Investing in Infrastructure

Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) was elected to the U.S. Senate on Nov. 7, 2006, after a long history of public service in Montana. He serves on six Senate committees including Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs, Small Business & Entrepreneurship, and Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs. A third generation farmer, he is committed to supporting rural America, working families, small businesses and family agriculture. Senator Tester believes investing in America’s infrastructure will help rebuild the nation’s economy from the ground up.

Everywhere I've been over the last few weeks, hundreds of folks have gone out of their way on Main Streets in Montana to talk with me about the economy. I believe it is a problem that needs a fundamental fix from the ground up instead of the top down. That's why I believe we need a new agenda that focuses on rebuilding our infrastructure, improving education and health care, and making our country energy secure.

Right now we need to invest in infrastructure that has been neglected for far too long. We need to put hardworking folks back on the job building roads, bridges, water and sewer systems, and railroad and power lines. Good infrastructure lays the foundation for broad-based economic growth and prosperity that's shared by all who put in their fair share of sweat.

America’s cities, small towns and frontier communities desperately need investment for our future. If we invest now in infrastructure, our young people will have a bright future here at home.

To provide our young people with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st Century, we need to invest in human infrastructure -- education. Building good schools and attracting and retaining good teachers now will pay handsome dividends in the years to come and build a first class workforce our small businesses need to succeed. The federal government also plays a critical role in funding basic research that constantly drives the technology industries that create some of the best-paying jobs in America.

Too many families can't afford to get sick and can't afford health care for their children. Congress tried to invest in family health care by passing the Children's Health Insurance Program, but the President vetoed the bill. Middle class families need us to make another effort to get this problem solved, so basic health care doesn’t take such a big bite out of the budgets of families struggling to make ends meet.

And finally, we can't lose focus on making our country energy secure. We have all the resources needed to keep our economy fueled with American-made energy. We need to invest in clean coal technology and renewable energy like wind, solar, geothermal and biomass fuels, starting right here in Montana. It's time to stop borrowing money from China to pay for fuel from unfriendly countries in the Middle East and create good-paying jobs right here at home.

As a third-generation family farmer, I believe it's time for some smart investing that rebuilds our economy by putting the Middle Class first. We need to do it following the example of millions of working families -- using fiscal discipline, hard work, and common sense.

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