Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., announced Tuesday that he was appointed to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The powerful committee basically oversees all spending legislation in the Senate. Tester, along with Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, are the two new Democrats to join the committee. Here’s a press release from Tester’s office:
Senator Jon Tester has earned a seat on the influential Senate Appropriations Committee.
Tester is one of two new Democrats to join the committee. The other is Senator Mark Pryor of Arkansas.
The Senate Appropriations Committee is one of the most powerful committees in Congress. It ultimately decides where the government spends taxpayer money, and how much it spends.
“Serving as Montana’s only member of the Senate Appropriations Committee is a huge honor, but it’s also a huge responsibility,” Tester said. “I’ll bring the Montana values of accountability and transparency to the table. But I’ll also make sure that Montana has a voice when it comes to getting the most bang for the taxpayer’s buck—creating jobs and investing in our future. With Max Baucus as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Montanans have a powerful team on their side in the U.S. Senate.”
In addition to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Tester now serves on the Senate’s Veterans’ Affairs, Banking, Homeland Security and Indian Affairs Committees.