Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today sponsored legislation providing rapid disaster assistance and relief to farmers and ranchers for crop and livestock losses.  The bill, H.R. 5099 the Emergency Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2006 has broad bipartisan support.

“Montana’s farmers and ranchers have endured a prolonged drought and high fuel prices,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “When wildfires, drought, or soaring fuel costs hit Montana, our farmers, ranchers and small business owners need help from the federal government.  This bill helps give them that assistance.”

H.R. 5099 provides emergency production loss and economic loss assistance to agricultural producers for losses incurred during the 2005 production year, and in some instances the 2006 crop year.  The bill helps Montana’s cattle ranchers by providing a Livestock Compensation Program for producers in designated disaster counties to help compensate for added costs of procuring livestock feed in 2005, as well as for 2006 losses that occur prior to the date of enactment of the bill.  Additionally, the Ewe Lamb Replacement and Retention Payment Program would be extended for an additional year, to Dec. 31, 2006.

The legislation also removes the 95 percent crop value cap and deduction for crop insurance indemnities.  Producers who didn’t have crop insurance coverage or didn’t sign up for the Non-Insured Assistance Program (NAP) are eligible, but they must agree to purchase insurance coverage or sign up for NAP for the next two crop years.

“H.R. 5099, is good, common-sense legislation that gives Montana’s farmers and ranchers a boost when they need it most,” Rehberg said.  “Agriculture is an important driver in Montana’s economy.  High fuel and fertilizer prices have hit our producers hard and the federal government needs to do all it can to lend a hand to those who produce our food and fiber.”

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, announced today that needy seniors in Montana who qualify for Medicare’s Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) after May 15, 2006, will be eligible for a special one-time enrollment period to participate in the Medicare prescription drug benefit if they haven’t already done so.  For most seniors, May 15 is the deadline to participate in the Part D drug benefit program before having to pay an enrollment fee.

Seniors qualify for the subsidy if their annual income is below $14,700 for a single person or $19,800 for married couples and if resources, including savings and stocks, are under $11,500 for a single person or under $23,000 for a married couple.

“The special enrollment period should really help Montana’s neediest seniors,” Rehberg said.  “It seems there’s good news everyday about the Medicare prescription drug benefit and I want to continue to see as many of Montana’s seniors take advantage of this money-saving program as possible.”

In most cases, the low-income seniors wishing to participate in the Medicare Part D program will have 85 percent to 100 percent of their prescription drug costs covered and save more than $2,100 a year.  There are about 150,000 Montanans eligible to enroll in the plan, 90,000 of which have already signed up, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

“Medicare is a commitment by the government to take care of our seniors and that means ALL seniors wishing to participate,” added Rehberg.  “If you’re a low-income Montana senior, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the prescription drug benefit and contact my Billings office for help.”

Rehberg noted that the drug plan is working for Montana seniors. The average premiums seniors pay for their prescription drug benefits are a third less than expected - just $25 per month instead of the earlier estimate of $37 per month.  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released data today showing 84 percent of seniors across the country that have enrolled in the plan are satisfied with it and 91 percent say the plan is easy to use at their local pharmacy.

For more information on the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit, visit http://www.medicare.gov/, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).  Montana seniors can call Congressman Rehberg’s Billings office at 406-256-1019.

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, announced Montana’s economy created 3,200 new jobs in March, resulting in the largest month-to-month percentage (0.8 percent) gain in the country.  Rehberg said Montana’s unemployment rate now stands at 3.4 percent, well below the 4.7 percent national average.  A report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) today detailed the employment data.

“It’s clear Montana’s economy is growing, but there’s more work to be done,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “We need to continue to invest in Montana’s energy resources, including oil.  Montana can be a leader in helping the U.S. reduce its dependence on foreign oil.  We need to do whatever it takes to give Montana’s oil producers access to American pipelines so they’re not selling higher quality Montana oil at a deep discount to their world competitors.

“Investing in Montana’s energy future is an investment in our children’s future. Increased energy development, be it mining or oil and gas exploration, on Montana’s 517 million acres of school trust lands would directly increase school funding.  More good, high-paying, private sector jobs are just waiting to be created in Montana.  I’m going to continue pressing the Department of Energy for answers on how I can help Montana’s oil producers.”

Of states with small populations, Montana is among the leaders in jobs created in the past year with 10,700, BLS said.  Montana, which ranks tenth among U.S. states in oil produced, has refineries in Billings, Great Falls and Laurel.  Crude production surged over 14 percent in Montana last year, according to industry statistics.  Montana produced 19 million barrels of crude oil in 2005 and the state says proven oil finds could surge to 150 million barrels in the future.  About 8 percent of Montana’s workforce is currently employed in energy related jobs, according to BLS.

“The expectation is that Montana will only continue to grow when it comes to energy production and we need to do everything we can to facilitate that growth,” Rehberg said.  “At a time when gas prices keep rising, this country needs to look within our own borders to solve our energy needs.  Montana is open for business and willing to help.  It’s time to buy American and time to buy Montanan.”

Rehberg, a member of the Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee, has worked to create incentives to effectively develop domestic energy in environmentally sensitive ways, develop alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar, and to encourage national energy conservation.  Last year, Rehberg, added a key legislative provision to the GAS Act of 2005, to encourage the building of a new coal-to-liquid-fuels (CTLF) refinery.  Rehberg’s amendment expands the definition of “refineries” to include CTLF and give any of these new facilities that are built in Montana the same access to streamlined permitting.

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, urged Congress to continue funding for the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program.  Rehberg, in an effort to prevent reductions to the program, called for a minimum of $637 million in funding for 2007.

Montana received more than $3 million in CSBG funding in 2005 that helped serve more than 46,000 low-income Montanans and almost 16,000 needy seniors in the state.

“CSBG’s have proven to be one of the most cost-effective government programs,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “Each CSBG dollar leverages nearly $5 in non-federal funds for the Community Action Agencies (CAA) administering these programs.  With success like that, it’s easy to see why CSBG’s have helped so many low-income families and communities across the country and in Montana.  Now is not the time to be thinking about cutting funds for this vital program.”

The CSBG program, which was created in the 1960s, provides states and Indian tribes with funds to reduce poverty. The funds provide a range of services and activities to assist the needs of low-income individuals including the homeless and seniors.  President Bush didn’t seek any funding for the program in his most recent budget request.

“Any program that helps families leave poverty for a better way of life should receive INCREASED funding, not be cut,” Rehberg added.  “We hear a lot about wasteful and irrelevant government programs. CSBG isn’t one of them.”

Rehberg also highlighted the following about the CSBG program from the Department of Health and Human Services:

·42.3 million hours of volunteer time were marshaled for anti-poverty work by Community Action Agencies, the equivalent of 18,750 full-time employees.
·$9.6 billion in federal, state and local, public and private funds were mobilized by community action to help families and communities out of poverty–$1,486 for every $1 of CSBG funds.
·3,153,282 Low-income households in crisis had their emergency needs met by community action.
·783,005 low-income senior citizens continued to live independently because of supportive services provided by community action.

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, in a letter to the Surface Transportation Board (STB), urged the Board to forgo a second rulemaking procedure and resolve a two-year long legal battle involving the Basin Electric Power Cooperative and Western Fuels Association and BNSF Railway Co.  Basin Electric and Western Fuels have a case pending before the STB over BNSF’s uncompetitive shipping rates that have driven up prices for Montana’s farmers and energy producers.  Basin Electric delivers power to co-ops in Central and Eastern Montana.

A ruling was expected in the case, which has already generated thousands of pages of evidence and $5 million in legal fees for both parties, in September of this year.  However, the STB recently announced it was starting a new rulemaking procedure to consider several technical changes in how the Board considers rate cases.  The effect of this rulemaking is to further delay a decision in Basin’s rate case for at least another year.

“Captive shipping straps Montana’s farmers and energy producers to high costs and low profit margins,” Rehberg said.  “Consumers and the local economy end up feeling the squeeze, too.  STB needs to resolve this case, so reasonable rates can be established in the absence of true competition.”

According to published reports, Montana’s grain farmers pay $60 million to $80 million more a year in freight rates, especially to the ports in the Pacific Northwest, than do farmers residing in areas where competition exists.  Coal producers throughout the state are also subject to higher input costs due to captive shipping.  Some producers pay as much to ship their coal as they do to produce it.  “The price of energy in Montana has sky-rocketed in recent years.  This situation hurts families all over Montana and can be directly attributed to exorbitant shipping rates,” added Rehberg.

“We’ve long needed a solution to the high costs associated with having only one rail shipping company serving our state,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “This is a major issue for Montana and we can’t afford any further delays in the decision-making process.  I’m going to keep leaning on STB to make a swift and fair ruling.”

Last year, Rehberg sponsored the “Railroad Competition Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005,” which will enhance competition among rail carriers to ensure reasonable rail rates for Montana’s agricultural producers and electric cooperatives.

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, requested expedited reimbursement of funding for the Montana Department of Transportation to repair a collapsed portion of Interstate 94 in Hysham.  Rehberg, who plans to inspect the affected area in the coming weeks, made the request in a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Norm Mineta.  The collapsed area is estimated be to 80 feet long and 10 feet deep.

“With tourist season rapidly approaching, it’s important that the Montana DOT be able to fix the crater as efficiently and quickly as possible without being left in a financial bind afterward,” Rehberg said.  “I urged Secretary Mineta to ensure the state of Montana isn’t left holding the bag for these vital repairs.”

Montana DOT will be responsible for the initial cost of repairing the sinkhole, but is eligible for reimbursement from the federal government.  Repairs could take up to two months and costs aren’t yet known.  Rehberg told Mineta in his letter that he’s optimistic the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will work cooperatively with the Montana DOT to ensure the state is reimbursed in a timely fashion.

“Not only is I-94 important to the economy in rural Eastern Montana, it’s a critical part of commerce in the entire state,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “Cattle, grain and other agriculture products are shipped on I-94 along with goods that support Montana’s oil and gas industries.  Saying this stretch of road is important to Montana’s economy is an understatement.”

Last year, Rehberg made a similar request of Mineta and was ultimately successful in securing $2 million for the cleanup of Beartooth Highway after severe mudslides and rains damaged the road.

Letter Below:

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WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, defended Eastern Montana’s oil producers by pressing a Department of Energy official at a congressional hearing on the pricing system that forces Montana producers to sell their oil at a deep discount compared to their Canadian counterparts.  Currently, Montana producers need to truck their oil to refineries due to limited pipeline capacity, driving their profits down, while Canadian producers have access to American pipelines.

“I want to know why in the world, when oil is selling for over $60 a barrel, Eastern Montana’s oil is selling for as little as $30 a barrel,” Rehberg said.  “It’s outrageous that preference for use of American pipelines is being given to a foreign producer.  At time when the U.S. is trying to reduce its dependence on foreign oil, our government should be helping Montana’s oil industry, not hurting it.”

Rehberg questioned David Garman, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, at a hearing of the Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee, of which Rehberg is a member.  Rehberg pressed Garman on the government’s ability to give preference to domestic producers over foreign competitors.

“It doesn’t make sense that lower quality Canadian oil is flowing through our pipelines and displacing Montana crude.  The worst thing about it is our domestic oil is discounted around $25 a barrel which affects the local tax revenue and could ultimately impact economic development and jobs.  We need to make sure Montana oil is given preference,” Rehberg told Garman.

Montana, which is ranks tenth among U.S. states in oil produced, has refineries in Billings, Great Falls and Laurel.  Crude production surged over 14 percent in Montana last year, according to industry statistics.  Montana produced 19 million barrels of crude oil in 2005.

“Energy production is one of our most important economic drivers in Montana, but our producers can’t afford to be fleeced by preferential treatment given to foreign competitors,” Rehberg said.  “I’m not going to sit idly by and allow Montana’s oil producers and economy to be hurt in that way.”

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, received answers on critical Malmstrom Air Force Base issues such as new missions, the status of Malmstrom’s runway, the arrival of the F-15 squadron, and a timeline for the completion of the attributes study from Assistant Secretary William C. Anderson at a congressional hearing today.  As Assistant Secretary for Installations, Anderson is regarded as the Air Force’s top authority on Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC).  Anderson testified before the Military Quality of Life Appropriations Subcommittee, of which Rehberg is a member.

“Secretary Anderson said he believed Malmstrom’s runway was subject to the 1995 BRAC round along with the flying mission, but that the Air Force General Counsel needs to formulate an official position,” Rehberg said.  “So it appears the status of the runway is still up in the air and ultimately, we’ll need Secretary Rumsfeld to make the final call.  I’m going to continue to make the case that the runway should be reopened.”

Anderson also told Rehberg that the Air Force is currently looking for new missions for Malmstrom and “for other opportunities within the federal government.”  When asked, Anderson informed Rehberg that the Air Force Attributes Study will take only six to eight months to complete.  The Study will evaluate all aspects of Malmstrom and its compatibility with available missions. The evaluation team will draft a report detailing Malmstrom’s strengths and how they can best be matched up with available government missions.  Rehberg and Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) jointly announced last month that the Attributes Study will commence on April 10.

Rehberg and Burns have been working together to secure a new mission for Malmstrom, including holding recent meetings with top Air Force officials to promote the base’s strategic value.  During the most recent Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) round, Senator Burns and Congressman Rehberg fought to keep missions at Malmstrom and maintain Montana’s Air National Guard Force, by adding an F-15 squadron.

“Securing a new mission for Malmstrom is priority number one, and I intend to keep working to make that happen,” said Rehberg.  Rehberg also announced the arrival of the new F-15 squadron at Gore Hill will begin in October 2008 with the departure of the F-16 squadron currently based there starting in October 2007.

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, in a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), took the Corps to task for its decision to not hold a public meeting in Montana this year on the annual operating plan for the Missouri River and related operations, including Fort Peck.

“The Corps knows how critical issues related to the Missouri River are in Montana and I’m dismayed by their decision to not allow Montanans a chance to have their voices heard,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “Montana is the only state along the Missouri River basin to not get a meeting this year and I question the Corps’ judgment on this decision.  I’m respectfully asking them to reconsider and hold a meeting in Montana.”

According to the Corps, the meetings discuss “this year’s runoff and reservoir storage and descriptions of the planned regulation for flood control, hydropower, navigation, irrigation, recreation, water supply, water quality, fish and wildlife and endangered species for a wide variety of runoff and storage conditions.” After holding a meeting in Glasgow last year, the Corps opted to not hold a meeting in Montana this year for unspecified reasons.  Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota each received one meeting this year and Missouri was granted three.  Last year, Montana, Nebraska, North and South Dakota each had one meeting, while Missouri had two.

“The Fort Peck Dam and Reservoir has endured years of sustained drought and is becoming a shrinking resource,” added Rehberg.  “I praised the Corps last month for forgoing a release of water from the Reservoir, but there’s still work to be done to make sure we keep our fair share of water in Montana.  Fort Peck is just as integral as any other facility along the Missouri River Basin.  It’s disappointing that in planning the 2006 meetings, the Corps didn’t choose Montana.”

Fort Peck Lake is the fifth-largest man-made reservoir in the United States.  Rehberg, a member of the Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee, has pressed for more funding to combat noxious weeds along Fort Peck’s banks and shorelines.  He also worked to extend boat ramps since the drought had dropped water levels.

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WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, is sponsoring legislation to protect Montana’s rural airstrips from closure.  The bill, H.R. 4970 - The Backcountry Landing Strip Act - was introduced by Rep. Butch Otter (R-ID).

“Rural landing strips are a part of life in the West,” Rehberg said.  “Western states rely on these landing strips for everything from essential services such as firefighting to recreational purposes.  Too often, these airstrips are targeted for closure by the federal government or environmental groups.  This bill puts the control of rural airstrips in the hands of the states and towns that need them most.”

Rehberg said the Bureau of Land Management is currently attempting to close four of the 10 rural airstrips in the Missouri River Breaks area of Montana. The plan would result in only two airstrips in the Breaks being open-year round.  H.R. 4970 would require state aviation departments to approve all closures, rather than allowing federal bureaucracies to blindly close airstrips.

The legislation would prevent the U.S. Interior and Agriculture Departments from permanently closing or rendering unserviceable backcountry airstrips without first consulting with the appropriate state aviation departments that would be impacted by the decision.  The bill 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.

“All we’re asking for is that the states and their pilots are allowed input on this issue, not just Washington bureaucrats,” Rehberg said.  “That shouldn’t be too much to ask for.”

“We support keeping our rural airstrips open unless there’s consultation with Montana’s pilots,” said Joe Roberts, past president of the Montana Pilots Association.  “These strips are important for a variety of reasons and we want to protect our existing ones.”