Veterans
As Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, Jon is one of Congress’ most effective advocates for veterans. He is committed to working with both Republicans and Democrats to hold VA accountable, pass meaningful legislative reforms, and follow through on this country’s steadfast commitment to the men and women who have served.
Jon knows we must work to improve access to health care, benefits, jobs, education, transportation, and housing for veterans. And he believes that Congress must take their marching orders from veterans— not the other way around. That's why Jon routinely holds veteran hearings and meetings in Montana to hear from veterans face-to-face.
Tester is spearheading legislation to ensure that all veterans are getting the benefits and care they’ve earned. He teamed up with Republicans to pass the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act into law, to ensure that more veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange can access essential care and benefits. In a political climate when not much is getting done in Washington, Jon successfully worked with Republicans and President Trump to push this bill over the finish line.
He is also continuing to hold VA accountable by making sure that they implement the VA MISSION Act as intended by Congress. Jon is also pushing legislation protecting veterans’ disability payments and calling on VA to implement strategies to relieve financial burdens on veterans in Montana and across the country. And he’s pushing to change the VA’s approach to veterans’ mental health care and suicide prevention through his bipartisan Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019.
As the number of women in the military increase, Jon is also spearheading a number of bills including the Deborah Sampson Act, focused on improving VA services to empower and better serve women veterans.
Jon believes veterans deserve action. And they also deserve elected officials who will stand up for them, not stand in their way. He is deeply grateful for the many sacrifices veterans have made for this nation, and he won't stop until the men and women in uniform receive the quality benefits and care they have earned.
Related News
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July 8, 2020| View More
VA Agrees to Tester Call to Delay Deadline for Custer Country to Decide on Property Transfer
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is agreeing to U.S. Senator Jon Tester's call to extend the July 8, 2020 deadline for Custer County to decide whether they want to accept the Miles City campus as VA plans to transition care to new locations in the area. The Department is …
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July 8, 2020| View More
Tester, Moran, Tillis Introduce Bill to Expand Home Loans for National Guard & Reserve Members
U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Jerry Moran (R-Kans.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan benefits to National Guard and Reserve members by crediting service under federal Title 32 orders. Currently, members of the National Guard and Reserve are only …
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July 8, 2020| View More
Tester Leads Call for Hazard Pay for VA Employees on the Front Lines of the Coronavirus Pandemic
In response to outreach from Montana constituents, U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) are leading 17 Senate colleagues calling for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hazard and retention pay policies for clinical employees involved in the COVID-19 response.
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July 7, 2020| View More
Tester, Colleagues Demand Update on Roll-Out of New VA Electronic Health Record Modernization Program
As the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) moves to re-open facilities and services to serve veterans nationwide, U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) are demanding an update on the roll-out of the new Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program.
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July 2, 2020| View More
Tester Secures Two of his Landmark Mental Health Provisions for Servicemembers, Farmers in Must-Pass Annual Defense Bill
U.S. Senator Jon Tester successfully secured his Care and Readiness Enhancement (CARE) for Reservists Act and Seeding Rural Resilience Act in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – two critical mental health bills aimed at curbing the rising rate of suicide among servicemembers and farmers.
