KAJ: Tester lists legislative priorities

U.S. Senator Jon Tester says that his priorities for the borrowed time provided by last week’s deal to end the federal government shutdown will be pass a new U.S. Farm Bill, work on background check oversights, and work on his home finance bill to replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The Housing Finance Reform and Taxpayer Protection Act was introduced back in June, and aims to eventually fade out the two federally sponsored housing organizations in five years. Tester says it’s going to take a bi-partisan effort to get the bill passed.

“We’re hoping to get that across the finish line before the end of the year. It’s really important [and is a] very complicated piece of legislation – but very important,” Tester said.