Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today announced the U.S. Trade Representative has agreed to appeal a recent World Trade Organization decision favoring the Canadian Wheat Board against the U.S., which had sought to block Canada’s unfair wheat export practices. Rehberg last week urged U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick to appeal the decision.

“There is no question that the Canadian Wheat Board uses its status as a monopoly importer and exporter of wheat to gain advantages in the world wheat marketplace,” Rehberg, said in an April 22 letter to Zoellick.

Emerging from a House Agriculture Committee meeting with Zoellick today, Rehberg praised the appeal decision as a move in favor of fair trade. Zoellick told members of the Panel the administration decided to appeal after considering the views of several panel members including Rehberg.

“The lack of transparency within the Canadian Wheat Board has been very frustrating to Montana wheat producers,” Richard Owen, Executive Vice President of the Montana Grain Growers Association, said. “We are pleased to see the Administration willing to take the next step in defending U.S. agriculture and thankful that Congressman Rehberg played in key role in convincing Ambassador Zoellick to appeal the case.”

The WTO ruled April 6 that the Canadian Wheat Board, although a monopoly, does not violate WTO regulations. But Rehberg, citing a recent decision by the Canadian government to reimburse the Canadian Wheat Board after it overpaid Canadian farmers $65 million for their 2002 wheat crop, took issue with the WTO decision.

“This is just one of may examples of special privileges the Canadian government continues to grant the Canadian Wheat Board, ” Rehberg said. “At some point, the WTO has to enforce the rules or get out of the way altogether.”

Action Will Prevent Tax Increase on 113,000 Montana Couples

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, hailed passage today of legislation that will prevent tax increases on 30 million married couples. A cosponsor of the measure, Rehberg said the plan would benefit 113,000 married couples in Montana by making permanent relief from the marriage penalty that was temporarily enacted in 2001.

“Our vote today prevents a tax increase on working families, and I urge the Senate to quickly approve this legislation,” Rehberg said. “Without this measure, the average family of four will see their taxes rise by more than $300.”

Before 2001, husbands and wives earning similar incomes paid more in taxes than two single taxpayers filing individually. Tax relief passed by Congress in 2001 phased out these penalties by providing couples a standard deduction that is twice that of single taxpayers. Today’s vote in the House continues the benefits of the 2001-passed tax relief, and prevents married couples from facing the following average tax increases:
Income range / avg. current tax liability / avg. tax increase / % increase in tax

$ 10,000 to $ 15,000 / $ 6 / $ / 33 / 563%

$ 15,000 to $ 20,000 / $ 168 / $ 116 / 69%

$ 20,000 to $ 25,000 / $ 592 / $ 126 / 21%

$ 25,000 to $ 30,000 / $ 954 / $ 127 / 13%

$ 30,000 to $ 40,000 / $ 1,525 / $ 178 / 12%

$ 40,000 to $ 50,000 / $ 2,466 / $ 188 / 8%

$ 50,000 to $ 75,000 / $ 4,645 / $ 260 / 6%

$ 75,000 to $100,000 / $ 8,274 / $ 573 / 7%

Source: Tax Foundation Individual Tax Model

Dry, Dry, Dry – Rehberg warns Washington to prepare for Montana’s fire season

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today announced eleven Montana counties and three Indian reservations have been named disaster areas due to ongoing drought conditions.

“This announcement puts the focus on the plight of Montana’s producers and communities, which continue to experience financial difficulties brought about by the affects of long-term drought conditions,” said Rehberg, “Today’s designation by the USDA will make producers eligible for low-interest loans and other disaster assistance plans, and helps make the case back in Washington that Congress needs to begin planning for the fire season ahead.”

Montana counties included in today’s drought disaster declaration by the U.S. Department of Agriculture are Chouteau, Garfield, Granite, Mineral, Missoula, Petroleum, Pondera, Prairie, Ravalli, Treasure, and Valley, as well as the Blackfeet, Salish Kootenai and Fort Peck Reservations.

”While we wish there wasn’t a need for additional counties to be added, the reality is it probably won’t stop here,” Rehberg said.

A member of both the House Agriculture and Resources Committees, Rehberg has introduced legislation to create a national drought advisory committee. Rehberg is also former Chairman of the Montana State Drought Advisory Committee.

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today asked U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick to appeal a World Trade Organization decision favoring the Canadian Wheat Board against the U.S., which had sought to block Canada’s unfair wheat export practices.

“It’s obvious the Canadian Wheat Board has been using its monopoly status to gain advantages against Montana’s producers,” Rehberg, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, said.

“I’m urging Trade Representative Zoellick to press our case. The WTO ruled against our wheat producers. Mr. Zoellick needs to appeal that decision, because we are right on this.”

While siding with some U.S. complaints over Canadian grain sales, the WTO ruled April 6, that the Canadian Wheat Board, although a monopoly, does not violate WTO regulations. But Rehberg strongly disagrees with the WTO decision. As an example, Rehberg cited a recent decision by the Canadian government to reimburse the Canadian Wheat Board, which overpaid Canadian farmers $65 million for their 2002 wheat crop.

“This is just one of many examples of special privileges the Canadian government continues to grant the Canadian Wheat Board. It’s about the need for fair trade, not just free trade,” Rehberg said. “How can Montana wheat farmers compete fairly in the private sector against that kind of unfair intervention by a foreign government like Canada. At some point, the WTO has to enforce the rules or get out of the way altogether.”

# # #

April 22, 2004

The Honorable Robert Zoellick
United States Trade Representative
600 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20508

Dear Ambassador Zoellick:

On behalf of the number one industry in my state, agriculture, I’m writing to express my disappointment that the World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled against the United States challenge that the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) violates Article XVII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trades (GATT) by making export sales that are not consistent with commercial practices. I urge you to appeal the decision.

There is no question that the Canadian Wheat Board uses its status as a monopoly importer and exporter of wheat to gain advantages in the world wheat marketplace. The CWB purchases wheat at a price below world market prices, and it benefits from a Canadian government guarantee to make up any pool deficit incurred by selling at below its already artificially low acquisition price. As a result, the CWB can and does sell Canadian grain for export at prices below world market prices, something no commercial entity could do. I believe these actions not only violate WTO rules, they put U.S. wheat producers at an unfair advantage.

This is an extremely important issue to the wheat producers in my state and around the country. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Dennis Rehberg
United States Congress

U.S. Supreme Court Lets Stand Appeals Court Ruling Giving Preference to Navigation Industry

BILLINGS, MT - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg (R), was disappointed with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to not take up a case over regulation of Missouri River flows, leaving in place an 8th Circuit Court ruling that places Montana’s fishing and recreation interests secondary to that of the downstream barge industry.

“I’m disappointed the ruling will stand that unfairly favors the interests of one state over another,” said Rehberg. “Montana is in its sixth year of serious drought, and the Missouri River is as every bit as precious to our interests as it is to those further down stream.”

The state of Montana filed a “friend of the court” brief in March in a case originally brought by North Dakota and South Dakota against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In it, the Dakotas argued the Corps’ practice of releasing water from upstream reservoirs to aid navigation in the Missouri’s lower reaches hurt upstream fishing, tourism, and recreation industries. A federal district court originally ruled in favor of the Dakotas, but the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis overturned the decision last summer.

Rehberg, a member of the U.S. House Committee on Resources, added that he is “considering all options, including legislation, to see that Montana is treated fairly.” The Army Corps of Engineers is expected to soon release a revised river management plan they say will weigh all the river’s various interests equally.

HELENA, MT - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today announced the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded more than $20.6 million to the state of Montana. The amount will help fund equipment and training for statewide preparedness and law enforcement.

“I voted for and Congress approved these funds as part of national security strategy to assist state and local first responders increase preparedness and protect our citizens,” Rehberg said. “These dollars will provide equipment and training designed to help Montana’s first responders save lives by preventing acts of terrorism and responding if one occurs.”

The total amount awarded, $20,668,000, includes $15,687,000 for State Homeland Security, to enhance the capability of state and local agencies to prevent and respond to incidents of terrorism involving the use of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive weapons. The funds will help provide specialized equipment, exercises, training, and planning costs associated with updating and implementing Montana’s Homeland Security Strategy.

Also included is $4,655,000 for state and local law enforcement prevention efforts, including planning, organization, equipment, training and exercises. In addition, the grant includes $326,000 to assist local citizen councils with planning, outreach, and management of Citizen Corps programs and activities.

“Ensuring Montana’s critical systems and infrastructure are as safe as they can be from terrorist attack is obviously a top priority of mine,” Rehberg said.

Rehberg is a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

WASHINGTON D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today introduced the Consumer and Producer Protection Act, a measure that enhances meat safeguards for consumers while establishing economic safeguards for producers. Rehberg’s bill, endorsed by the Montana Stockgrowers Association, bans downer cows without hurting producers while also protecting consumer confidence in the food supply.

“Up to now, all the wrangling in Washington over downer cattle has been at the hands of New York and Connecticut politicians who don’t know which end of a cow to address,” Rehberg, a Billings-area rancher who sits on the House Ag Committee said. “Finally we have common sense legislation that goes beyond politics and truly creates a healthy food supply for consumers while providing an economic safety net for producers.”

In the immediate wake of December’s BSE discovery, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) quickly enacted, in an attempt to maintain consumer confidence, broad regulations to keep BSE-infected cattle from the food supply. Completely banning what it deemed to be “downer” animals, the one-size-fits-all restrictions also included physical ailments having no relationship to consumer health, yet having the potential to cause economic harm to Montana ranchers. The USDA regulations, which are under a ninety-day public comment period through April 12, define downer cattle to include “those with broken appendages,” according to the Federal Register. “USDA’s final definition will be crucial,” Rehberg said, ”because each downer animal impacts the pockets of Montana’s ranching families.”

Rehberg’s bill refines the downer cattle definition in a comprehensive, producer and consumer friendly manner. After consulting this week with Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, Rehberg said he would like to see his definition – endorsed by the Montana Stockgrowers Association – become the springboard for USDA’s final guidelines.

“Maintaining consumer safety and confidence is a top priority with this measure,” Rehberg said. “It will keep unhealthy animals out of our food supply while providing economic protections that will enable Montana ranchers to continue providing the safest and highest quality products in the world.”