montana's first successful 
     Venture Capital firm Next Frontier. SiteOne will continue to 
     grow and employ more and more people in Montana because of 
     Stan's ability to see a problem and think of an innovative 
     solution to solve that problem. A Montana business supported 
     by Montana capital makes SiteOne a model for our state and we 
     need to look to spread their success statewide. With 
     increased SBIR grants, we will have more innovators like Stan 
     leading the way.
       Small business grants are only one piece of the puzzle. The 
     next part of my Employ Montana plan is to cut red tape and 
     increase access to capital for community banks. I am pleased 
     to have Bob Nystuen and his wife Kim in the gallery today as 
     well. Bob is President of Glacier Bank in Kalispell.
       Bob has worked for community banks from Miles City to 
     Kalispell, and he tells me that Montana is bursting with new 
     ideas and ripe for a growing business climate. But our 
     community banks are hampered by regulation that was meant to 
     police the big guys, not the small credit unions and 
     community banks that serve rural America and Main Street. All 
     you have to do is spend five minutes with Bob to understand 
     the differences between him and a Wall Street banker. As a 
     member of the Banking Committee, I will work with Democrats 
     and Republicans to provide responsible reforms to Dodd-Frank, 
     to cut red tape for Bob and other Montana banks that are the 
     cornerstone of our rural communities. With regulatory relief, 
     our businesses will have better access to capital and be able 
     to invest in their product, hire more workers, and expand 
     their markets.
       Luckily, for our businesses, Montana's workforce is second 
     to none. My Employ Montana plan includes lean and mean 
     investment in our workforce, an investment that is designed 
     to meet the needs of the community.
       In the gallery today, we have Mike Robbins, the Chairman of 
     the Board of Montana Precision Products. Montana Precision 
     Products builds components for GE Aviation. This company 
     needs welders and has plans to hire 80 to 100 people by 2020.
       And that's why they've partnered with the Anaconda Job 
     Corps to build a skilled pipeline of employees. The Employ 
     Montana plan proposes to boost our Job Corps programs in 
     order to meet the needs of Montana businesses. So folks like 
     Ray Ryan, the Site Manager for Anaconda Job Corps, can train 
     up the next generation of skilled workers, workers like Megan 
     Widmer and Katie Barker. These two young ladies are active in 
     the Anaconda Job Corps and they are here today with Ray. I 
     want to thank them for their dedication to Montana.
       With additional resources, we can ensure the Anaconda Job 
     Corps and programs like it expand, create good paying jobs, 
     and meet the needs of local industry with well-trained local 
     workers.
       But these types of community partnerships should not just 
     be limited to Job Corps--we need to look at our education 
     system and ensure it is creating a workforce that meets 
     Montana's needs. Our two-year colleges are the key. That's 
     why as part of Employ Montana, we need to give our community 
     colleges the resources they need to develop the talent our 
     employers are asking for. Because of our investment in 
     education, a kid from Columbia Falls can go down to Flathead 
     Community College, join its culinary program, and start a 
     restaurant in Whitefish. And a young woman from Terry can 
     travel southwest to Miles City Community College, enroll in 
     its Commercial Driver's License course, and learn to drive an 
     18-wheeler hauling grain up to the Port of Raymond. We can 
     work together to build on the success of our community 
     colleges and expand our job training programs so that our 
     workforce is ready to answer the call. Investing in our 
     education is an investment in Montana's future.
       Developing our human resources is critically important to a 
     strong economy. But in Montana we have an incredible supply 
     of natural resources as well. Included in Employ Montana is a 
     plan to responsibly develop an all-of-the-above energy 
     strategy. I plan to introduce the Carbon Capture Utilization 
     and Storage Act, which will incentivize investment in the use 
     of carbon capture technology. This legislation will

[[Page 1091]]

     provide tax credits to allow for Montana companies to burn 
     coal cleaner and create good paying jobs.
       But we can't ignore the fact that our climate is changing. 
     This isn't a tree hugging issue; it's a jobs issue, and it's 
     a food security issue. Montana's number one industry, 
     agriculture, will lose profits and be more dependent on the 
     federal government to pay the bills if we don't start taking 
     proactive steps to protect our clean air and water. This is 
     Montana's Constitutional right.
       So I hope you will join me in supporting Employ Montana. 
     From stronger infrastructure, to better broadband, increased 
     start up grants and access to capital. From strengthening 
     workforce programs and tapping our energy economy--Employ 
     Montana will create high paying jobs and an economy we are 
     proud of.
       Now I would be remiss if I didn't take the last few minutes 
     to talk about health care. It's a pressing issue and one that 
     both Congress and the Montana Legislature will have to 
     grapple with. Thanks to your good work last session Montana 
     expanded Medicaid to over 60,000 hardworking people. For the 
     first time in their lives these people were able to afford 
     health coverage, you should be commended for that.
       Repeal. Delay. Replace. Repeal and replace. Repeal and 
     Delay. Obamacare. Trumpcare.
       Here are the facts: The health care industry accounts for 
     over 52,000 jobs in Montana. Health care in Montana is a $4 
     billion industry. If Congress repeals the Affordable Care 
     Act: Coverage would be ripped away from the 60,000 folks you 
     gave hope to just two years ago. Montana's economy would lose 
     $3.1 Billion--with a capital ``B''--between 2019 and 2023. It 
     would add $350 Billion to the deficit. We would lose 8,200 
     jobs in 2019 alone. And rural areas would feel it the most, 
     hospitals in towns like Culbertson, Hamilton, and my home 
     town of Big Sandy would potentially have to board up their 
     doors. Working together to fix the Affordable Care Act is 
     just good business.
       I've been around the state and the message is clear: People 
     don't want Congress taking away their health care. Right now 
     we have an incredible opportunity to find bipartisan 
     solutions that can make health care more affordable for 
     middle class families. But instead of having that important 
     conversation, Congress is on the cusp of repealing all the 
     progress we've made.
       I want to be clear. I know premiums are rising. We cannot 
     settle for any situation where middle class families cannot 
     afford health insurance. I know that. But let's work together 
     to keep the accountability up, and the costs down. Repealing 
     the ACA without a plan for what comes next will not lower 
     costs. Our families' health care is too important to throw it 
     into chaos. We need to look before we leap. And we can't 
     throw the baby out with the bath water. We need to be working 
     to provide affordability to families and certainty to the 
     rural communities that rely on our hospitals. I know we can 
     find common ground to deliver that to Montana.
       In Montana, there is far more that unites us than divides 
     us. We can all agree that Montana raises the best agriculture 
     products in the world. We can all agree that on a summer 
     afternoon we'd rather be on the river than cooped up in an 
     office. And we can all agree that Montana is home to the 
     hardest working men and women in the world. We owe it to 
     these hardworking men and women to come together to build a 
     stronger Montana.
       Together, we can build stronger roads and bridges. We can 
     build a 21st Century infrastructure. We can build the quality 
     products to supply folks at home and abroad. We can build a 
     business friendly environment that encourages innovation and 
     investment. We can build a more efficient workforce to meet 
     the needs of our changing economy. We can build an energy 
     sector that doesn't mortgage our future for today's profits. 
     We can build a health care system that works for everyone, 
     not just big insurance or drug companies. And we can build a 
     stronger, better Montana for our next generation.
       Good luck in the coming weeks.
       God bless you, God bless Montana, and God bless this great 
     country.

                          ____________________