Congressman Denny Rehberg

BOZEMAN, MT - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, announced today Montana State University has been awarded a $1,000,000 grant to an agricultural innovation center. Rehberg, who worked to get such grants in the 2002 Farm Bill, said the center will assist Montana’s farmers, ranchers, and rural businesses develop and expand value-added commerce.

“This grant is a result of a bill I introduced in 2001 establishing innovation centers to help our rural producers and small businesses thrive through greater use of agriculture commodities,” Rehberg said. “This is a common-sense federal investment that will ultimately translate into new jobs and improved economic opportunities for Montana’s rural families.”

In winning selection, Montana State demonstrated a track record of achieving value-added successes and a commitment to measuring the performance of its value-added activities.

“Our local producers and small businesses greatly need this important resource to assist them in the creation of new markets, allowing them to expand their businesses,” Rehberg said. “I’m proud of Montana’s products, and I look forward to seeing our value-added ventures expand, allowing our rural businesses, farmers and ranchers to further enhance Montana’s economy.”

Rehberg was able to add his legislation creating the program into the 2002 Farm Bill. The program provides technical and business development assistance to increase and improve the ability of agricultural producers to develop markets and processes for value-added agricultural commodities and products. Programs in nine other states were awarded similar grants, selected by the United States Department of Agriculture on a competitive basis.

BILLINGS, MT - Montana’s Congressman, U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg (R), is among a dozen elected officials from the West who will take part in “Take Back the West,” an organizational conference sponsored by the non-profit Partnership for the West. The forum takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, September 26, at Denver Marriott South, 10345 Park Meadows Drive in Littleton, Colorado.

“Our western values are increasingly under attack by a vocal minority of special interest groups who advocate closing our public lands, over-regulating our natural resource industries, and hog-tying our agrarian industries,” said Rehberg. “This forum is an opportunity to openly discuss these important issues, and to develop working partnerships dedicated to preserving our treasured way of life.”

The Partnership for the West is a newly-formed non-profit organization based out of Golden, Colorado, linking industry, small business, agriculture, conservation and recreation advocates, labor, consumers, multiple use proponents, and economic development officials. According to the Partnership for the West, the group aims to:

Help different economic sectors in the West work in coordinated fashion on consensus issues

Allow member organizations to expand their networks of grassroots support beyond their traditional base

Provide organizations with new strategies and tools to help organize and activate individual constituencies

Build a grassroots army of Western citizens that will number in the hundreds of thousands;

Present a constructive, pro-prosperity agenda for the West — in sharp contrast to the narrow agenda of those anti-growth activists who blindly oppose all growth and development.

Open to the public, the conference includes a distinguished list of elected officials from throughout the West who are scheduled to speak:

California: Rep. Wally Herger, Colorado: Gov. Bill Owens, Rep. Bob Beauprez, Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, Rep. Thomas Tancredo, Idaho: Sen. Larry Craig, Rep. C.L. “Butch” Otter, Montana: Rep. Denny Rehberg, Nevada: Rep. James Gibbons, Utah: Rep. Rob Bishop, Rep. Chris Cannon, Wyoming: Rep. Barbara Cubin.

BILLINGS, MT — Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has approved $1,242,453 in grant awards to support program activities for five Head Start programs across the state.

“I’m proud of the work of Montana’s Head Start programs. It is a fantastic program that services a critical need in our communities,” Rehberg said. “These funds totaling more than $1.2 million will support Head Start Programs services and activities in Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Hamilton, and Glendive.”

Head Start is a national program that provides comprehensive developmental services for America’s low-income, pre-school children from birth to five years of age, and social services for their families. Specific services for children focus on education, socio-emotional development, physical and mental health, and nutrition.

Awards granted include $567,736 to Opportunities, Inc in Great Falls, $234,827 to Action for Eastern Montana in Glendive, $173,179 to A.W.A.R.E., Inc. in Butte, $163,974 to Ravalli Head Start, Inc. in Hamilton, and $102,197 to Young Families Early Head Start, Inc. in Billings.

Votes to keep the Internet tax free while adding new charitable giving incentive

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg, today voted in favor of legislation broadening charitable giving tax relief while banning Internet taxation. With Rehberg’s help, the House approved separate bills that extend the charitable giving deduction to non-itemizers and continues the moratorium on Internet taxes.

Rehberg’s vote in favor of the Charitable Giving Act of 2003 (H.R. 7) would provide a new tax deduction for charitable donations for those who do not claim itemized deductions on their tax forms.

“The tax code should allow every taxpayer an opportunity to enjoy the tax benefits of charitable giving,” Rehberg said. “Up to now, only a third of taxpayers itemize their taxes, leaving two-thirds without an incentive to give to charity. This vote levels the playing field.”

Rehberg’s vote in favor of the Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act (H.R. 49) extends the freeze against taxation of the Internet, spurring new investment in the tech sector of the economy while accelerating e-commerce sales.

“Obviously, Internet access is more affordable without taxes,” Rehberg said. “Keeping the Internet tax free encourages future growth while allowing more Americans to participate online.”

WASHINGTON, DC - National Farmers Union has presented Montana’s Congressman, U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg, with its Presidential Award for Leadership for his ongoing support of mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL).

“Denny has shown great leadership to address the challenges facing rural communities,” said NFU President Dave Frederickson. “Farmers Union commends him for his vocal support of mandatory country-of-origin labeling, which can serve as a marketing tool for U.S. farmers and ranchers and an informational tool for U.S. consumers.”

The group presents its Presidential Award to select members of Congress in recognition of leadership on issues important to rural America.

“I’m honored to receive this important recognition,” Rehberg said. “Preserving the rights and well-being of Montana’s farmers and ranchers has always been among my highest priorities in Congress.”

National Farmers Union is a general farm organization representing nearly 300,000 family farmers and ranchers nationwide. NFU serves its membership by providing educational opportunities, by supporting farmer-owned cooperative development, and by presenting the organization’s policies to lawmakers at the local, state and national levels.

About 200 Farmers Union members from 29 states were in Washington this week advocating for mandatory COOL, fairer trade agreements, and remedies for low dairy prices.

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, voted for and the House approved the Transportation Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2004, which includes more than $291 million in federal highway funding for Montana. Rehberg also secured a commitment that funding will continue for Montana’s eight Essential Air Service (EAS) points.

“Transportation is vital to Montana’s economy, and that’s one of the reasons I sit on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and why I was appointed to the Federal Aviation Administration Conference Committee this summer,” Rehberg said. “I was also able to secure a commitment from House Appropriations that they’ll work to fund Montana’s EAS communities when they sit down with Senate leaders to work out the details of this legislation.”

“I understand your concerns and I recognize the crucial nature of EAS to communities in Montana,” Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Ernest Istook (R-OK) told Rehberg during a colloquy on the House floor this afternoon. “[L]et me assure [you] that I will work to obtain funding for EAS during conference on this bill.”

In July, Rehberg was able to secure language in the FAA authorizing legislation preserving continued funding with no local match requirement for Montana’s eight EAS localities, Glasgow, Glendive, Havre, Lewistown, Miles City, Sidney, Wolf Point and, on a seasonal basis, West Yellowstone.

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, has joined Rep. Butch Otter (R-ID) in introducing the “Backcountry Landing Strip Access Act” (H.R. 2776). The legislation would prohibit the federal government from closing or rendering inoperable aircraft landing strips located on federal land.

“Montana relies on rural airstrips to provide access to the backcountry for fire-fighting, emergency relief, research, and recreation,” Rehberg said. “This bill returns the decision making process to the people, allowing state and local input in the effort to protecting these important landing strips.”

The legislation would prevent the U.S. Interior and Agriculture from permanently closing or rendering unserviceable backcountry airstrips without first consulting with the appropriate state aviation departments that would be impacted by the decision. H.R. 2776 also directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to adopt a nationwide policy governing general aviation on federal lands, while also consulting with state aviation officials to ensure the airstrips are appropriately maintained.

“In the past, many of our backcountry airstrips were closed or rendered unserviceable by federal agencies responsible for land management, without the benefit of public comment,” Rehberg said. “H.R. 2776 will keep future administrations from making those mistakes.”