Leaders promises Tester a seat on appropriations
2006-10-20
Source: Billings Gazette
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rss feedDemocratic leaders in the U.S. Senate say they will give Jon Tester a seat on the influential Senate Appropriations Committee as soon as they can if he beats Republican incumbent Conrad Burns in the November election.
Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said in a statement Thursday he will "work very hard" to secure a seat for Tester - even as a freshman senator - "as soon as possible."
The announcement Thursday was a clear effort to take aim at one of Burns' strongest issues in his re-election bid: his ability as a veteran senator to bring federal money back to Montana. Burns currently has a seat on the committee.
"Jon is the only Senate candidate who has a commitment like this," said Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., a member of the Senate Finance Committee. "The main thing is that Jon is the man."
Reid's office confirmed Tester is the only candidate with such a commitment.
The Burns campaign said Burns not only already has a seat on the committee, but 18 years of seniority.
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