Tester travels to Europe: visits American troops, allies
Senator conducts oversight in Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and Denmark and holds official discussions on American national security policy and the war in Ukraine
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News from the office of Senator Tester
BIG SANDY — U.S. Senator Jon Tester, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, this week returned to Montana after spending a week meeting with American troops stationed across Europe and conducting in-depth, on-the-ground oversight of the Department of Defense in the region. Chairman Tester also held official discussions and briefings with U.S. and European allies on challenges presented by Russian aggression in Ukraine, the influx of Ukrainian refugees to the region, and other security and economic concerns.
“As Defense Chairman, it’s critical that I meet with our troops on the ground, and hear directly from the brave women and men serving our country all around the world,” said Tester. “These folks are the tip of the spear in Europe, and we need to make sure they have the resources they need to keep our country safe—and make sure the Department of Defense is using taxpayer resources effectively. I also had the opportunity to meet directly with some of our nation’s European allies and we will continue to stand firmly with them and with Ukraine in defense of their freedom and democracy against Russian aggression.”
A brief overview of Chairman Tester’s trip:
Monday, October 24, 2022, [Wiesbaden, Germany]
Tester received a briefing from the Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Europe and Africa, met with representatives from Joint Task Force Dragon, toured military facilities and the International Donor Coordination Center, and met with leaders from U.S. Naval Forces Europe.
Tuesday, October 25, 2022 [Wiesbaden, Germany]
Tester met with leaders of the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, met with American servicemembers, received a briefing on the significance and operations of Operation Allies Refuge at Ramstein Air Base, inspectrf a C-130 plane, met with leaders and airmen from the 37th Airlift Squadron, met with the Deputy Commander U.S. Air Forces Europe, received a briefing from leaders of the United States European Command.
Wednesday, October 26, [Vilnius, Lithuania]
Senator Tester visited Pabradė and toured the troop training and wellness facilities, met with American servicemembers, met with Lithuania Minister of National Defense, Arvydas Anušauskas.
Thursday, October 27, [Rzeszow, Poland / Copenhagen, Denmark]
Tester received an intelligence briefing and met with American soldiers and leaders from the 101st Airborne Division, received a briefing from the Department of State Mission Poland and U.S. Ukrainian Embassy and leaders of the military and US Agency for International Development, toured the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, met with Andreas Kirchhof, Senior External Relations Adviser, UNHCR Poland; Richard Sollom, Senior Protection Officer, UNHCR Rzeszow; and two Ukrainian refugees, met with the US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark.
Friday, October 28, [Copenhagen, Denmark]
Tester received a Country Team briefing at the US Embassy in Copenhagen and a Danish intelligence briefing at the Kastellet, met with Kasper Høeg-Jensen, Policy Director for the Danish Ministry of Defense.
Tester took the gavel of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee in early 2021. The Subcommittee is responsible for providing more than $720 billion annually to the Department of Defense and related agencies. This is more than 95 percent of the military’s yearly budget, and includes matters ranging from pay and benefits for millions of service members and civilians to the development of advanced technologies and next-generation weapons. The Subcommittee also oversees funding for nearly all major U.S. intelligence agencies.
