Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, announced today the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has cleared the way for a $247,500 grant for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s (RMEF) new headquarters in Missoula, Montana.

“The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has played an important part in protecting millions of acres of elk habitat across the United States and Canada,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Additionally, they have provided numerous acres of new public access for Montana’s hunters and fisherman. These funds will help with key infrastructure needs to RMEF’s facilities so that the foundation can continue to grow.”

Since the organization began in 1984, RMEF has protected and enhanced more than 4.7 million acres of wildlife habitat all across elk country and funded more than 4,900 stewardship, conservation education and hunting heritage projects in 49 states and eight Canadian provinces. Additionally, they have helped open nearly half a million acres for public access and hunting.

“Montana’s natural resources are part of what make our state so special,” said Rehberg. “Organizations like RMEF play a vital role in creating public-private partnerships with the goal of protecting, maintaining, and enhancing these natural resources.”

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today contacted Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns in opposition to the proposed Farm Service Agency (FSA) office closures in Montana.  The closures are contained in a Montana FSA 2007 Reorganization Plan.

“In Montana, we still like to do business face-to-face,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “Montana’s Farm Service Agency workers do a great job of providing answers and assistance to our ag producers, which helps them put food on our tables and money back into the rural economy.  It’s important the agency staff and the producers maintain a personal relationship.”

The 2007 Reorganization Plan calls for closing eight county FSA offices in Montana, (Lewis and Clark, Meagher, Musselshell, Park, Ravalli, Sanders, Sweetgrass, and Treasure), and consolidating the staff into other nearby county offices.  The plan relies on improved phone, fax, and Internet-based communications to make up for the loss of personal attention.  It was put together by the FSA Central Committee, a 17-member task force made up of FSA employees and officials from state and county offices.

“It is my understanding the goal of this plan is to reduce expenses and enhance efficiency within the FSA,” Rehberg said in a letter to Secretary Johanns. “To be sure, all government agencies, including the FSA, must find ways to maximize taxpayer dollars by reducing costs while at the same time maintaining a high level of service.  However, I am concerned that FSA’s plan to close eight offices in Montana will be inconvenient and costly to Montana agriculture producers.”

In October 2005, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) dropped an FSA reorganization plan that called for eliminating 700 FSA offices nationwide, including six in Montana, when Rehberg, and other lawmakers, opposed the plan.

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WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, is joining a bipartisan coalition of 80 House members in pushing President Bush to fully fund the Department of Energy’s “renewable energy and energy efficiency” programs in his 2008 budget request at the levels authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

“Renewable energy is one of the top priorities when it comes to finding a common sense solution to our energy crisis,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee.  “By funding the important programs that are leading the way in developing renewable energy technology, we can make important strides in reducing our dependence on foreign oil.”

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is one of the leaders in supporting new programs to improve the availability of renewable energy.  These programs include hydropower, geothermal power, biomass/biofuels, wind, and solar programs as well as energy efficiency programs for America’s businesses and vehicles. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 authorized a roughly 50% increase in energy efficiency and renewable energy funding over five years from the levels that where in place at the time.

“America needs to develop a smart, effective solution to our energy needs,” Rehberg said.  “It’s important that we show our commitment to finding that solution by first providing the funds necessary to take renewable energy technology to the next level.”

Recently, Rehberg also signed onto a letter to President Bush urging him to extend the energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) for another five years, which would bolster development of renewable energy projects in Montana.

Rehberg Letter to President Bush:
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WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, is leading a bipartisan coalition of 21 House members in pushing President Bush to extend the energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) for another five years, which would bolster alternative and renewable energy projects in Montana.  The current PTC is scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2008.  Rehberg and his colleagues are requesting the President include a provision in his 2008 budget to extend the PTC through 2013.

“America needs to tap into our vast renewable energy potential and the PTC is one way to do that,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee.  “Renewable energy is just one of the many avenues that we need to explore in America to ensure energy independence and decrease our dependence on foreign oil.”

An extension of the PTC will allow utilities, developers and investors the time necessary to maximize potential for renewable energy sources.  The five-year extension will also provide businesses with the ability to plan and finance alternative energy projects.  The current PTC applies to producers of wind power, bio-mass, geothermal and solar power, landfill gas, trash combustion, refined coal and Indian coal production facilities.  Congress approved an extension of the PTC before adjourning last week.  It provides a 1.9 cent-per-kilowatt-hour (kWh) tax credit for electricity generated over the first ten years of a project’s operation.

“Renewable energy needs to be part of a comprehensive energy solution for the U.S. and Montana can play a leading role in achieving that goal,” Rehberg said.  “These investments spur economic growth and create good, high-paying jobs.  Extending the PTC is just one step on the road to showing America is committed to buying American energy.”

Rehberg Letter to President Bush:
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WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, is sponsoring legislation to provide financial assistance to retiring military personnel seeking to become teachers.  The Troops to Teachers Improvement Act of 2006 will correct a drafting error in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that restricted the ability of U.S. veterans to obtain teaching certificates.

“The character and experience of our nation’s veterans would be an asset to any classroom,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “Congress must do everything it can to enhance the quality of our schools. This bill does that by fixing an error that prevented veterans from becoming teachers and kept potentially great educators out of the classroom.”

Since the Troops to Teachers program began in 1993, almost 10,000 veterans have obtained teaching certificates.  The drafting error in NCLB, which mandates veterans teach in “high-need” schools, reduced the number of eligible Montana school districts to 146 from 324.

“This bill will relieve the burden on rural schools seeking to benefit from the Troops to Teachers program,” added Rehberg.  “Now more than ever, our schools need the very best teachers and Troops to Teachers helps accomplish that goal.”

“This legislation will greatly expand the opportunities for troops, thereby getting more experienced, mature, highly qualified teachers into the public school classrooms as teachers,” said Le Gaub, program manager for the Northern Plains Region of the Troops to Teachers Program.  “In this program everyone wins; the military member or veteran, school districts and school houses, the families who attend those schools, and society as a whole.”

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, announced today the U.S. Department of Labor has cleared the way for a $1.9 million grant to fund community-based job training at the Montana State University-Billings College of Technology.

“Improved job training opportunities are pivotal to helping Montana’s local economies grow,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “By improving the skills and knowledge of Montana’s workforce, we can continue to improve the livelihoods of working families across Montana.”

In particular, this grant will focus on training for career opportunities in the energy sector.  Currently, with the large amount of growth in the energy industry, energy-related employment is increasing rapidly.  For example, the Bull Mountain Energy development project in Musselshell County alone is slated to increase energy-related employment by over 4,200 jobs with annual wages over $260 million.   This grant money will be used to establish an Energy Workforce Training Center which will train 1,010 individuals for the energy sectors including oil and gas, refining, power generation and distribution, and mining.

“Now is a crucial time in our nation in terms of energy,” said Rehberg.  “Montana can be an important player in the solution to our energy crisis.  It’s critical that we prepare Montanans with the tools necessary to be competitive in the energy sector.”

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, is pressing Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Rob Portman to fully fund Amtrak operations in the President’s 2008 budget.  Rehberg has been a leader in fighting for full Amtrak funding in recent years as White House budget requests to Congress have severely under-funded passenger rail service or, in some instances, included no federal dollars at all.

“This is an annual battle in Washington and one I’ve become accustomed to fighting in my time as Montana’s Congressman,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “Every year, the bean-counters that write the President’s budget put Amtrak on the chopping block.  Fortunately, we’ve been able to prevent them from cutting this essential service that Montanans rely on.”

Currently, Rehberg is leading a bipartisan coalition of 21 House members that have approached Portman regarding Amtrak funding in the 2008 budget.  Amtrak’s Empire Builder serves as many as 140,000 Montanans annually. Amtrak accounts for over $3.2 million in wages for the Montana economy, while direct spending by Amtrak travelers in Montana is estimated at more than $5.3 million annually.

“Our coalition is taking preventative action in contacting to Director Portman,” added Rehberg. “It’s the same old situation with regard to Amtrak every year and we want to ensure that won’t be the case next year.  We’ve been successful in increasing Amtrak funding in the past.  Hopefully, this time around, we’ll see a reasonable funding level from the White House.  They know that folks all over America rely on Amtrak and that Amtrak needs full funding.  If not, we’ll again take the fight to House floor.”

Last year, Rehberg supported an amendment that increased Amtrak funding to $1.18 billion, an increase of $626 million over the previous year.  Rehberg was also successful in thwarting an attempt to eliminate funding for Amtrak’s long-distance train, the Empire Builder.

Letter to OMB Director Portman:
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BILLINGS, MT - Congressman Rehberg’s office will facilitate a meeting involving the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), southwest Montana landowners, fire district officials, and county government officials affected by the 2006 Derby Mountain fire.  The meeting will be held Tuesday, December 19, at 10:00 a.m., at the Stillwater County Pavilion, (county fairgrounds), 328 5th Avenue North, Columbus, MT.

“The Derby Mountain fire burned 26 homes and over 230,000 acres and had a tremendous impact on southwest Montana,” said Rehberg, a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus.  “I believe it’s a good idea to bring together all the affected parties for a constructive dialogue and see if there are things that can be done that would avoid such loses in the future,” Rehberg said.

The meeting will be open to the public and provide an opportunity for local residents and officials to provide comments and input on the response and suppression efforts over the four-week duration of the fire.

“Land owners, residents, local fire districts, and state and federal agencies all share the same goals when it comes to protecting Montana’s natural resources,” said Rehberg.  “That’s why it’s important to make sure there are open lines of communication before, during, and after events such as the Derby Mountain Fire.  This meeting will be a productive discussion between Montanans and the agencies responsible for implementing fire policy.”

The meeting will be conducted by senior members of Rehberg’s staff, and will involve Forest Service officials from the Custer and Gallatin National Forests, along with members of the Montana DNRC, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), local rural district fire officials, area land owners, and county commissioners from Stillwater and Sweet Grass counties.

Derby Mountain Fire Review
Stillwater County Pavilion, 328 5th Avenue North, Columbus
Tuesday, December 19, 10:00 A.M.

Congressman Denny Rehberg’s Office
Randy Vogel, State Director / Keli McQuiston, Natural Resources Field Representative

Local, State, Federal Attendees:
Bob Harrington, Montana State Forester, DNRC
Nancy Curriden, Forest Supervisor, Custer National Forest, USFS
Becki Heath, Forest Supervisor, Gallatin National Forest, USFS
Sandy Brooks, Billings Field Office Manager, BLM
Keith Martin, Chairman, Absarokee Rural Fire District
Cory Conner, Assistant Fire Chief, Sweet Grass County
Maureen Davey, Stillwater County Commissioner
Lloyd Berg, Sweet Grass County Commissioner

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today issued the following statement explaining his vote on a tax bill that includes a provision to ban energy exploration in the Rocky Mountain Front.

“This is policymaking at its worst.  It’s no wonder there is a lot of cynicism about politics right now.   The proposal to ban potential energy exploration in the Front was attached to a very important piece of legislation that affects the pocketbook of every American.  That’s why I voted today to send the bill back to Committee.  When that effort failed I voted to pass the overall bill because taxpayers don’t deserve to be punished just because a rider was attached to a bill that puts more money in folks’ pockets

My vote in favor of the overall bill does not mean I condone the backroom, dark of night dealings that created the Rocky Mountain Front rider.  There wasn’t a single minute of congressional debate or hearings in either the House or Senate about the Front rider.  Montanans weren’t even allowed a seat at the table and were deprived of the opportunity to participate in the debate.  The way this rider came about is shameful.”

WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, announced today that the Armed Forces Readiness Center in Great Falls will be named in honor of Capt. William Wylie Galt, a native Montanan and recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service in World War II. The House passed a bill today designating the Readiness Center be named “The Captain William Wylie Galt Great Falls Armed Forces Center.”  The Senate recently passed an identical bill.  Galt was born in Geyser, Montana in 1919.

“Capt. Galt is a true example of not only a Montana hero, but an American hero,” Rehberg said today on the House floor.  “We are proud to honor him and the great sacrifice he gave to this country.  He exemplifies the finest traditions of the U.S. Army, which exist to this day.”

According to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Galt led his battalion into battle against German forces in Italy in 1944.  German attacks crippled two American tank destroyers, but Galt led the remaining destroyer and a company of riflemen into battle, personally killing 40 German troops and wounding many more.  A German shell struck the destroyer Galt was in, leading to his death in battle.

The U.S. Army Reserve on Gore Hill was dedicated to Captain Galt in 1958, but the facility was closed after the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) decided to move it to Malmstrom Air Force Base.  The Armed Forces Readiness Center will house Army National Guard and Army Reserve units who have spent recent tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“I believe it’s a fitting tribute to name the U.S. Armed Forces Readiness Center in Great Falls, ‘The Captain William Wylie Galt Great Falls Armed Forces Center,’” said Rehberg.  “Captain Galt’s actions in defense of freedom during WWII should make all Montanans proud.”