Congressman Denny Rehberg

BILLINGS, MT - Responding to the pleas of over 3,000 Montanans, Montana’s Congressman Denny Rehberg has drafted legislation he plans to introduce next month designed to free thousands of acres of privately-owned land gobbled up in the creation the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument in 2001. Boundaries for the National Monument were set in an executive order signed by former President Bill Clinton in the final hours of his presidency, although “no landowner or lawmaker ever saw a map of the Breaks area prior to its designation as a Monument,” Rehberg said.

“We can no longer allow these private lands to remain within federally controlled boundaries, where property owners face bureaucratic headaches while trying to responsibly maintain their lands,” Rehberg said. “The only remedy is my legislation, which carefully preserves federal management of the rest of the land.”

On March 24th Rehberg met with a delegation of local citizens from the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument region at his Billings office. This citizen delegation spent several months collecting the signatures of more than 3,300 Montanans in support of Rep. Rehberg’s legislative effort to withdraw about 81,000 acres of private land swallowed up by the National Monument boundary. The petitions also ask the U.S. Department of the Interior to officially indicate removal of the private property from the monument boundaries.

“These landowners have asked me to stand up and defend their private property rights. This is citizen participation at its best,” Rehberg said. “We have every intention of trying to make it right. In the last Congress I was successful in getting the legislation passed through the Resources Committee, but we simply ran out of time in getting it passed by the full House. The petition by these concerned Montana private property owners will provide much needed support for my effort to rally colleagues in the House to pass the bill.”

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman Denny Rehberg (R) today released the following statement, which he delivered on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives:

“I’ve been disturbed by the headlines, depicting extremists protesting the disarmament of Saddam Hussein, even before it’s begun. I even read about a group of anarchists trashing a 9/11 memorial in California. They tore up dozens of American flags. In doing so these people send a caustic message to our young men and women in uniform, who instead need our support.

“I’m proud of our troops. In my home state, our citizens are proud of these brave young people. Two weeks ago, in Missoula, Montana, a large gathering of community leaders, families, and senior citizens gathered to show their support for the people in uniform who have volunteered to put their lives on the line for our country. Several days later, a similar gathering in Kalispell also turned out to show support for those who serve their country. Last weekend, more than 200 Montanans gathered in Billings, shouting “USA” and “God Bless America.”

“I’m proud of that. In each case, Montanans gathered, not to criticize our role in the Middle East, but to say, “we love our country and we support our president.” They gathered to tell our young men and women in uniform, “We love you. We’re proud of you. Go with God, and may His grace surround you should you enter harm’s way.”

Announces Montana Advisory Council on Base Realignment and Closures (BRAC)

WASHINGTON, DC - With an eye on protecting Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana’s Congressman Denny Rehberg (R) today announced the formation of the Montana Advisory Council on Base Realignment and Closures (BRAC). The Montana Advisory Council on BRAC (MACBRAC) will “guide Montana’s effort to best protect Malmstrom” from closure, downsizing, or realignment, Rehberg said.

“Malmstrom’s importance both to the Great Falls community and to Montana’s economy is immeasurable, and I’m going to do everything within my power to prevent Malmstrom from BRAC closure, downsizing, or realignment,” Rehberg said. “This Advisory Council, which includes some of the best military minds in Montana and people with significant knowledge of the problem, will be charged with forming an action plan to protect Malmstrom.”

With another round of base closures and downsizes on the horizon, MACBRAC, described as “an all-star” team of prominent leaders and experts, will convene ahead of the BRAC process, in which a panel begins considerations this year of potential base closure sites before making its final recommendations to the President in September 2005.

“Montana reaps more than a quarter of a billion dollars in annual economic impact from defense-related spending,” Rehberg explained. “The military personnel residing in our state, along with the thousands of veterans and their dependants who call Montana home, deserve nothing less than our best effort to protect Malmstrom.”

Rehberg cited similar efforts in Florida and South Carolina as an incentive and an example for Montana to have its own BRAC advisory panel. The Congressman also pledged to invite Governor Martz and Senators Burns and Baucus to each name an additional member of the MACBRAC panel.

“When it comes to preserving Malmstrom, we’re all on the same team,” Rehberg explained.

REHBERG’S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON BRAC MEMBERS

Col. George Donnelly, USAF, Ret.
38 total years of service between active duty and air guard; Various assignments include three tours of duty at Malmstrom AFB.

Lt. Col. Blanche Proul, USAF, Ret.
Background is accounting and finance; Tours included extensive time in DC, Europe, Taiwan and Elmendorf AFB in Alaska.

Randy Gray, Mayor of Great Falls

Warren Wenz, Partner, Marra, Wenz & Johnson, P.C.
Great Falls Lawyer who played role in previous rounds of base closures; Chairman of the Committee of 80; past Chairman of Montana Chamber of Commerce.

Col. Sam Roberts, USAF, Ret
Served in the USAF for 30 years; Flew in and out of Malmstrom AFB many times in support of various missions he performed; Also Congressional Academy Review Board as an appointee by Senator Burns.

Tom Hoffman, President, Summit Aeronautics Group
Company’s emphasis is defense manufacturing and processing

Dave Micheletti, Project Development Manager, Montana Aerospace Development Authority Served at Malmstrom AFB with work experience on the minutemen missile system;
Currently serves as a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and is a U.S. Naval Academy Blue and Gold Liaison Officer.

Brig. Gen. Bruce Bramlette, USAF, Ret.
Served for 32 total years including both active duty and the Air Guard; Retired out of the Montana Air National Guard; An experienced pilot who has flown the F-89, F-102 and F106.

Maj. Gen. Gary C. Blair, USA, Ret.
Former commander of 120th Fighter Wing; Former Adjutant General of the Montana Army and Air National Guard.

Personal Call to OMB Director Mitch Daniels Removes Roadblocks to Funding

WASHINGTON, DC - A telephone call from Montana’s Congressman Denny Rehberg (R) to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mitch Daniels has freed up funding for the Fort Peck and Dry Prairie Rural Water Systems, Rehberg announced today. Rehberg had originally secured $7.5 million in funding for the project, finalized with the passage last month of the Omnibus Spending Bill. However, the OMB held up construction for nearly a year over a Final Engineering Report.

“I was finally able to get a call through to the Bush Administration, and eventually Mitch Daniels late last week,” Rehberg said. “I told him how important the Fort Peck and Dry Prairie Water Projects are to northeastern Montanans, and underscored how vital it is that we move on with the task of getting clean water to these Montana communities. Mitch said, ‘I will see that this money gets out within the week.’ He was true to his word.”

The phone call and pledge by Daniels resulted in the OMB approving the engineering report, effectively clearing the way for construction of the vital project.

“About $3.4 million of the funds will be used for the first phase of construction for the Fort Peck water project,” Rehberg said. “About $2.3 million of the funds will help finance the final phase of construction of the Dry Prairie water project.”

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg (R), today voted for and the House of Representatives passed the Healthy Forest Restoration Act by a wide margin. Rehberg applauded the bill’s passage as an alternative to years of failed policies that have “allowed this country to kill its forests with kindness.”

“Self-proclaimed preservationists for too long have gotten away with literally loving our forests to death, tipping the scales of our justice system against doing the right thing,” Rehberg said. “This common-sense bill will allow local managers to do just that – manage our forests, keeping our forests safe, protecting communities and property from the threat of wildfires.”

Pointing to photographs of recent wildfires, Rehberg asked, “Do you like this? Because this is exactly the way the people of Montana feel when with the forest fires coming in.”

Later, denouncing a substitute bill offered by Reps. Peter Defazio (D-OR) and George Miller (D-CA), Rehberg said: “I feel like I’ve been watching the screenplay from ‘Dumb and Dumber.’ We all admit that the last few years of managing our forests have been dumb; we pass this substitute we’re even dumber than I thought we were”

“No, what we need to understand is that dead and dying grass is every bit as bad as overgrazed grass; that having dead and dying trees is every bit as bad as over-logging trees,” Rehberg said. “This is finally a piece of legislation that makes an effort to start removing the cancer of the dead and dying forests causing wildfires. This bill resolves the lack of leadership over the years that has allowed this country to kill its forests with kindness.”

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman Denny Rehberg (R) today warned continued obstruction by a faction of lawmakers in the Senate would defeat Montana’s nominee to the United States Tax Court. Referencing the President’s nomination of Missoula attorney Harry A. Haines to a seat on the U.S. Tax Court, Rehberg said the Senate filibuster “is part of a larger plot to shut down our lawmaking process in an effort to score political points.”

“With terrorists knocking at our door, gas and heating prices soaring, an economy in need of a jump start, they want to tie up the vital business of America with a filibuster against [United States Court of Appeals nominee] Miguel Estrada,” Rehberg said. “And it won’t end with Estrada – they will continue to obstruct at every turn. They want to block all of Bush’s appointees, which now includes a Montanan.”

Rehberg’s comments came after the Senate fell five votes shy of cutting off a Democrat filibuster against Estrada this morning.

“The President’s opponents are purposely relegating important legislation to their ‘criticize and dissent’ penalty box,” Rehberg said. “This filibuster is not about Miguel Estrada – he is qualified to serve and everyone knows that. This is part of a larger plot to shut down our lawmaking process in an effort to score political points.”

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman Denny Rehberg (R) has been named Vice-Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition, and Forestry. Along with forestry in general, the Subcommittee is responsible for agency oversight, dairy, food stamps, nutrition, and bio-based energy production.

“I’m honored to be named Vice-Chairman of this panel, which is so important to Montana,” Rehberg said. “Our state is home to nearly 17 million acres of forestland under U.S. Forest Service jurisdiction. That, coupled with Montana’s vast agricultural acreage and potential for bio-based energy production, make the work of this Subcommittee critical to our state.”

“As a rancher, Denny brings with him a wealth of practical experience on agriculture issues,” said Subcommittee Chairman Gil Gutknecht (R-MN). “He will use this insight to be an outstanding vice chair of what I think is one of the plum subcommittees in the entire House of Representatives. Together, we will tackle key agriculture issues, including USDA oversight, Farm Bill implementation and forestry.”

“I intend to focus my efforts as Vice-Chairman on improving the health of our forests and helping foster alternative fuel development such as ethanol, both of which are good for the environment and, in turn, good for the economy,” Rehberg said.

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman Denny Rehberg (R), a member of the House Resources Committee, today announced the U.S. Department of the Interior has approved a $6,158,544 constructions grant for Glacier National Park.

“With its wealth of splendor and natural beauty, Glacier National Park is not only a source of tremendous pride for Montanans, it is also a national treasure,” Rehberg said. “This grant will provide funds to help construct a wastewater treatment plant near the park headquarters at Lake McDonald.”

With over a million acres of forests, alpine meadows, and lakes, Glacier National Park is home to one of the largest intact ecosystems in the lower 48 states. The park boasts six National Historic Landmarks and more than 350 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Sites.

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman Denny Rehberg (R) today sponsored legislation designed to protect Montana’s growing organic grain market. The bill, H.R. 955, would reinstate provisions that require organic livestock produces to use only organically-produced livestock feed.

“With more than 210,000 acres dedicated to certified organic farming, Montana is one of only 10 states that have an organic grain certification program,” Rehberg said. “This bill is designed to protect the integrity of the organic label by reinstating the requirement that only certified organic grain can be fed to animals that will be sold and marketed as organic meat.”

A little-known loophole added to the recently-passed omnibus spending bill at the behest of southern poultry farmers allows organic animal producers to feed their animals non-organic grain and still maintain their organic certification, under certain conditions.

“Left unchecked, the current loophole will decimate the organic feed market, adversely affecting over 80 Montana organic grain producers,” Rehberg said. “After visiting with a number Montana farmers who rely specifically on the organic feed market, I am convinced we must repeal this odious exemption, and the best means to accomplish that is H.R. 955.”