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Floor Speech

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Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, Jon Tester once said he didn't know how his Senate colleagues saw him, but he hoped it was, first and foremost, as a farmer. Beyond his ability to drive a tractor or lug a container of beef raised on his Montana ranch to Washington, we have seen in Jon the best qualities of that noble occupation: hard work, resilience, and common sense.

With his wife Sharla, Jon still farms the land near Big Sandy, MT, that has been in his family for more than a century. He was brought up to believe that public education, strong families, and civic engagement form the foundation of our democracy, and he has demonstrated that conviction as a teacher, school board member, and leader of the Montana State Senate.

In the U.S. Senate, Jon has been an advocate of rural America and its farmers and ranchers, small business owners, sportsmen and women, and Tribal Nations. He has championed responsible energy development, improving schools, and expanding high-quality healthcare to underserved communities.

It has been a pleasure to work with Jon on many issues. Maine and Montana share the distinction of having two of the highest percentages of veterans in the Nation, and we have joined together to honor America's patriots by both strengthening the benefits veterans have earned through their service and ensuring that our Armed Forces today have the resources they need to defend our Nation.

As cochairs of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee in this Congress, Jon and I crafted two bipartisan bills to fund our national defense priorities. In addition to countless engagements with senior military officials, Chairman Tester held more than 20 hearings and classified briefings--more than any other Subcommittee--performing oversight of the Department of Defense. Many of our meetings were classified, held without cameras or the press. Jon's focus was always on what our troops needed to keep our country safe. From investments to modernize our Nation's nuclear triad to accelerating space-based capabilities, I can attest that our work together has made our Nation's military stronger in the face of increasing threats from China and Russia.

We also served as cochairs of the Congressional TRIO Caucus and introduced the Educational Opportunity and Success Act to reauthorize and strengthen Federal programs to support underserved students. Every spring, we lead the Public Schools Week resolution to recognize the importance of education and the contributions of our teachers.

Jon was among the group of 10 Senators who negotiated the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. From transportation to broadband, the most significant investment in infrastructure since the interstate highway system in the 1950s is bringing lasting benefits to our Nation.

Jon has contributed to our country and served his state. I commend my colleague Senator Jon Tester for his outstanding service and wish him bountiful crops for many years to come.

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