Montana Senator Jon Tester Receives 2023 Rural Champion Award Recognizing His Work Fighting for Rural America

Senator was honored for his work pushing back against one-size-fits-all mandates and securing critical funding for Montana’s rural communities

(U.S. Senate) — U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced today that he has received the 2023 Rural Champion Award in recognition of his relentless work fighting on behalf of rural America. The One Country Project named Tester a recipient of the annual award citing his leadership in securing funding through the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act specifically for rural states, for his work to revitalize the affordable rural housing supply, and for his efforts to push back on one-size-fits-all mandates in support of rural nursing homes.

“Montanans sent me to the Senate to go to bat for rural America and to stand up to folks in Washington who simply don’t understand our rural way of life,” said Tester. “That’s why I’ve repeatedly fought back against one-size-fits-all mandates that don’t work for Montana, and why I’ve worked to expand access to good-paying jobs in our communities. I’m honored to receive the 2023 Rural Champion Award and I’ll continue to work with anyone, Republican or Democrat, to make sure rural America isn’t left behind.”

The One Country Project’s mission is to ensure rural America’s priorities and values are heard, understood, well-represented and reflected in policy in Washington. Tester has been a fierce advocate for rural America’s priorities and values in the U.S. Senate.

Tester worked with Republicans and Democrats to pass his bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to help strengthening American security through domestic manufacturing and innovation and stay ahead of countries like China. As part of his leadership on the CHIPs Act, Tester successfully fought to bring a Regional Tech Hub to Montana after specifically securing a provision to ensure the program would include rural states.

As a part of his continued efforts to support rural nursing homes and ensure Montana’s seniors are receiving the highest quality of long-term care possible, Tester has repeatedly demanded that the Biden Administration abandon their proposed Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rule that would increase staffing ratios in rural nursing homes, which could result in mass facility closures across Montana.

Tester has also been Montana’s leading champion for rural housing accessibility. Earlier this month Tester introduced his Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement Act – legislation that would revitalize Montana’s affordable housing supply by establishing a manufactured housing community improvement grant program.

Tester continues to be recognized by nonpartisan organizations as one of the most effective lawmakers in Congress.