Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today contacted Chairwoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MS) of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management urging them to act quickly on the asbestos situation at the Federal District Nine Courthouse located at the Battin Building in Billings, Montana.

“Emergency evacuations aren’t supposed to be part of the judicial process,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “Unhealthy levels of asbestos in the Battin building represent a serious risk to the federal employees and Montana residents who use it.  The General Services Administration has presented a cost-effective solution to moving the courthouse and it’s time Congress take immediate action to move the plan forward.”

In June 2006, the chief judge of the District of Montana and the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council requested that the facility in Billings be designated as a “judicial space emergency” due to the facility experiencing unsafe levels of asbestos.  The high level of asbestos has already resulted in emergency evacuations on at least two occasions in 2005 and 2006 and has prevented all but the most essential maintenance and repair work from moving forward.

In response, the General Services Administration (GSA) has recommended the current building be destroyed and that a new courthouse space be leased, an approach that would save nearly $24 million when compared to the cost of renovating the current building.  Unfortunately, concerns over GSA’s ability to lease a new space long-term have prevented Congress from approving any funds to move the project forward.

“While the Subcommittee drags its feet, the people of Montana are running out of time,” said Rehberg.  “It’s time to cut through the red tape and get something done.”

Letter:

April 30, 2008

The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton, Chairwoman
The Honorable Sam Graves, Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
U.S. House of Representatives
2165 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairwoman Norton and Ranking Member Graves:

I am writing to request the Committee’s approval of the Courthouse Lease Prospectus for the Federal District Nine Courthouse in Billings, Montana.

This project requires prompt attention as a result of serious safety concerns.  As you may know, the Battin Building which currently serves as the courthouse location has become extremely deficient in its ability to serve its function.  In June, 2006, the chief judge of the District of Montana and the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council requested that the facility in Billings be designated as a judicial space emergency due to unsafe levels of asbestos within the building.  Specifically, the building contains friable asbestos above the ceiling – an area that also serves as the return air plenum for the building.  This condition has resulted in multiple emergency evacuations over the last couple of years and has prevented all but the most essential maintenance and repair work from moving forward.

In response to these concerns, General Services Administration has recommended the ultimate disposal of the current building replacing it with the acquisition of a new courthouse on a leased basis.  Over a 30-year period, it is estimated that this approach would save approximately $24 million – when compared to a previously considered “three tiered strategy” which would involve temporary relocation, renovation of the old building and return to the renovated building.

I look forward to working with you to find a rapid solution to the problems facing the courthouse in Billings, Montana.

Sincerely,

Denny Rehberg
Member of Congress

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WASHINGTON, D.C. Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, recently backed a bill which would guarantee the continued “Right to Free Speech” for Montana’s bloggers.

“Montana’s blogs have become an important part of the political process,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “They give the average citizen access to a public stage on which to express their views and opinions as well as provide for an avenue of debate in a format never before experienced in our nation’s history.  It’s essential we fight any infringement upon these rights.”

In 2004, a Federal Court ruling ordered the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to begin regulating speech on the Internet.  This was an unintended consequence of the Campaign Finance Reform of 2002 that threatened bloggers with FEC investigations which would have resulted in a public disclosure requirement and expensive litigation.

Thankfully, at the last minute, the FEC passed a rule exempting blogs and their authors from this destructive intrusion of federal authority.  The Blogger Protection Act of 2008 would make this rule permanent and protect Montana’s bloggers from the unnecessary intrusion of Washington, D.C. bureaucrats.  Rehberg announced his support of the legislation in an op-ed submitted on Montana Politics, one of the state’s oldest blogs.

See Rehberg’s op-ed at the following link: http://www.mtpolitics.net/wp/2008/04/25/the-blogger-protection-act-of-2008/

Fights for Expanded Educational Benefits for Montana Veterans

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today announced his support of a new G.I. bill that would vastly expand educational benefits for post-9/11 armed service members.

“The men and women who have defended our country in the wake of 9/11 have earned this,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “Increased educational benefits will ensure America’s veterans have full access to the knowledge needed to go into the career of their choice.  This legislation is long overdue.”

The original Montgomery G.I. Bill was designed to help World War II veterans receive educational benefits upon their return home from war.  Though the bill has been modified many times over the past sixty years, it needs to be updated for the post-9/11 era.

The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act would make increased educational benefits available to all members of the military who have served at least three months of active duty since September 11, 2001 as well as provide, for the first time, these benefits to members of the Reserves and National Guard who currently make up a greater percentage of America’s Armed Forces than they have in the past.

“This bill is about providing veterans with a smooth transition from active duty to civilian life,” said Rehberg.  “And we’ve got a strong, bipartisan group of House members who will help move this legislation forward.”

What the bill would do for veterans in the state of Montana?

·        Tuition Vouchers:  Upfront tuition payments to any private/public university capped at the most expensive in-state public school tuition.  Currently, Montana Tech has the highest tuition at $13,610 a year.
·        Yellow Ribbon G.I. Education Enhancement Program:  Colleges providing veteran specific scholarships for tuition above $13,610 a year will be matched dollar for dollar by the new G.I. Bill.
·        Living Stipend:  Monthly stipend payments based on the local cost of living.  The average monthly living stipend in Montana will be $888.
·        Books Allowance:  $1,000/year for books and supplies
·        Extends Usage Time Period: Allows up to 15 years to use benefits (up from 10 yrs)

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today issued the following statement in response to an announcement that a deal had been struck between the U.S. and South Korea to end the ban on American beef exports:

“It’s good to see that the South Korean government got the message that many of us in Congress were going to prevent any new trade pact from being considered until they fulfilled their commitment to Montana’s ranchers.  I made that very clear when South Korea first banned U.S. beef, and when I met with Ambassador Susan Schwab last year and she agreed to not move any trade deal forward.  This is a big win for Montana’s ag producers and over the next month, I’ll be sure this agreement gets carried out.”

Last October, Rehberg met with Ambassador Susan Schwab, United States Trade Representative, urging her to hold South Korea accountable for resuming the full importation of American beef.  During the meeting, Ambassador Schwab assured Rehberg she would make no attempt to move forward a South Korea Free Trade Agreement until they agreed to reopen their market to U.S. beef products.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today joined House colleagues in approving critical legislation protecting access to loans for Montana students.

“One of the top issues facing Montana families is making education more affordable,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee.  “Continuing to provide students with access to loans which help them fund their way through college is a big step in the right direction.  The weakening economy has taken its toll on the ability of lenders to make future loans available.  But today we found a reasonable solution to ensure Montana students don’t suffer.”

The Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act would allow undergraduates who are dependent of their parents to borrow up to $31,000 in federal loans from the federally backed Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program, up from a current limit of $23,000.  The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a study to determine if raising these loan limits will affect the cost of tuition and fees.

Additionally, the legislation provides temporary measures which would allow the Department of Education to buy up existing loans at no net cost to taxpayers in order to give private lenders more cash to issue new loans and would allow the Department of Education to act as a lender of last resort if more private lenders drop out of the program.

“It’s critical we provide a timely and effective fix to continue these loans until private lenders can get back on their feet,” said Rehberg.  “A good education leads to a smart, skilled workforce and helps create jobs.  That’s why we can’t take it for granted.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today joined House Republican colleagues in the fight to prevent massive tax increases on Montana families and small businesses by forcing a vote on the Tax Increase Prevention Act.

“In celebration of their favorite annual holiday, Tax Day, House Democrats wasted no time in proposing their next big tax increase,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “Having introduced a budget that raises taxes on low-income families, seniors, and small business owners, Nancy Pelosi and company can’t wait to send the taxman out to take more money from hard working Montanans.  We need to put a stop to this proposal before every Montanan is hit with a tax bill to the tune of $2,600.”

Ignoring requests by the majority of Republicans, House Democrats continuously refused to hold a vote on the Tax Increase Prevention Act which would make the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent including the elimination of the death tax, the creation of the 10-percent tax bracket, the increase of the child tax credit, elimination of the marriage penalty, education incentives, adoption credits, dependent care credits and reduced long-term gains and dividends taxes.  According to the Department of Treasury, these provisions have allowed Montanans to keep approximately $2.4 billion of their own dollars benefiting more than 336,000 families and individuals.

“At a time when our economy is weakening, taking more hard-earned dollars from taxpayers and giving it to government bureaucrats is not the answer,” said Rehberg.  “It’s time for Montanans to call for an audit of House Democrats bad policies.”

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WASHINGTON D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, announced today the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has cleared the way for more than $14.5 million in housing grants for Montana’s Native American Tribes.

“Home ownership is part of the American Dream and I want that dream to become a reality for more of Montana’s Native American communities,” said Rehberg a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Many Native American families are forced to deal with substandard housing and this grant will help improve the situation for Montana’s tribes.”

The grant is part of the Indian Housing Block Grant developed by the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) of 1996.  The funds can be used for construction, improvements and upgrades, management of low-income housing, crime prevention and safety and other housing services.

Last September, Rehberg joined House colleagues in approving a reauthorization of NAHASDA and has been actively working on the Appropriations Committee to fight for HUD funding for Native American Housing.

The grants:

·       $6,227,778 grant for the Blackfeet Indian Reservation
·       $4,109,638 grant for the Salish and Kootenai Tribe on the Flathead Indian Reservation
·       $2,504,204 grant for the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation
·       $1,988,780 grant for the Chippewa-Cree Tribe on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation

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WASHINGTON D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today, in a meeting with the Transportation Security Administration, won assurances that Montana’s essential air service (EAS) airports would receive TSA security flight screening once service to the airports resumes.

“In the past month, I’ve been pushing TSA to give me some answers on why they’ve continuously failed to provide federal security services,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “They finally gave in and agreed to fulfill their promises. However, there were still concerns about how the disruption in service would affect implementation.  Today, I secured a commitment from TSA that security screening would be put in place as soon as the first plane takes off.”

Over the past month, Rehberg has pushed TSA officials to provide federal screening to Montana’s seven EAS airports.  Late last month, TSA made the decision to carry out federalization and sent letters to the local airport directors.  However, many of the Montana airports were still concerned about how a disruption in service would affect TSA’s decision.

Today, in a meeting with Mo McGowan, TSA Assistant Administrator at the Office of Security Operations, Rehberg requested and received assurances that, if provided a 30-day notice of the resumption of service, TSA would have security screening capabilities in place on time.

“This is a good call for the safety of the passengers and the airport employees,” said Rehberg.  “However, I’m going to continue to hold TSA accountable for implementing the necessary steps in a timely manner.  I won’t allow them to drag their feet.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today sponsored legislation which would keep more hard-earned tax dollars in the pockets of Montana families and small businesses by permanently extending tax relief measures originally passed in 2001 and 2003.  The current House Democrat budget would let the tax relief expire, leading to the largest tax increase in American history.

“At a time when our economy is weakening, the last thing we should do is raise taxes in order to feed more government spending in Washington,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “Without this legislation, the average tax bill for someone living in Montana will increase by more than $2,600 a year. Less than a week away from tax day, I think Montanans would agree they’re already paying the federal government enough.”

The Tax Increase Prevention Act would eliminate the sunset dates on several 2001 and 2003 tax provisions including the elimination of the death tax, the creation of the 10-percent tax bracket, the increase of the child tax credit, elimination of the marriage penalty, education incentives, adoption credits, dependent care credits and reduced long-term gains and dividends taxes. According to the Department of Treasury, these provisions have allowed Montanans to keep approximately $2.4 billion of their own dollars benefiting more than 336,000 families and individuals.

“When are Democrats going to learn that the people who earn the money will spend it better than bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.?,” said Rehberg.  “This legislation is about keeping Washington’s money grubbing hands out of our wallets.”

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WASHINGTON D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today met with members of the Montana Hospital Association (MHA) to discuss legislative priorities for 2008.

“Healthcare access in one of the toughest issues facing Montana,” said Rehberg.  “The leaders of Montana’s hospitals are a crucial partner in ensuring we can correctly address the problem.  I was glad for the opportunity to meet with them.”

Rehberg is a member of the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee which is in charge of directing healthcare funding to the Department of Health and Human Services, including funding for Montana’s hospitals.  During the meeting, Rehberg and members of MHA discussed preventing Medicare cuts in the President’s budget, addressing workforce shortage issues, among other things.

“I appreciate all of Congressman Rehberg’s hard work for the Montana healthcare system,” said Dick Brown, President and CEO of the Montana Healthcare Association.  “He recognizes the importance of rural healthcare and has done everything possible to embrace it.”

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