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Senator chats with I-O during conference call |
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Wednesday, 30 April 2008 |
By Buck Traxler, I-O Editor
Saying he looks forward to his conference calls to Montana, Sen. Jon Tester (D) was joined by The Independent-Observer, the Big Horn County News, Laurel Outlook, the Dillon Tribune, the Havre Daily News and the Sidney Herald on Thursday morning.
The format is simple, the Senator greets the reporters and editors and then each represented paper can ask a question in a round-robin order.
One question at a time is allowed to insure each paper has time with the senator and usually two or three questions get asked and answered by each paper.
Early on, Tester told the group that the Farm Bill had passed an extension and would probably have another, however, “We’re on the verge of getting it done.”
The Sidney Herald wanted a comment on the Bakken Formation. The Senator said, “It was good news, 3.6 billion barrels (oil) is what I’ve heard.” He went on to add, without being specific, other things we need to do to gain oil independence.
I-O Editor Buck Traxler followed that up, asking Tester for his thoughts on Sen. John McCains (R) plan for a ”Gas-Tax Holiday,” suspending the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and the 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
“My concern is this,” he said, “That tax money is used to fund bridges and roads. I’m not enamored with it, we need to figure out other ways.”
On a follow up question, the night before, Sen. Hillary Clinton, in a debate with Sen. Barrack Obama, said before the national TV audience, “I believe there is manipulation of gas prices…we need to investigate.”
Did he agree with that? Sen. Tester said, “Nothing happens over night, there has been talk of (special) tax breaks in some areas. There is nothing to tell you that it’s going back to $3, not that that’s acceptable. I damn near choked when I filled up my bulk tanks (back home at Big Sandy). There is a lot of demand for fuel that wasn’t there 10 years ago, like China for example.”
He went on to add, “I don’t know if there is manipulation, the Justice Department would handle that, maybe we do need an investigation, but right now, I think it’s supply and demand driving the price up.”
Since he is a Super Delegate, Tester was asked by the Dillon paper about his vote, would it go to Clinton or Obama? He said his vote or support would not be made until the people voted in the upcoming primary.
While not asked about it, the Senator touched on legislation he is introducing that, if passed, would compensate livestock owners whose animals are killed by wolves.
Teaming up with Sen. John Barrasso (R) the bill is called the Gray Wolf Livestock Loss Mitigation Act.
The program, created as part of the state’s wolf management plan, is already accepting claims.
Tester said, “It’s time for the federal government to step up and compensate for any losses caused by wolves in Montana.” He went on to add, “Ranchers already deal with a lot of challenges like weather, disease and changing markets. They can’t afford to worry about additional challenges like hungry wolves.”
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