Tester brings in $2 million for Montana manufacturers
Democratic Sen. Jon Tester helped secure the funds in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which he was alone in voting for among members of Montana’s congressional delegation.
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester secured $2 million to help out small- and medium-sized manufacturers across Montana.
The money comes from 2021’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Tester was intimately involved in negotiating, according to a press release from the senator’s office. Tester was the only member of Montana’s congressional delegation who voted for the law.
The funds will support Montana’s Smart Manufacturing Technologies Outreach Initiative, which aims to accelerate the implementation of smart technologies in local manufacturers’ operations.
“Getting folks trained up on cutting-edge technology at our small and medium size manufacturers is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to boosting jobs in our state,” Tester said in the press release. “That’s why I’m proud to have secured this funding from my bipartisan infrastructure law for workforce training and recruitment to grow local manufacturers and create good paying jobs right here at home.”
Tester’s office said the $2 million will be used to educate manufacturers on available smart manufacturing technologies by constructing a demonstration and simulation unit.
The money will also go toward creating apprenticeship and internship programs and supporting the creation of a Smart Manufacturing Technician certificate program at Highlands College in Butte.
It’s only the latest of Tester’s accomplishments in creating jobs and supporting manufacturing in Montana.
In negotiating the bipartisan 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, which creates federal investments in high-tech manufacturing, Tester secured funding for tech hubs in Montana and other rural states, which his office says will ultimately bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding.
The tech hub funds were used in the creation of Montana’s Headwaters Tech Hub, which specializes in smart, autonomous, and photonic remote sensing technologies, according to the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
In July, Tester’s office announced that the senator had secured $41 million in federal grant funds for the hub.
The Economic Development Administration said the funds would be used to support final-stage testing of technologies and build Montana’s photonics sector by increasing career opportunities in the field.
In a press release announcing the funds, Tester said:
“Montana is a big state that can do big things, and we’ve proven that we have what it takes to lead the nation in technological innovation that will ensure America can continue to outcompete countries like China. That’s exactly why I fought to secure this major $41 million investment for the Headwaters Tech Hub, and it’s why I’ve served as a leading voice in the Senate advocating for the untapped potential of rural America. Bringing good-paying jobs back to the United States, securing our domestic supply chains, and developing next generation technology starts with investments right here in the Treasure State, and I will continue to partner with the Headwaters team to make sure they have the resources they need to succeed.”
