Congressman Denny Rehberg

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, released the following statement following his vote to extend funding to the Cash for Clunkers program which provides consumers with $3,500-$4,500 rebates to trade in their inefficient cars for newer models with better gas mileage.

“While Montanans are still waiting to see much of the money the state will reportedly receive from the $1 trillion so-called stimulus that Congress passed almost six months ago, Cash for Clunkers works because it puts money directly into the pockets of the consumer allowing them to make choices in the marketplace. Economic recovery is often pinned on large purchases like cars and homes, since they have a multiplying economic impact through credit systems, product suppliers, service-providers and after after-market retailers. If anything, the Cash for Clunkers program works for the same reason the stimulus has not. It is timely, targeted, temporary and transparent.”

WASHINGTON – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today introduced legislation that requires the United States Treasury to mint a 1907 Augustus Saint-Gaudens palladium bullion coin.  Montana is the only source of palladium in the United States, which is mined at Stillwater Mine.

“There are more than thirteen-hundred Montanans at Stillwater Mine right now who are worried because the government-controlled General Motors yanked the contract that feeds their families out from under them,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “This bill won’t replace the GM contract, but by creating a new bullion coin, minted from a resource produced solely in our backyard, we can increase demand to provide a boost for Stillwater at a time when they really need one.”

General Motors, which is 60% equity owned by American taxpayers after accepting TARP funds, recently decided to cancel its contract for palladium with Stillwater Mine.  GM will instead get its palladium from mines in Russia and South Africa.

The Rehberg-sponsored H.R. 3405 requires the reproduction of the Augustus Saint-Gaudens $20 coin which was minted in 1907.  It is widely considered one of the most beautiful U.S. coins ever minted.  Though the original coin was made of gold, the new coins would be made from palladium, a precious metal produced exclusively in two southern Montana mines operated by the Stillwater Mining Company.

“The proposed legislation which would create an Ultra-High Relief Saint-Gaudens palladium bullion coin is terribly exciting for the men and women of the Stillwater Mining Company of Montana who proudly produce palladium from the extraordinarily majestic Beartooth Mountains immediately north of Yellowstone National Park,” said Frank McAllister, Chairman & CEO of the Stillwater Mining Company.  “I am most grateful to Congressman Rehberg for his support of this important bill.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today announced listening sessions in sixteen of Montana’s 56 counties in August.  Rehberg makes it a point to visit each of Montana’s counties each congressional term.

“Traveling Montana and visiting with folks from every corner of the state is one of the best parts of my job” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee.  “It gives me a chance to hear from Montanans, many of whom who feel like Congress isn’t responsive to their concerns.  Rather than a month of me telling folks what they should think, these listening sessions let me listen and learn from Montanans so I can bring some of that Western common sense to the debates in Washington, D.C.”

Rehberg’s full listening session tour for August is listed below.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg today announced $491,000 for Geothermal Development in Hot Springs Valley. The funding was included in the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee bill for Fiscal Year 2010.

“This funding represents an investment in an ‘All of the Above’ energy solution, which is the balanced approach I support to meet the America’s energy needs,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee. “Research is imperative in developing alternative energy sources, and I’m proud to support a project that leads to jobs in Northwest Montana.”

Hydrologists believe that a water source at the Lake County hot springs may be hot enough deep in the earth for geothermal power production. Geothermal energy is power extracted from heat stored in the earth. It’s an important, renewable source of energy that can be produced domestically. While cost-effective and environmentally friendly, it can only be tapped in very specific locations, which makes it important to locate hot spots.

“The Hot Springs area in Lake County, Montana is a proven source for geothermal. Shallow wells indicate that the source goes deeper,” said Kenneth Sugden, General Manager for Flathead Electric Cooperative. “This project will allow Flathead Electric to continue drilling in shallow wells to verify the potential source of development. Geothermal power is a valuable source of distributed, renewable power for the area.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, called for a hearing in the House Committee on Natural Resources to “examine why government-owned General Motors would choose to void a contract with domestic miners in favor of minerals from foreign countries.” The request for a hearing would provide subpoena authority to compel representatives from GM to answer questions, something they flatly refused to do when asked last week.

“There are some tough questions that need answers, and if we can’t get them voluntarily, we’ll get them by force of law,” said Rehberg a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Montanans deserve to know why GM decided American jobs weren’t important anymore, and why they think it’s acceptable to skirt environmental regulations, worker safety and fair labor agreements.”

Rehberg’s letter to Rep. Nick Rahall (WV-03) who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee and Rep. Jim Costa (CA-20) who chairs the Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals was also signed by the Ranking Member of the Full Committee Rep. Doc Hastings (WA-04) as well as Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-05).

“Frankly, GM is owned by the American taxpayer now,” concluded Rehberg. “They ought to be subjected to the same rigorous oversight we exercise over any other government agency. When a member of Congress asks them to answer some questions on behalf of their constituents, ‘no’ is not an acceptable answer.”

Letter:

July 24, 2009

The Honorable Nick Rahall
Chairman
House Committee on Natural Resources
1324 Longworth House office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Jim Costa
Chairman
Subcommittee on Energy and Minerals
1626 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Rahall and Chairman Costa,

Yesterday, numerous articles reported that U.S. taxpayer-subsidized and federally-owned General Motors Company recently decided to void a contract and cut ties with a Montana mining company, Stillwater Mining, in favor of importing minerals from foreign nations. We are deeply concerned about this development and its impact on American jobs.

We request that the Committee on Natural Resources hold a hearing as soon as possible, at either the full or subcommittee level, and next week if at all possible, to examine why government-owned General Motors would choose to void a contract with domestic miners in favor of minerals from foreign countries. As you know, the Mineral Policy Act says the “continuing policy of the Federal Government [and] in the national interest to foster and encourage private enterprise in (1) the development of economically sound and stable domestic mining, minerals, metal and mineral reclamation industries.”

Specifically, we are asking for a panel which includes:

A representative of the President’s Auto Task Force;
A representative of General Motors Corporation;
A representative of Stillwater Mining Company;
A representative from the United States Geological Survey who can address domestic mineral commodity prices, supply and demand; and
A representative from the Department of Commerce who can address global trade issues related to domestic mineral requirements.

After investing billions into General Motors for the purpose of “job preservation,” the American people deserve to hear why their tax dollars are being spent to actually eliminate American mining jobs.

Sincerely,

The decision by federally-controlled General Motors to abandon American-made palladium, mined at Stillwater Mine, in favor of foreign sources was arrogant and short-sighted. GM came to the American taxpayer, hat in hand, and asked for a bailout under the guise of preserving American jobs.

According to GM, taking its business – and the roughly 1,300 jobs it helps create – elsewhere, is a simple question of economics. You see, Russia and South Africa can produce palladium “cheaper” than the United States.

But it’s not that simple.

One of the reasons domestic palladium costs more is because in America we take greater precautions to protect the environment and reduce emissions. Compared with overseas competitors, for example, Stillwater emits about 1,000 times less sulfur-dioxide into the atmosphere. The bitter irony is that GM uses palladium to create catalytic converters – which are designed to reduce car emissions – yet they employ mining companies in countries that have very little emissions controls.

Palladium mined at Stillwater is also more expensive because they actually pay fair wages, provide adequate benefits and negotiate with organized labor. That’s not necessarily the case in overseas mines where employee rights and workplace safety conditions aren’t a priority.

Americans are rightly outraged by the brazen hypocrisy of the decision made by GM and its new owners in Washington, D.C.. In one fell swoop, the government-controlled auto manufacturer exported American jobs, circumvented environmental regulations, and undercut organized labor in the U.S. A company that once urged us to “Buy American” would do well to heed its own advice if it wants to once again be the “heartbeat of America.”

WASHINGTON, DC – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today contacted Secretary of Interior, Ken Salazar, and urged him to re-think plans to cut winter use access to Yellowstone National Park by half. Rehberg’s letter was signed by a coalition of Representatives from Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado and Utah including Rep. Lummis (WY-AL), Rep. Simpson (ID-02), Rep. Coffman (CO-06), Rep. Bishop (UT-01) and Rep. Chaffetz (UT-03).

“While we are obligated to preserve these parks for future generations, there is also an obligation to the current generation to allow access to these public lands”, said Rehberg. “Outdoor recreation is a multi-billion dollar a year industry in Montana, and our economy can’t take another hit right now. The Interior proposal, in its shortsightedness, also neglects seniors and folks with physical disabilities that experience Montana’s backcountry on motorized vehicles. We can protect the environment while also allowing public motorized access. Yellowstone National Park officials have been working collaboratively on this two-fold effort for years. This new wrench in the machine slows the process by forcing them to start all over again and everyone suffers.”

Outdoor recreation is critical to Montana’s economy, with personal watercraft businesses alone contributing $2.7 billion annually, and Yellowstone National Park has already had more than 1.3 million travelers visit the park this year. Unfortunately, the status of winter use access in Yellowstone has been uncertain for years, largely due to federal meddling between different Administrations and branches of federal government.

“Snowmobiling plays a critical role in the local economy and provides access to public lands for thousands who wouldn’t otherwise have it”, said Rehberg. “While some from New York and California are trying to close off millions of acres to motorized vehicles, I hope that we can at least maintain existing public access levels in Yellowstone.”

Letter:

July 24, 2009

The Honorable Ken Salazar
Secretary of the Interior
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20240

Dear Secretary Salazar:

We’re writing on behalf of our constituents who are concerned about the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) proposal to cut in half the number of snowmobiles allowed in Yellowstone National Park during the next two winters.

The issue of snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park has been a long-running concern for more than a decade. In 2007, the National Park Service brokered a much-needed, commonsense plan to allow a limited number of commercially-guided snowmobiles and snow coaches in Yellowstone. This decision came after receiving well over 100,000 public comments. Unfortunately, a Washington, D.C. judge threw out this plan in September, 2008.

Two months after this ruling, a Wyoming judge ruled in a separate case that 720 snowmobiles was the correct allowance. Now, not even a year after the last ruling, the Department of the Interior has proposed to cut this allowance in half.

Snowmobile guides and snow coach operators, including the hotels, restaurants and shops that attract business from their customers, need a long-term plan under which to operate. Month-to-month changes in rulemaking are no longer acceptable, and the DOI must release a plan that frees small businesses from their bureaucratic grip. The original plan was thorough and comprehensive, as officials from all three states held hearings, public meetings and invited significant input from all interested parties. All aspects, including pollution, were weighed in the original decision, but now we have to start over from square one.

Over the past decade, much progress has been made in cutting snowmobile pollution in Yellowstone. New technological advances and stricter emissions requirements have aided this effort. While we appreciate these advancements, they have come at the expense of private snowmobile guides who depend on consistent regulations to guide their operations. After years of executive rulemaking and judicial wrangling, the issue of snowmobiles in Yellowstone remains unresolved.

We urge your full consideration to reinstate the original plan, which was equitable and well-balanced. Thank you for your attention to this matter. If we can be of further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Rehberg Urges Stimulus Fund Distribution In Time For Montana’s Construction Season

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today sent a letter to the Bureau of Reclamation urging it to cut through the red tape and get needed stimulus funds into the economy before Montana’s short construction season ends.

“The sense of urgency that caused Speaker Pelosi to force a vote on the stimulus only 13 hours after it was written has apparently not been conveyed to the armies of bureaucrats charged with overseeing the massive spending bill,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “While jobs hang in the balance, project managers are spending their days filing endless piles of paperwork instead of moving real piles of earth.”

For example, the Rocky Boy/North Central Water Project in north-central Montana is slated to receive $20 million in stimulus funding. This long-established, shovel-ready project has already waited over two months for their promised funds. Timely disbursement of funds was one of the four tenants that Rehberg fought to include in the stimulus. Few benefit if the funds are allocated over long periods of time. He also indicated that the stimulus should be targeted, temporary and transparent.

Tony Belcourt, CEO of the Chippewa Cree Construction Corporation expressed his frustration to Congressman Rehberg. “I appreciate the funds from the stimulus bill but, to date, we’ve not seen that money. It’s frustrating that as a long-time established water project in north-central Montana, with men and women working on the ground to provide clean and safe drinking water, we can’t move forward because this money is held up in Washington. The bureaucrats are playing politics with these badly needed funds while several communities are on boil orders because their water is unsafe to drink. We’d like to thank Congressman Rehberg’s efforts on helping us get this project done and look forward to working with him in the future.”

Last month, Rehberg launched a website called “Stimulus Watch” to empower Montanans to help identify ways to improve the application of the stimulus. Unfortunately, reports of a burdensome process more fit for government pencil pushers than job-creating businesses have begun to surface, and in some cases, shovel-ready projects are waiting for the stimulus dollars they were promised. In Montana, there is a very short window of opportunity for construction and the longer the funds are held up, the less likely it is the work can be completed this year.

“While it’s easy to announce stimulus funding, overseeing how it’s spent takes more time,” said Rehberg. “The problem is, we’ve put the government in between the resources and the job-creators. While real contractors are on the ground with shovels in hand, the mentality of ‘the check is in the mail’ Washington bureaucrats is just slowing the whole thing down.”

(Read the Letter by clicking below)

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, signed a pledge that he will not vote to enact any healthcare reform package that he hasn’t read or that hasn’t been made available online to the public. Rehberg has repeated criticized the practice of voting on legislation without giving members of Congress time to read it. The pledge is circulated by the non-partisan organization Let Freedom Ring.

In February Congress passed a so-called “stimulus” bill that was the largest spending bill in American history. Members of Congress were given only 13 hours to examine the bill, which was 1,100 pages long. At the time, Rehberg said, “The bill was dropped on us [the U.S. House] at 11 o’clock at night. I would have had to read each and every page in that bill in 24 seconds or less. That’s how much time we had.”

In June, a 300-page amendment was added to the Cap and Tax bill at 3 a.m. on the day the bill was passed in the House. The complete bill was never made available in its entirety by the time of the vote. Even more troubling, Speaker Pelosi demanded a vote on the legislation even though it included blank pages as placeholders for portions that would be added later.

“Montanans expect and deserve an open and transparent government, but that’s pretty hard to have when a bill is voted on before anyone has a chance to read it,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “We won’t be remembered for how fast we acted in Congress, but we will be remembered for how well we acted.”

The pledge reads:

I, Denny Rehberg, pledge to my constituents and to the American people that I will not vote to enact any healthcare reform package that:

1) I have not read, personally, in its entirety; and,
2) Has not been available, in its entirety, to the American people on the Internet for at least 72 hours, so that they can read it too.

Rehberg’s signing of the pledge, along with his reasons for doing so, were posted in a video on YouTube and Facebook. Those can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4McqIGfWQTI

“We applaud Congressman Rehberg for making himself accountable to his constituents by signing a simple, nonpartisan transparency pledge,” said Let Freedom Ring President Colin Hanna. “As we’ve seen time and time again, Congress has rammed through major pieces of legislation that no one read or had time to debate. The consequences for the country are disastrous. Rushing through legislation of this magnitude is not healthy for democracy and we’re deeply concerned that Congress will thwart the will of the people by not even reviewing the details of the bill.”

“Congressman Rehberg has once again proven himself a leader by committing to open government,” said Steve Dogiakos, founder of Just Citizens in Missoula. “Posting bills on the internet before voting on them allows public comment and creates an environment that encourages political participation.”

“The people of Montana will rightly hold their elected representatives accountable for the votes they cast,” said Rehberg. “They’d have a right to be upset if I supported legislation that I didn’t even read, so this pledge is really just a formal declaration of an unspoken understanding I already have with Montanans.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, released the following statement in response to the legal approval of the decision by GM to cancel its contract for palladium with Stillwater Mining Co. in Montana. Stillwater is the only supplier of Palladium in the United States.

“The president’s “car czar” has a lot of explaining to do. A decision like this clearly demonstrates what happens when you give the federal government the keys to private industry. Seemingly taking a cue from the national addiction to foreign oil, General Motors is now putting its fate in the hands of foreign suppliers of palladium. I can remember when GM wanted everyone to ‘Buy American’ – perhaps it and its new owners in Washington should take their own advice.”

On July 10, Rehberg sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers urging them to preserve the contract along with the 1,300 American jobs it helps create.