MISSOULA – Sen. Jon Tester was in Missoula Friday afternoon to answer questions from his constituents at a town hall forum at the Downtown Holiday Inn.
The event started at 11:30 a.m., and Tester began by announcing the President’s approval of the Victims of Agent Orange Act, which approves improved health care for Vietnam War veterans who were in contact with the substance “Agent Orange” during the war.
Tester took questions on a broad spectrum of topics ranging from the Green New Deal to veterans affairs, health care and environmental conservation.
Tester said that he enjoys the opportunity to host town halls because he compares them to mental gymnastics, and he says that while he might not always have the right answer, its better to talk to Montanan’s “eyeball to eyeball.”
Questions arose about the recent events surrounding possible military action in Iran; on those, coupled with other national security questions like NATO support and Saudi arms deals, Tester said his constituents seem to have as much confidence in the Trump administration’s national security policies as he does.
“Probably about where mine is: not very good,” Tester said. “I think that this country does best when we can work with our allies and gain power with our allies to do the right thing, and I think they’ve seen what happens when the President goes to NATO and gets laughed at. When you have a situation in Iran where it looks like we could potentially be at war, and I think it’s a bit disconcerting for the people here, as it is for me.”
Tester also talked about Gov. Steve Bullock’s presidential bid, saying that he supports Bullock and thinks he would make a great president. He added he would love to see him on the national debate stage.
-Reported by Connor McCauley/MTN News
