Jon Tester
Encyclopedia
Jon Tester is the junior U.S. Senator
for Montana
, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party
. He previously served as President of the Montana Senate
.
, Montana
, one of three sons of Helen Marie (Pearson) and David O. Tester. Tester grew up in Chouteau County
, near the town of Big Sandy, Montana
, on the land that his grandfather homesteaded in 1916.
At the age of 9, he lost the middle three fingers of his left hand in a meat-grinder accident. 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.
He and his wife continue to operate the farm; in the 1980s, they changed over from conventional to organic farming,
raising wheat
, barley
, lentils, peas
, millet
, buckwheat
, and alfalfa
. Tester served five years as chairman of the Big Sandy School Board of Trustees and served on the Big Sandy Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Committee and the Chouteau County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) Committee.
in 1998, after his neighbor, a Republican State Senator, decided not to run for re-election.http://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/person/jon-tester-mt/ He was elected the minority whip for the 2001 session. In 2002, he won re-election with 71% of the vote. In 2003, he became minority leader. In 2005, Tester was elected President of the Montana Senate, the chief presiding officer of the Montana Legislature’s upper chamber.
.
Tester announced his candidacy in May 2005 for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican
incumbent Senator Conrad Burns
. Tester was the second Democrat to jump into the race, after state Auditor John Morrison
. While Tester was seen as having a greater following among his fellow legislators, his opponent, whose grandfather was governor of Nebraska, was able to raise significantly more money and had greater statewide name recognition.
Morrison collected $1.05 million as of the start of 2006, including $409,241 in the last three months of 2005, but "Morrison’s advantages in fundraising and name identification have not translated into a lead in the polls," most of which showed the race exceedingly tight, some calling it a "deadlock" as of late May.
On June 6, 2006, Tester won the Democratic primary by a margin of over 25 points, much larger than expected given the previous polling. Burns won the Republican primary over former state Senate President Bob Keenan. On election day, Tester received 199,845 votes versus 196,283 for Burns. Tester was declared the winner on Nov. 8, 2006. His victory, along with that of Jim Webb
in Virginia, was one of the two closest and last decided Senate races in the 2006 midterms, which saw the Democrats regain control of the Senate.
2012
He is running for re-election to a second term. He will face Republican U.S. Congressman Denny Rehberg
.
cronies.". He has spoken against gay marriage and flag burning, but sees Constitutional bans on each issue as unnecessary. Instead of avoiding class issues, Tester has also taken them head-on. On Meet the Press
, he asserted that "there’s no more middle class" because of Bush Administration policies.
Tester is a more liberal Democrat on other issues. He is pro-choice
and supports embryonic stem cell research, and he has also voted to increase funding for Medicare
and SCHIP. In the Senate, Tester continues to advocate increased funding for public education, just as he did in the Montana Legislature. Tester supports middle class tax cuts. He has voted against repealing the Estate Tax and Alternative Minimum Tax
, policies he sees as favoring only the wealthy. When criticized for being soft on national security, Tester stated that "the Patriot Act
has very little to do with the War on Terrorism" and asserted that "I don't want to weaken the Patriot Act, I want to repeal it.". Tester is also a strong supporter of alternative energy
, voting to increase wind
and solar power
funding and decrease emissions. He states that the Kyoto Protocol
needs American support in order to have global legitimization.
Tester supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
, voting for it in December 2009. Tester voted for the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
.
Tester voted to confirm Supreme Court nominees Sonia Sotomayor
and Elena Kagan
.
On December 18, 2010, Tester voted in favor of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010
.
During a Billings press conference, the Tester campaign released a statement from Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., pledging to give Tester a coveted seat on the Appropriations Committee, regardless of whether Democrats wrested control of the Senate from Republicans, "as soon as possible." On January 13, 2009, Tester's second session of Congress, he was given a seat on the Appropriations Committee.
Like Jon, Sharla Tester comes from an agricultural family and grew up in north-central Montana. The couple has two children: a daughter Christine, born in 1980; and a son Shon, born in 1985.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
for Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. He previously served as President of the Montana Senate
Montana Senate
The Montana Senate is the upper house of the Montana State Legislature, the state legislative branch of the U.S. state of Montana. The body is composed of 50 senators.-Composition of the Senate:-Officers:*Majority Whip: Greg Barkus...
.
Early life, education, and farming career
Tester was born in HavreHavre, Montana
Havre is a city in, and the county seat of, Hill County, Montana, United States. It is said to be named after the city of Le Havre in France. The population was 9,621 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, one of three sons of Helen Marie (Pearson) and David O. Tester. Tester grew up in Chouteau County
Chouteau County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Lewis and Clark National Forest * Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument -Economy:Chouteau County is the largest winter wheat producer for the state of Montana...
, near the town of Big Sandy, Montana
Big Sandy, Montana
Big Sandy is a town in Chouteau County, Montana, United States. The population was 703 at the 2000 census. Big Sandy, Montana, is where the Big Bud 747, the largest farm tractor in the world, is located. The Lewis and Clark Trail, following U.S...
, on the land that his grandfather homesteaded in 1916.
At the age of 9, he lost the middle three fingers of his left hand in a meat-grinder accident. In 1978, he graduated from the University of Great Falls
University of Great Falls
The University of Great Falls , a private Roman Catholic university located in Great Falls, Montana, is fully accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges...
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.
He and his wife continue to operate the farm; in the 1980s, they changed over from conventional to organic farming,
raising wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
, lentils, peas
PEAS
P.E.A.S. is an acronym in artificial intelligence that stands for Performance, Environment, Actuators, Sensors.-Performance:Performance is a function that measures the quality of the actions the agent did....
, millet
Millet
The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult...
, buckwheat
Buckwheat
Buckwheat refers to a variety of plants in the dicot family Polygonaceae: the Eurasian genus Fagopyrum, the North American genus Eriogonum, and the Northern Hemisphere genus Fallopia. Either of the latter two may be referred to as "wild buckwheat"...
, and alfalfa
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in the US, Canada, Argentina, France, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa, and many other countries. It is known as lucerne in the UK, France, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, and known as...
. Tester served five years as chairman of the Big Sandy School Board of Trustees and served on the Big Sandy Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Committee and the Chouteau County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) Committee.
Elections
Tester was first elected to the Montana State SenateMontana Senate
The Montana Senate is the upper house of the Montana State Legislature, the state legislative branch of the U.S. state of Montana. The body is composed of 50 senators.-Composition of the Senate:-Officers:*Majority Whip: Greg Barkus...
in 1998, after his neighbor, a Republican State Senator, decided not to run for re-election.http://www.nationaljournal.com/almanac/person/jon-tester-mt/ He was elected the minority whip for the 2001 session. In 2002, he won re-election with 71% of the vote. In 2003, he became minority leader. In 2005, Tester was elected President of the Montana Senate, the chief presiding officer of the Montana Legislature’s upper chamber.
Tenure
His election as President marked a transition for Montana Democrats as they moved into the majority leadership of the Senate for the first time in more than a decade. Term limits would have prohibited Tester from running for state Senate for a third time. While serving as Senate President, Tester supported increased funding for public education and cutting taxes for small business owners and the working poor. He also worked to make health insurance more affordable and require public utilities to use more renewable energyRenewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
.
Elections
2006Tester announced his candidacy in May 2005 for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
incumbent Senator Conrad Burns
Conrad Burns
Conrad Ray Burns is a former United States Senator from Montana. He is only the second Republican to represent Montana in the Senate since the passage in 1913 of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and is the longest-serving Republican senator in Montana history.While in...
. Tester was the second Democrat to jump into the race, after state Auditor John Morrison
John Morrison (Montana Politician)
John Morrison is a Montana attorney, businessman, and political leader. He served as the elected Montana State Auditor, Insurance Commissioner and Securities Commissioner from 2001-2009. In 2006, he was a candidate for the U.S. Senate...
. While Tester was seen as having a greater following among his fellow legislators, his opponent, whose grandfather was governor of Nebraska, was able to raise significantly more money and had greater statewide name recognition.
Morrison collected $1.05 million as of the start of 2006, including $409,241 in the last three months of 2005, but "Morrison’s advantages in fundraising and name identification have not translated into a lead in the polls," most of which showed the race exceedingly tight, some calling it a "deadlock" as of late May.
On June 6, 2006, Tester won the Democratic primary by a margin of over 25 points, much larger than expected given the previous polling. Burns won the Republican primary over former state Senate President Bob Keenan. On election day, Tester received 199,845 votes versus 196,283 for Burns. Tester was declared the winner on Nov. 8, 2006. His victory, along with that of Jim Webb
Jim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
in Virginia, was one of the two closest and last decided Senate races in the 2006 midterms, which saw the Democrats regain control of the Senate.
2012
He is running for re-election to a second term. He will face Republican U.S. Congressman Denny Rehberg
Denny Rehberg
Dennis R. "Denny" Rehberg is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
.
Tenure
He has made government reform a top priority issue. Tester criticized Republicans in Congress for making policy that is designed "for those who write the biggest campaign checks". He has stated that Washington culture is "controlled by K StreetK Street (Washington, D.C.)
K Street is a major thoroughfare in the United States capital of Washington, D.C. known as a center for numerous think tanks, lobbyists, and advocacy groups.-Location:...
cronies.". He has spoken against gay marriage and flag burning, but sees Constitutional bans on each issue as unnecessary. Instead of avoiding class issues, Tester has also taken them head-on. On Meet the Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been...
, he asserted that "there’s no more middle class" because of Bush Administration policies.
Tester is a more liberal Democrat on other issues. He is pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
and supports embryonic stem cell research, and he has also voted to increase funding for Medicare
Medicare (United States)
Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; to those who are under 65 and are permanently physically disabled or who have a congenital physical disability; or to those who meet other...
and SCHIP. In the Senate, Tester continues to advocate increased funding for public education, just as he did in the Montana Legislature. Tester supports middle class tax cuts. He has voted against repealing the Estate Tax and Alternative Minimum Tax
Alternative Minimum Tax
The Alternative Minimum Tax is an income tax imposed by the United States federal government on individuals, corporations, estates, and trusts. AMT is imposed at a nearly flat rate on an adjusted amount of taxable income above a certain threshold . This exemption is substantially higher than the...
, policies he sees as favoring only the wealthy. When criticized for being soft on national security, Tester stated that "the Patriot Act
USA PATRIOT Act
The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of the U.S. Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26, 2001...
has very little to do with the War on Terrorism" and asserted that "I don't want to weaken the Patriot Act, I want to repeal it.". Tester is also a strong supporter of alternative energy
Alternative energy
Alternative energy is an umbrella term that refers to any source of usable energy intended to replace fuel sources without the undesired consequences of the replaced fuels....
, voting to increase wind
Wind power
Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
and solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
funding and decrease emissions. He states that the Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change , aimed at fighting global warming...
needs American support in order to have global legitimization.
Tester supported the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a United States federal statute signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. The law is the principal health care reform legislation of the 111th United States Congress...
, voting for it in December 2009. Tester voted for the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 is a law that was enacted by the 111th United States Congress, by means of the reconciliation process, in order to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act...
.
Tester voted to confirm Supreme Court nominees Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Sotomayor
Sonia Maria Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since August 2009. Sotomayor is the Court's 111th justice, its first Hispanic justice, and its third female justice....
and Elena Kagan
Elena Kagan
Elena Kagan is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, serving since August 7, 2010. Kagan is the Court's 112th justice and fourth female justice....
.
On December 18, 2010, Tester voted in favor of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010
Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010
The Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 is a landmark federal statute that establishes a legal process for ending the Don't ask, don't tell policy , which since 1993 prevented openly gay and lesbian people from serving in the United States Armed Forces.The Act did not immediately repeal the...
.
Committee assignments
- Committee on AppropriationsUnited States Senate Committee on AppropriationsThe United States Senate Committee on Appropriations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over all discretionary spending legislation in the Senate....
- Subcommittee on Energy and Water DevelopmentUnited States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water DevelopmentThe U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development is one of twelve subcommittees of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
- Subcommittee on Homeland SecurityUnited States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland SecurityU.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security is one of twelve subcommittees of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. It was formally established in 2003 in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 to oversee national security programs and the newly created...
- Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Legislative BranchUnited States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Legislative BranchU.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Legislative Branch is one of twelve subcommittees of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban AffairsUnited States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban AffairsThe United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs has jurisdiction over matters related to: banks and banking, price controls, deposit insurance, export promotion and controls, federal monetary policy, financial aid to commerce and industry, issuance of redemption of notes,...
- Subcommittee on Economic PolicyUnited States Senate Banking Subcommittee on Economic PolicyThe Senate Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy is one of five subcommittees within the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community DevelopmentUnited States Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community DevelopmentThe Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development is one of five subcommittees within the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on Financial InstitutionsUnited States Senate Banking Subcommittee on Financial InstitutionsThe Senate Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions is one of five subcommittees within the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on Economic Policy
- Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsUnited States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsThe United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs has jurisdiction over matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and other homeland security concerns, as well as the functioning of the government itself, including the National Archives, budget and...
- Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations
- Ad Hoc Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration
- Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Contracting OversightUnited States Senate Homeland Security Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Contracting OversightThe Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight is one of the six subcommittees within the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs...
- Committee on Indian AffairsUnited States Senate Committee on Indian AffairsThe Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is a committee of the United States Senate charged with oversight in matters related to the American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native peoples. A Committee on Indian Affairs existed from 1820 to 1947, after which it was folded into the Committee on...
- Committee on Veterans' AffairsUnited States Senate Committee on Veterans' AffairsThe United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs deals with oversight of United States veterans issues.-Members, 112th Congress:The Committee is chaired by Democrat Patty Murray of Washington, and the Ranking Member is Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina.Source: -Chairmen of the Senate...
Caucus memberships
- International Conservation CaucusUnited States Congressional International Conservation CaucusThe U.S. Congressional International Conservation Caucus is a bipartisan congressional organization that was founded in September 2003 with the conviction that “the United States of America has the opportunity, the obligation and the interests to advance the conservation of natural resources for...
- Sportsmen's Caucus (Co-Chair)
During a Billings press conference, the Tester campaign released a statement from Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., pledging to give Tester a coveted seat on the Appropriations Committee, regardless of whether Democrats wrested control of the Senate from Republicans, "as soon as possible." On January 13, 2009, Tester's second session of Congress, he was given a seat on the Appropriations Committee.
Electoral history
Personal life
During Tester's senior year in college, he married Sharla Bitz.Like Jon, Sharla Tester comes from an agricultural family and grew up in north-central Montana. The couple has two children: a daughter Christine, born in 1980; and a son Shon, born in 1985.
External links
- United States Senator Jon Tester official U.S. Senate site
- Jon Tester U.S. Senator-Elect official campaign site
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...