Tester Wants Defense Department To Answer For Recent Violations

Senator Jon Tester this week joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers expressing concern over the Department of Defense’s failure to notify Congress of at least $817 million in unauthorized spending. Under the Anti-Deficiency Act, the Defense Department cannot spend money without Congressional approval.  If it does so mistakenly, the Department must notify Congress immediately. Recent investigations uncovered the reporting violations. Tester and several colleagues this week wrote to Department of Defense Under Secretary Robert F. Hale, demanding to know why his Department failed to notify Congress of the violations.

Also Senator Tester announced that he will hold a jobs forum at Montana State University in Bozeman on September 30. The panel will examine how university research, especially research funded through federal investment, benefits Montana’s economy and puts people to work.  The forum is free and open to the public.