It's time to tackle tough issues in Congress

Guest Commentary:

As we flip over the calendar and begin a new year, it’s time to reflect on our successes and failures and look forward to a year of opportunities. 

Last year, Congress was able to accomplish some big things.  We passed a long-term highway bill that invests in Montana’s roads and bridges and helps get our great Montana products to market.  

After years of mandates from Washington, we passed an education reform bill that ends No Child Left Behind and gives greater power to parents, teachers and local school boards to determine how to best teach our kids and grandkids.

But too often Congress fell victim to the Washington-dysfunction that stopped us from tackling tough issues.

We once again came hours away from another costly government shutdown and Congress once again swiped the next generation’s credit card adding more than $800 billion to our national debt.  

Congress has to do better in 2016.  

We need to responsibly reduce the debt without hurting hard working Montana families.  We must build on our state’s strengthening economy and low unemployment rate by increasing wages and bolstering Montana’s manufacturing sector.

We can ensure Montana families keep more of their hard earned money in their pockets by reforming our tax code so it doesn’t benefit big corporations and disadvantage every day families and small businesses.  

And we’ve got to invest in our future. Too often young folks come out of college crippled by debt.  Making education more affordable for all students will guarantee Montana has a strong workforce ready to innovate. 

We also need to make health care reform work better to ensure every Montanan has access to quality affordable care.

We must also continue to invest in infrastructure, and not just roads and bridges, but also broadband, which will help connect Montana businesses to the global economy.

Finally, we must make sure our country is secure from the threat of terrorism. We have to destroy ISIS –  with the help of our allies – to end the threat they pose to the U.S. both overseas and right here at home.  Being thoughtful and diligent will help us avoid past mistakes in the Middle East.

But accomplishing all of this is going to be difficult until we stop the flood of cash into our political system. 

These proposals have bipartisan support, but to be honest it will be hard to get anything done because members of Congress are more afraid of the billionaires and special interests than they are of the voters they represent.  

That’s why we must achieve real campaign finance reform and work together to make progress here in Montana and across the country.

Sen. Jon Tester is a United States Senator, representing Montana.