May 22, 2024

TO: Reporters, Editors and News Directors

FR: The Office of U.S. Senator Jon Tester
RE: BACKGROUND: Senator Tester’s long-standing track record standing up to President Biden

Senator Tester has a long-standing track record of consistently and repeatedly standing up to
President Biden and his Administration when it’s the right thing to do for Montana. Senator Tester’s
record is clear: he will always do what’s best for Montana no matter which political party controls the
White House. While there has been a significant amount of disinformation spread about his record, here
are the facts:

1. Since Day One of the Biden Administration, Senator Tester has consistently voiced his opposition
to policies that don’t make sense for Montana and rural America.
● Keystone XL Pipeline: In President Biden’s first year in office, Tester fought his decision to
cancel the completion of the Keystone XL pipeline. Tester introduced bipartisan legislation to
“override President Biden’s anti-pipeline order” and protect Montana energy.
● COVID-19 Mandates: Tester opposed Biden’s COVID-19 policies that wouldn’t work for
Montana. In 2021, Tester voted to overturn Biden’s vaccine mandate for private businesses.
● Second Amendment Rights: As a proud gun owner and 2A supporter, Tester fought back against
a Biden Administration plan to strip funding from hunter safety courses. Tester passed legislation
in 2023 to restore funding for these crucial gun safety programs.
● Beef Imports: Tester has led the effort to stop Biden from allowing beef imports from Paraguay.
Tester successfully passed bipartisan legislation to suspend beef imports from Paraguay by a
veto-proof majority, saying Biden “butchered” the decision.
● Energy Policy: And Tester has consistently “balk[ed]” at Biden’s energy policies when they're
wrong for Montana - like pushing back against power plant rules that could raise energy prices
for Montanans and cut good-paying Montana jobs, or defeating burdensome SEC reporting
requirements that would have forced farmers and ranchers to fill out unnecessary paperwork.
● Student Loans: Tester has repeatedly made it clear to President Biden that he opposes blanket
loan cancellation that forces Montana taxpayers to pick up the tab while failing to fix the root
causes of the problem.
● WOTUS: After listening to farmers, ranchers, and other stakeholders, Tester voted against the
Biden Administration’s Waters of the United States rule because he knows the rule isn’t right for
Montana.
2. Tester’s disagreements with President Biden over the southern border are longstanding and
well-documented.
● Remain in Mexico: From the very beginning of Biden’s presidency, Tester stated his support for
the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy.
● Title 42: Tester opposed Biden’s plan to end Title 42 by “teaming up” with Republicans to keep it
in place. Breaking with his own party, Tester supported legislation allowing the Department of
Homeland Security to maintain a similar authority under Title 42.
● Drug Trafficking: For years Tester has called on Biden to make technology investments to assist
law enforcement in stopping drug trafficking at our borders. Tester urged Biden to step up drug
interdiction efforts and keep Montana safe.
● Tester’s latest moves, like co-sponsoring the Laken Riley Act and telling Secretary Mayorkas to
“step up” on the southern border, are a continuation of his years-long record standing up to
President Biden on border security.

3. Senator Tester puts Montana ahead of partisan politics regardless of who is in the White House –
that’s why President Trump signed more than 20 of his bills into law.
● Delivering for veterans: President Trump signed 10 veterans-related bills authored by Tester,
including his VA Mission Act and his VA Accountability & Whistleblower Act to strengthen the VA
and improve care for our nation’s veterans.
● Protecting the East Rosebud: With Trump’s signature, Tester’s bipartisan East Rosebud
Protection Act protects 20 miles of the East Rosebud in south-central Montana.
● Supporting rural firefighters: Tester’s Fire Grant Reauthorization Act was signed by Trump
and reauthorized two critical grant programs that help rural fire departments across Montana and
the country recruit, train, and equip firefighters.

BOTTOM LINE: False claims from Senator Tester’s opponents that he only opposes his party because it
is an “election year” could not be further from the truth. Just look at his consistent record of standing up
to anyone – including President Biden – when it’s the right thing to do for Montana.

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