Letter: Not happy with Tester's track record

(Note: The following letter to the editor was addressed to Sen. Jon Tester and submitted for publication in the Western News).

Senator, let me get this correct. You voted “yes” to table Sen. David Vitter’s amendment to prevent CSJ (Commerce, Justice and Science) funding to sanctuary cities. Your vote allows the distribution of funds to sanctuary cities. So, you are giving illegals a green light to cross our borders in this day and age of threats to our country as well as increased drug trafficking.

One of the reasons our national parks and other federal public lands are being targeted by smugglers is because environmental concerns limit the range of U.S. Border Patrol agents and complicate efforts to construct security barriers as specified by Congress in the 2006 Secure Fence Act.

Thousands of roads and trails have been illegally created by smugglers across U.S. public lands, which have devastated the environment. Other environmental impacts from this illegal activity include: contamination of pristine areas with bio-hazardous waste and communicable diseases, contamination of water supplies for animals and local ranchers, as well as increasing the number of wildfires.

After all that you have the nerve to push your Forest Job and Recreation Act on the people of Montana. You won't protect our borders; you won't protect national parks; you won't protect federal lands; you won't protect private lands along the border. Now you want 677,000 more acres? You won't protect what we already have so I'm doubting that you have the moral stomach that would have Montanans agreeing to give you a yard more of our land.

You sir, are nothing more than a hypocrite and the people of Montana see right through you.

D.A. Shkursky

Libby